Podcasts about Gimel

learn how to write ג (gimel)

Delight in God's Decrees (Part 2): Psalm 119:17–32 | Walking Through the PsalmsSeries: Walking Through the Psalms  |Host: Dave Jenkins  |Date: August 29, 2025Show SummaryIn this episode of Walking Through the Psalms, Dave Jenkins continues Psalm 119 with the stanzasGimel and Daleth (vv. 17–32). The psalmist pleads for God's Word to sustain him inaffliction, to give him life when his soul clings to the dust, and to enlarge his heart to run in God's ways.Text: Psalm 119:17–32 (Part 2 — Gimel & Daleth)Theme: Illumination, endurance by the Word, and an enlarged heart for obedienceKey Verse: Psalm 119:18; 119:25–28; 119:32ListenWatchScripture Reading — Psalm 119:17–32 (ESV)Subscribe & ShareIf this episode blessed you, please share it and subscribe for more biblical teaching.

The second message in our 'Psalm 119 ' series: Psalm 119:1-24 - א Aleph ב Beth ג GimelThis message was recorded during our Sunday morning gathering.We are a warm and friendly church and you are very welcome to join us. Find us at www. riverviewchurch.uk

FOUNDATIONS OF BIBLICAL HEBREW 29: GIMELSend us a textSupport the showThank you for listening to our podcast!If you have any questions, subjects you would like to hear discussed, or feedback of any kind, you can contact us at:greengac@yahoo.com or through the links below, where you can find additional information about our work as well as other materials: Green Gospel Assembly Church – The Church that is Different (church website)

Selected stories]Running time about 36 minutes

Earthquakes and volcanoes; Trees of Knowledge and Life; Fleeing the light; Hebrew Letters have meaning; "Earth" = "Erets" = aleph-resh-tzedek; Gimel = cause and effect; Divine design; Why does God allow xxxxxx?; "logos" vs "rhema"; Healing the demoniac; Learning from Genesis; Nimrod the hunter?; Human resources; Cities; Idolatry; Mighty?; Gimel-biet-resh; Returning to the Tree of Life; Cow story; Giving your live to others; Respecters of persons; Socialism; Benefactors exercising authority; Laws for Adam and Eve; Eden; Gen 26:5 Commandment; Fortress/snare?; Bondage; "Person"; vs Individual; Mem-tzdek-vav-hey; Flowing righteousness; Abraham's obedience; "Torah" = Tav-resh-hey; Law of faith; Men of the city; Natural Law = Right Reason; "God"?; LORD vs Lord; God's voice; His will; The Way of righteousness; Blessings/curses; Learning to be Israel; "Beersheba"; Denying your snares; Gen 26:25; "Gerar"; Obeying God; Gen 22:1 Tempting Abraham; Moriah?; Mem-vav-resh-yod-hey; Place where spirit of God flows; Lifting eyes = seeing more; "Worship"; Membership; Covetous practices; Tempt (Naca) = prove? Test, try; Mark of the Beast; Torment?; Violence?; The solution; Sacrifice; Will of God; State of prayer; Sticking to what's right; Evil revealing itself; Garden = protected place; Wells of righteousness; Angel of the LORD?; Today's Israel; Doing the will of the Father; Possessing gates?; Lot in Sodom's gates; God's many of Babylon; God's arrangement; Following diving spark (yod); Burnt offerings; Modern churches ruling over you; Gen 22:20; Abraham dwelling at Beersheba; Building altars; Nahor; Statues?; Insurance company story; Terah's position; Authority; The greatest destroyer of liberties; Nahor's children; Lessons for you; Bondage of Egypt; Moses echoing Abraham; Shem's blessing for Abraham; "I AM"; "aleph" = relationship of God and man; The ways of God; Seeing curses as blessings; Constantine's church; Early councils; Temple at Ephesus; Doing what Christ said to do; Melchizedek; Acting upon what you see; Learn to be Israel.

Subject: Thy Word - Psalm 119 Speaker or Performer: Bro. Adam Armstrong Scripture Passage(s): Psalm 119:17-24 Date of Delivery: April 6, 2025

Pastor Eric continues in Psalm 119; looking at verses 17-24. In this teaching we focus on we might behold wonderous things in God's Law. How can we ever plumb the depths of His Word, and what does it look like to pray His Word.

