Romans 8 New International Version

Romans 8

New International Version (NIV)

Life Through the Spirit

8 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, ² because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you^[a] free from the law of sin and death. ³ For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh,^[b] God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering.^[c] And so he condemned sin in the flesh, ⁴ in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

⁵ Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. ⁶ The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. ⁷ The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. ⁸ Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.
⁹ You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. ¹⁰ But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life^[d] because of righteousness. ¹¹ And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of^[e] his Spirit who lives in you.
¹² Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. ¹³ For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.
¹⁴ For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. ¹⁵ The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.^[f] And by him we cry, “Abba,^[g] Father.” ¹⁶ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. ¹⁷ Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

Present Suffering and Future Glory

¹⁸ I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. ¹⁹ For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. ²⁰ For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope ²¹ that^[h] the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.
²² We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. ²³ Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. ²⁴ For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? ²⁵ But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
²⁶ In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. ²⁷ And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.
²⁸ And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who^[i] have been called according to his purpose. ²⁹ For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. ³⁰ And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

More Than Conquerors

³¹ What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³² He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? ³³ Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. ³⁴ Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. ³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ³⁶ As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;
    we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”^[j]

³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^[k] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Footnotes:

1. Romans 8:2 The Greek is singular; some manuscripts me
2. Romans 8:3 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit; also in verses 4-13.
3. Romans 8:3 Or flesh, for sin
4. Romans 8:10 Or you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive
5. Romans 8:11 Some manuscripts bodies through
6. Romans 8:15 The Greek word for adoption to sonship is a term referring to the full legal standing of an adopted male heir in Roman culture; also in verse 23.
7. Romans 8:15 Aramaic for father
8. Romans 8:21 Or subjected it in hope. ²¹ For
9. Romans 8:28 Or that all things work together for good to those who love God, who; or that in all things God works together with those who love him to bring about what is good—with those who
10. Romans 8:36 Psalm 44:22
11. Romans 8:38 Or nor heavenly rulers

AFWIS Joins Operation World in Prayer for the Republic of the Philippines in Asia

Published on Operation World (http://www.operationworld.org)

Home > Oct 03: Philippines

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Oct 03: Philippines

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Philippines

Republic of the Philippines

Asia

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Geography

Area: 300,000 sq km
80 provinces; 7,250 islands, of which over 700 are inhabited, 11 of which contain the vast bulk of the population. The largest are Luzon (116,000 sq km) in the north and Mindanao (102,000 sq km) in the south. Over 75% mountains; prone to devastating typhoons.
Population: 93,616,853    Annual Growth: 1.83%
Capital: Manila
Urbanites: 66.4%
HDI Rank: 105 of 182 (UN Human Development Reports 2009)

Peoples

Peoples: 186 (11% unreached) All peoples
Unreached Peoples Prayer Card

Official language: Filipino (based on Tagalog), English    Languages: 181 All languages

Religion

Largest Religion: Christian

Religion		Pop %	Ann Gr
Christians	86,361,547	92.25	1.7
Evangelicals	11,558,344	12.3	3.1

Challenges for Prayer

Spiritual vitality does not always equate to biblical truth. Philippines is awash with sects and cults that blend Christian ideas with all manner of false teachings. Some of these are schisms from Catholicism, some are independent groups that sprang from Protestant contexts, some are effectively neo-pagan religions with a Christian veneer. Most feature highly controlling and manipulative leadership and teachings. Pray for all lies to be exposed, and pray for effective Christian apologetics and ministry to the millions caught within these groups.
Many new challenges confront evangelicals, often in significant contrast to the typical Catholic hostility and poverty of earlier generations. Pray for the spiritual health of the Church and the right way to address:
a) The unabating fragmentation of churches. There are now over 2,000 registered religious denominations, not including the hundreds of unregistered cults and sects. Diversity itself is not a problem, since there are many strong umbrella networks for churches. Too often, the divisions reflect schisms, broken fellowship or unhealthy and authoritarian leadership patterns.
b) The lack of discipleship and solid biblical teaching for new believers and new congregations. Frequently, the results are lack of fellowship with other groups, erroneous beliefs, a syncretistic worldview and superficiality.
c) Spiritual complacency and second-generation nominalism. Growing in maturity and depth needs to take priority over mere numbers. The “arrival” of evangelicals as a force in the Philippines must not spawn apathy. Pray for new vision and for a new direction from God for setting biblical priorities and goals.
d) Poverty in many congregations, especially rural ones. Churches often take one of two extremes – either unhealthy health-and-wealth teachings or equally destructive dependence on foreign funds and sponsorships. Pray that Filipinos in stronger financial positions might assist their less-well-off brethren. Pray that Christian organizations find and implement sustainable ways to empower and uplift the poor in churches. Pray also for loving sensitivity to this on the part of foreign workers and donors seeking to help.
     For an additional 12 Challenges for Prayer see Operation World book, CD-ROM, or DVD-ROM.

More Information

The Operation World book, CD-ROM, and DVD-ROM provide far more information and fuel for prayer for the people of Philippines.

Prophecies in the Fall Feasts - Ep. 13 - "The Sea of Fire and Brass" By Michael Rood

Episode 13 - "The Sea of Fire and Brass"
Our Creator has shown us "the end from the beginning" through the prophetic shadow pictures embedded in His Feasts, which He commanded Israel to keep forever. Michael reveals the beauty of these Feasts and clearly details their past and future fulfillment. The Messiah fulfilled the Spring Feasts of the LORD at his first coming - it is recorded in the first four Gospels. The Messiah will fulfill the Fall Feasts of the LORD - and its future fulfillment is detailed in the fifth Gospel: the book of the Revelation.


Michael Rood's world famous 13-hour A Rood Awakening! seminar, the Feasts of the LORD and Their Prophetic Fulfillment has just gotten better! After changing the lives of countless thousands around the globe, it has been divided into twenty-six broadcast episodes, and is now available on DVD. Each digitally remastered episode includes crisp new graphics, and special introductory and closing remarks by Michael recorded at more than twenty distinct locations around the Ophel Gardens Archeological Park on Mt. Moreh-Yah (the Temple of the Mount) in Jerusalem.

This series is the foundation to understanding Bible prophecy, and the new twenty-six episode format makes it perfect for home and congregational study. This is Bible Prophecy 201.

DVD Here: http://michaelrood.tv/prophecies-in-t...
Watch Teachings Here: http://michaelrood.tv/teachings
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AFWIS Joins Operation World in Prayer for the Republic of Peru in Latin America

Published on Operation World (http://www.operationworld.org)

Home > Oct 02: Peru

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Oct 02: Peru

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Peru

Republic of Peru

Latin America

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Geography

Area: 1,285,216 sq km
Three main zones: dry coastal plain in the west where most of the cities and industry are located, high Andean plateau which is more agricultural, and Amazon jungle in the east.
Population: 29,496,120    Annual Growth: 1.17%
Capital: Lima
Urbanites: 72%
HDI Rank: 78 of 182 (UN Human Development Reports 2009)

Peoples

Peoples: 106 (5% unreached) All peoples
Unreached Peoples Prayer Card

Official language: Spanish, Quechua. Spanish-speakers 80.3%. Most Amerindians areSpanish-speaking or bilingual; 16.5% of the total population speak Quechua    Languages: 93 All languages

Religion