Sally and Curtis read and reflect on Psalm 119:17-24. The key themes explored include the truth and wisdom found in God's instructions, the importance of surrendering to and depending on God, and the experience of facing opposition and insults while remaining faithful to God's decrees. The discussion on the truth and wisdom found in God's instructions, as well as the experience of facing opposition while remaining faithful, encourages and inspires the audience to deepen their own relationship with God and reliance on His word. Follow-Up Questions: How can believers practically apply the insights from this psalm to their daily lives? What other biblical examples or stories illustrate the contrast between relying on one's own understanding versus submitting to God's truth? What strategies or practices can help believers maintain a posture of dependence on God and His guidance, even in the face of opposition or insults? How can the church community support and encourage one another in remaining faithful to God's instructions and decrees, especially when facing challenges or persecution?

Psalm 119 is the longest chapter of the entire Bible consisting of 176 verses broken down into 22 stanzas. And every line of the psalm is focused on one specific theme: the Word of God. Using an alphabetic acrostic structure, the psalmist uniquely shares with us his praise for the scriptures, the power found in its pages, and the practicality it provides us daily. The words of Psalm 119 serve as the key to unlocking a deeper love for all of God's Word, allowing every verse, chapter, and book of the Bible to shine its light on the path of our lives.

Follow along with If You Mark In Your Bible for an all-new season 3! This season, we will focus on God's powerful Word from Psalm 119. We will have various guests on this topic for each section of Psalm 119, including this episode with Billy Bland looking at verses 17-24 in the Gimel section! Have your pens, markers, and pencils ready for another episode of If You Mark In Your Bible! We look forward to sharing new episodes EVERY TUESDAY (January - May)! CHECK OUT IF YOU MARK IN YOUR BIBLE Social Pages and more!

Harav Yussie Zakutinsky Shlita

R' Yaakov Klein LM II 73 Part. 3Exploring Creation and Consciousness through Kabbalah and ChassidusIn this episode, the speaker delves into the teachings of Tarach of Hay and Tar ayin Gimel in Timyana, focusing on the concepts of tehillim and espoididus. The ultimate goal is to understand Reb Nassim's teachings in Likutey Halachas, which relate to the Kabbalistic idea of creation as described in a Medrash about Adam and Chava. The script explains how Adam and Chava's creation and separation serve as a metaphor for the process of divine creation and human consciousness. It touches on the concept of Tzimtzum, the illusion of separateness in creation, and the purpose of achieving oneness with the divine. The episode emphasizes the practical implications of these teachings as brought down by the Baal Shem Tov and Reb Nosson within the context of Chassidus, focusing on Tefillah and the role of Malchus in divine speech and creation.Chapters00:00 Introduction 00:04 Overview of the Learning Journey00:47 Kabbalistic Insights on Creation01:44 Metaphor of Adam and Chava02:28 Human Consciousness and Divine Unity06:04 Reb Nosson's Chassidic Interpretation

Gimel Tamuz: Sipurim of the Rebbe 3 stories

Part two: In this special episode, we sit down with Tonia Chazanow, host of the Human & Holy podcast, to discuss the significance of Gimmel Tamuz. We delve into her personal connection and relationship with the Rebbe, exploring what this looks like in today's generation. Tonia shares what makes this relationship unique and how she stays connected to the Rebbe's teachings and lessons. This inspiring and uplifting conversation will leave you feeling prepared and ready for the special day of Gimmel Tamuz. Raizel Schusterman is a Positive Psychology-based life coach, Chabad Shlucha, and mother of 7. She combines positive psychology with Torah teachings to help couples, parents, and singles lead more meaningful lives. Raizel is a certified Positive Psychology practitioner and an ICF-certified coach, assisting both young adults, and adults in finding purpose and happiness. To set up your free consultation today you can reach out to Raizel through her website apositivecoach.com Check out our sponsor OKclarity.com OKclarity.com is THE place for any Jew - no matter how frum or religious you are - to find an excellent therapist, psychiatrist, coach, or nutritionist. And it's completely free for you to use! OKCLARITY.com's professionals are vetted and have extensive experience working with the Jewish community. Yes, you can even find me there! If you're in the market for a therapist, coach, nutritionist, psychiatrist, or the like - you want to check them out. If you don't find what you're looking for, they have a concierge service where you complete a short form and they will personally match you. Important side note! If you are a wellness professional, I highly recommend joining their directory. Their team is amazing and I've received referrals immediately! OKclarity also has an amazing WhatsApp status with over 8 thousand obsessed followers. Their WhatsApp is a free way to improve your mental health and they post great humor so you'll laugh too. If you have WhatsApp, shoot them a message at 917-426-1495. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/apositivepodcast/support

(Amos 1) Amos, minor prophet and shepherd; Levites often shepherds; Network of ten-family synagogues; Ministers were communicators of information; Freewill support; Consequences of choosing rulers; Amos' poetic nature; Modern Christian 40,000 denominations; Amos explaining situation; History repeating itself; Avoiding confusion; "Christian" nature; Knowing Christ; Stimulus checks cursing children; Tav-kuf-vav-ayin - Tekoa (stockade?); Town or character? "Day of the Lord"; Satan "believes"; World in decline, watchmen not warning; Amos, contemporary of Joel; Amos 1; "Carmel"; earthquakes; Who are your shepherds?; Following science? Or media?; Omitting Christ's instructions; Covetous practices; "Insurrection?"; Jan 6th Temple defiled; Your daily bread; What captivity?; Your first choice; Where your rights are going; Study: Interfering with natural processes; "Gimel" = cause/effect; Inspiration of authors; Drawing near the solution; "3, even 4"; "brotherly covenant"; Repetition/sequence of transgressions; Levites taking bribes; Bottom-up networking; Early Israel = Republic; Alexander the Great; Sloth begets tribute; Why bribes?; Jethro's advice; Levitical charity; Red heifer confusion; Burning sheep doesn't bring people together; Sharing reality; Returning to righteousness; Overpopulation?; Retaining responsibilities; Cities of refuge; Transgressions today; Today's "Israel"; Consequences to not following instructions; Contrary to God's ways; Repentance; Blood in your teeth; Amos 1:15; King's captivity = exile?; US Constitution; World in bondage; Christ's daily solution; "Telkoa" warning watchman?; "Carmel" - also in Micah 7:14 = be fruitful; Top of Carmel = first fruits; Instruments of Iron = force; Believing lies; Pure Religion; Seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness; Household of faith?; Archibald MacLeish quote; Taken away right to choose; Division is destructive; Gather as Christ commanded; Coveting is not OK; "Altar calls"; Who's your salvation?; Show up!; Avoiding delusion; Humility is key; Join us. (Amos 2) Amos prophet/shepherd/tender of trees/poet; English translation; Song of Moses; Deut 32?; Moses and Jesus in agreement; Poetic connections; Truth free of charge but costs you your delusions; Offices of power; Saving yourself?; Knowing by fruit; Amos' warnings; Coming out of hell; Wrath of God is built into the system; Risking self for others; Strengthening the poor; One purse; Ps 50:1; Seeing in faith; Amos 1: Introduction; Repeated transgressions of the people represented by place names; Misrepresenting Moses; Unmooring metaphors; "Brotherly covenant"; Ten-family congregations; Holy Levites; Love vs force; Seeking God's righteousness; Amos 2; Have you rejected God?; Will you repent?; The story of the wayward lamb; Unrighteous mammon - be friends with it; FDR's welfare and LBJ's war on poverty; Wilson's golden calf; Transgressions of Moab/Judah/Israel; Amos 2:6; Egypt = bondage Free souls under God; Community: Actively caring for neighbor; Police?; "Princes" of Israel; Pledging; Inheriting the Earth; Treachery with your neighbor; Selling your birthright(eousness); The first commandment; Amos full of extra (Hebrew) letters; yod-mem; biet = families at stake; Tricking you out of your inheritance; Command to gather in Tens; Rejecting commandments; Avoiding sloth; "National Adultery"; Nazarites - who are they?; Wanting ears tickled; Letting go of treachery; What is Amos sharing?; Abraham's army; Militia; Remaining at liberty; Amos 2:16 - courage; Living by the sword?; Weaker by socialism; Unrighteous communities; Forming free assemblies using the brotherly covenant; Loaves and fishes event; Burning Bush Festival; Cannot escape built-in consequences of creation; Dogs in cages; Knowing yourself - in spirit and truth; You can't think yourself into salvation.

Today Deacon Harold takes us into the Soulful Psalms with Psalm 119-GIMEL

Today Deacon Harold jumps into Soulful Psalm 119-GIMEL and provides incites into how we can support our kids in their vocations to the faith.

Old Testament: Jeremiah 48 Jeremiah 48 (Listen) Judgment on Moab 48 Concerning Moab. Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel:   “Woe to Nebo, for it is laid waste!    Kiriathaim is put to shame, it is taken;  the fortress is put to shame and broken down;2     the renown of Moab is no more.  In Heshbon they planned disaster against her:    ‘Come, let us cut her off from being a nation!'  You also, O Madmen, shall be brought to silence;    the sword shall pursue you. 3   “A voice! A cry from Horonaim,    ‘Desolation and great destruction!'4   Moab is destroyed;    her little ones have made a cry.5   For at the ascent of Luhith    they go up weeping;1  for at the descent of Horonaim    they have heard the distressed cry2 of destruction.6   Flee! Save yourselves!    You will be like a juniper in the desert!7   For, because you trusted in your works and your treasures,    you also shall be taken;  and Chemosh shall go into exile    with his priests and his officials.8   The destroyer shall come upon every city,    and no city shall escape;  the valley shall perish,    and the plain shall be destroyed,    as the LORD has spoken. 9   “Give wings to Moab,    for she would fly away;  her cities shall become a desolation,    with no inhabitant in them. 10 “Cursed is he who does the work of the LORD with slackness, and cursed is he who keeps back his sword from bloodshed. 11   “Moab has been at ease from his youth    and has settled on his dregs;  he has not been emptied from vessel to vessel,    nor has he gone into exile;  so his taste remains in him,    and his scent is not changed. 12 “Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I shall send to him pourers who will pour him, and empty his vessels and break his3 jars in pieces. 13 Then Moab shall be ashamed of Chemosh, as the house of Israel was ashamed of Bethel, their confidence. 14   “How do you say, ‘We are heroes    and mighty men of war'?15   The destroyer of Moab and his cities has come up,    and the choicest of his young men have gone down to slaughter,    declares the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts.16   The calamity of Moab is near at hand,    and his affliction hastens swiftly.17   Grieve for him, all you who are around him,    and all who know his name;  say, ‘How the mighty scepter is broken,    the glorious staff.' 18   “Come down from your glory,    and sit on the parched ground,    O inhabitant of Dibon!  For the destroyer of Moab has come up against you;    he has destroyed your strongholds.19   Stand by the way and watch,    O inhabitant of Aroer!  Ask him who flees and her who escapes;    say, ‘What has happened?'20   Moab is put to shame, for it is broken;    wail and cry!  Tell it beside the Arnon,    that Moab is laid waste. 21 “Judgment has come upon the tableland, upon Holon, and Jahzah, and Mephaath, 22 and Dibon, and Nebo, and Beth-diblathaim, 23 and Kiriathaim, and Beth-gamul, and Beth-meon, 24 and Kerioth, and Bozrah, and all the cities of the land of Moab, far and near. 25 The horn of Moab is cut off, and his arm is broken, declares the LORD. 26 “Make him drunk, because he magnified himself against the LORD, so that Moab shall wallow in his vomit, and he too shall be held in derision. 27 Was not Israel a derision to you? Was he found among thieves, that whenever you spoke of him you wagged your head? 28   “Leave the cities, and dwell in the rock,    O inhabitants of Moab!  Be like the dove that nests    in the sides of the mouth of a gorge.29   We have heard of the pride of Moab—    he is very proud—  of his loftiness, his pride, and his arrogance,    and the haughtiness of his heart.30   I know his insolence, declares the LORD;    his boasts are false,    his deeds are false.31   Therefore I wail for Moab;    I cry out for all Moab;    for the men of Kir-hareseth I mourn.32   More than for Jazer I weep for you,    O vine of Sibmah!  Your branches passed over the sea,    reached to the Sea of Jazer;  on your summer fruits and your grapes    the destroyer has fallen.33   Gladness and joy have been taken away    from the fruitful land of Moab;  I have made the wine cease from the winepresses;    no one treads them with shouts of joy;    the shouting is not the shout of joy. 34 “From the outcry at Heshbon even to Elealeh, as far as Jahaz they utter their voice, from Zoar to Horonaim and Eglath-shelishiyah. For the waters of Nimrim also have become desolate. 35 And I will bring to an end in Moab, declares the LORD, him who offers sacrifice in the high place and makes offerings to his god. 36 Therefore my heart moans for Moab like a flute, and my heart moans like a flute for the men of Kir-hareseth. Therefore the riches they gained have perished. 37 “For every head is shaved and every beard cut off. On all the hands are gashes, and around the waist is sackcloth. 38 On all the housetops of Moab and in the squares there is nothing but lamentation, for I have broken Moab like a vessel for which no one cares, declares the LORD. 39 How it is broken! How they wail! How Moab has turned his back in shame! So Moab has become a derision and a horror to all that are around him.” 40   For thus says the LORD:  “Behold, one shall fly swiftly like an eagle    and spread his wings against Moab;41   the cities shall be taken    and the strongholds seized.  The heart of the warriors of Moab shall be in that day    like the heart of a woman in her birth pains;42   Moab shall be destroyed and be no longer a people,    because he magnified himself against the LORD.43   Terror, pit, and snare    are before you, O inhabitant of Moab!      declares the LORD.44   He who flees from the terror    shall fall into the pit,  and he who climbs out of the pit    shall be caught in the snare.  For I will bring these things upon Moab,    the year of their punishment,      declares the LORD. 45   “In the shadow of Heshbon    fugitives stop without strength,  for fire came out from Heshbon,    flame from the house of Sihon;  it has destroyed the forehead of Moab,    the crown of the sons of tumult.46   Woe to you, O Moab!    The people of Chemosh are undone,  for your sons have been taken captive,    and your daughters into captivity.47   Yet I will restore the fortunes of Moab    in the latter days, declares the LORD.”  Thus far is the judgment on Moab. Footnotes [1] 48:5 Hebrew weeping goes up with weeping [2] 48:5 Septuagint (compare Isaiah 15:5) heard the cry [3] 48:12 Septuagint, Aquila; Hebrew their (ESV) Psalm: Psalm 119:17–24 Psalm 119:17–24 (Listen) Gimel 17   Deal bountifully with your servant,    that I may live and keep your word.18   Open my eyes, that I may behold    wondrous things out of your law.19   I am a sojourner on the earth;    hide not your commandments from me!20   My soul is consumed with longing    for your rules1 at all times.21   You rebuke the insolent, accursed ones,    who wander from your commandments.22   Take away from me scorn and contempt,    for I have kept your testimonies.23   Even though princes sit plotting against me,    your servant will meditate on your statutes.24   Your testimonies are my delight;    they are my counselors. Footnotes [1] 119:20 Or your just decrees; also verses 30, 39, 43, 52, 75, 102, 108, 137, 156, 175 (ESV) New Testament: 2 Corinthians 1–2 2 Corinthians 1–2 (Listen) Greeting 1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God that is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in the whole of Achaia: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. God of All Comfort 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.1 6 If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. 7 Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort. 8 For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers,2 of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. 10 He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. 11 You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many. Paul's Change of Plans 12 For our boast is this, the testimony of our conscience, that we behaved in the world with simplicity3 and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God, and supremely so toward you. 13 For we are not writing to you anything other than what you read and understand and I hope you will fully understand—14 just as you did partially understand us—that on the day of our Lord Jesus you will boast of us as we will boast of you. 15 Because I was sure of this, I wanted to come to you first, so that you might have a second experience of grace. 16 I wanted to visit you on my way to Macedonia, and to come back to you from Macedonia and have you send me on my way to Judea. 17 Was I vacillating when I wanted to do this? Do I make my plans according to the flesh, ready to say “Yes, yes” and “No, no” at the same time? 18 As surely as God is faithful, our word to you has not been Yes and No. 19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you, Silvanus and Timothy and I, was not Yes and No, but in him it is always Yes. 20 For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. 21 And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, 22 and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.4 23 But I call God to witness against me—it was to spare you that I refrained from coming again to Corinth. 24 Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, for you stand firm in your faith. 2 For I made up my mind not to make another painful visit to you. 2 For if I cause you pain, who is there to make me glad but the one whom I have pained? 3 And I wrote as I did, so that when I came I might not suffer pain from those who should have made me rejoice, for I felt sure of all of you, that my joy would be the joy of you all. 4 For I wrote to you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you. Forgive the Sinner 5 Now if anyone has caused pain, he has caused it not to me, but in some measure—not to put it too severely—to all of you. 6 For such a one, this punishment by the majority is enough, 7 so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. 8 So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him. 9 For this is why I wrote, that I might test you and know whether you are obedient in everything. 10 Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, 11 so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs. Triumph in Christ 12 When I came to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ, even though a door was opened for me in the Lord, 13 my spirit was not at rest because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I took leave of them and went on to Macedonia. 14 But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. 15 For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, 16 to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? 17 For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God's word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ. Footnotes [1] 1:5 Or For as the sufferings of Christ abound for us, so also our comfort abounds through Christ [2] 1:8 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 [3] 1:12 Some manuscripts holiness [4] 1:22 Or down payment (ESV)

With family: 2 Kings 6; 1 Timothy 3 2 Kings 6 (Listen) The Axe Head Recovered 6 Now the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “See, the place where we dwell under your charge is too small for us. 2 Let us go to the Jordan and each of us get there a log, and let us make a place for us to dwell there.” And he answered, “Go.” 3 Then one of them said, “Be pleased to go with your servants.” And he answered, “I will go.” 4 So he went with them. And when they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees. 5 But as one was felling a log, his axe head fell into the water, and he cried out, “Alas, my master! It was borrowed.” 6 Then the man of God said, “Where did it fall?” When he showed him the place, he cut off a stick and threw it in there and made the iron float. 7 And he said, “Take it up.” So he reached out his hand and took it. Horses and Chariots of Fire 8 Once when the king of Syria was warring against Israel, he took counsel with his servants, saying, “At such and such a place shall be my camp.” 9 But the man of God sent word to the king of Israel, “Beware that you do not pass this place, for the Syrians are going down there.” 10 And the king of Israel sent to the place about which the man of God told him. Thus he used to warn him, so that he saved himself there more than once or twice. 11 And the mind of the king of Syria was greatly troubled because of this thing, and he called his servants and said to them, “Will you not show me who of us is for the king of Israel?” 12 And one of his servants said, “None, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom.” 13 And he said, “Go and see where he is, that I may send and seize him.” It was told him, “Behold, he is in Dothan.” 14 So he sent there horses and chariots and a great army, and they came by night and surrounded the city. 15 When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” 16 He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 17 Then Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 18 And when the Syrians came down against him, Elisha prayed to the LORD and said, “Please strike this people with blindness.” So he struck them with blindness in accordance with the prayer of Elisha. 19 And Elisha said to them, “This is not the way, and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek.” And he led them to Samaria. 20 As soon as they entered Samaria, Elisha said, “O LORD, open the eyes of these men, that they may see.” So the LORD opened their eyes and they saw, and behold, they were in the midst of Samaria. 21 As soon as the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, “My father, shall I strike them down? Shall I strike them down?” 22 He answered, “You shall not strike them down. Would you strike down those whom you have taken captive with your sword and with your bow? Set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink and go to their master.” 23 So he prepared for them a great feast, and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. And the Syrians did not come again on raids into the land of Israel. Ben-hadad's Siege of Samaria 24 Afterward Ben-hadad king of Syria mustered his entire army and went up and besieged Samaria. 25 And there was a great famine in Samaria, as they besieged it, until a donkey's head was sold for eighty shekels of silver, and the fourth part of a kab1 of dove's dung for five shekels of silver. 26 Now as the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman cried out to him, saying, “Help, my lord, O king!” 27 And he said, “If the LORD will not help you, how shall I help you? From the threshing floor, or from the winepress?” 28 And the king asked her, “What is your trouble?” She answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Give your son, that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow.' 29 So we boiled my son and ate him. And on the next day I said to her, ‘Give your son, that we may eat him.' But she has hidden her son.” 30 When the king heard the words of the woman, he tore his clothes—now he was passing by on the wall—and the people looked, and behold, he had sackcloth beneath on his body—31 and he said, “May God do so to me and more also, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat remains on his shoulders today.” 32 Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. Now the king had dispatched a man from his presence, but before the messenger arrived Elisha said to the elders, “Do you see how this murderer has sent to take off my head? Look, when the messenger comes, shut the door and hold the door fast against him. Is not the sound of his master's feet behind him?” 33 And while he was still speaking with them, the messenger came down to him and said, “This trouble is from the LORD! Why should I wait for the LORD any longer?” Footnotes [1] 6:25 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams; a kab was about 1 quart or 1 liter (ESV) 1 Timothy 3 (Listen) Qualifications for Overseers 3 The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. 2 Therefore an overseer1 must be above reproach, the husband of one wife,2 sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4 He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, 5 for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church? 6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. 7 Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil. Qualifications for Deacons 8 Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued,3 not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. 9 They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. 11 Their wives likewise4 must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. 12 Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. 13 For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus. The Mystery of Godliness 14 I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, 15 if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth. 16 Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness:   He5 was manifested in the flesh,    vindicated6 by the Spirit,7      seen by angels,  proclaimed among the nations,    believed on in the world,      taken up in glory. Footnotes [1] 3:2 Or bishop; Greek episkopos; a similar term occurs in verse 1 [2] 3:2 Or a man of one woman; also verse 12 [3] 3:8 Or devious in speech [4] 3:11 Or Wives likewise, or Women likewise [5] 3:16 Greek Who; some manuscripts God; others Which [6] 3:16 Or justified [7] 3:16 Or vindicated in spirit (ESV) In private: Psalm 119:1–24; Daniel 10 Psalm 119:1–24 (Listen) Your Word Is a Lamp to My Feet Aleph 119   1 Blessed are those whose way is blameless,    who walk in the law of the LORD!2   Blessed are those who keep his testimonies,    who seek him with their whole heart,3   who also do no wrong,    but walk in his ways!4   You have commanded your precepts    to be kept diligently.5   Oh that my ways may be steadfast    in keeping your statutes!6   Then I shall not be put to shame,    having my eyes fixed on all your commandments.7   I will praise you with an upright heart,    when I learn your righteous rules.28   I will keep your statutes;    do not utterly forsake me! Beth 9   How can a young man keep his way pure?    By guarding it according to your word.10   With my whole heart I seek you;    let me not wander from your commandments!11   I have stored up your word in my heart,    that I might not sin against you.12   Blessed are you, O LORD;    teach me your statutes!13   With my lips I declare    all the rules3 of your mouth.14   In the way of your testimonies I delight    as much as in all riches.15   I will meditate on your precepts    and fix my eyes on your ways.16   I will delight in your statutes;    I will not forget your word. Gimel 17   Deal bountifully with your servant,    that I may live and keep your word.18   Open my eyes, that I may behold    wondrous things out of your law.19   I am a sojourner on the earth;    hide not your commandments from me!20   My soul is consumed with longing    for your rules4 at all times.21   You rebuke the insolent, accursed ones,    who wander from your commandments.22   Take away from me scorn and contempt,    for I have kept your testimonies.23   Even though princes sit plotting against me,    your servant will meditate on your statutes.24   Your testimonies are my delight;    they are my counselors. Footnotes [1] 119:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem of twenty-two stanzas, following the letters of the Hebrew alphabet; within a stanza, each verse begins with the same Hebrew letter [2] 119:7 Or your just and righteous decrees; also verses 62, 106, 160, 164 [3] 119:13 Or all the just decrees [4] 119:20 Or your just decrees; also verses 30, 39, 43, 52, 75, 102, 108, 137, 156, 175 (ESV) Daniel 10 (Listen) Daniel's Terrifying Vision of a Man 10 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a word was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar. And the word was true, and it was a great conflict.1 And he understood the word and had understanding of the vision. 2 In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three weeks. 3 I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, for the full three weeks. 4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river (that is, the Tigris) 5 I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, a man clothed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist. 6 His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude. 7 And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see the vision, but a great trembling fell upon them, and they fled to hide themselves. 8 So I was left alone and saw this great vision, and no strength was left in me. My radiant appearance was fearfully changed,2 and I retained no strength. 9 Then I heard the sound of his words, and as I heard the sound of his words, I fell on my face in deep sleep with my face to the ground. 10 And behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. 11 And he said to me, “O Daniel, man greatly loved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for now I have been sent to you.” And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling. 12 Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words. 13 The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia, 14 and came to make you understand what is to happen to your people in the latter days. For the vision is for days yet to come.” 15 When he had spoken to me according to these words, I turned my face toward the ground and was mute. 16 And behold, one in the likeness of the children of man touched my lips. Then I opened my mouth and spoke. I said to him who stood before me, “O my lord, by reason of the vision pains have come upon me, and I retain no strength. 17 How can my lord's servant talk with my lord? For now no strength remains in me, and no breath is left in me.” 18 Again one having the appearance of a man touched me and strengthened me. 19 And he said, “O man greatly loved, fear not, peace be with you; be strong and of good courage.” And as he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.” 20 Then he said, “Do you know why I have come to you? But now I will return to fight against the prince of Persia; and when I go out, behold, the prince of Greece will come. 21 But I will tell you what is inscribed in the book of truth: there is none who contends by my side against these except Michael, your prince. Footnotes [1] 10:1 Or and it was about a great conflict [2] 10:8 Hebrew My splendor was changed to ruin (ESV)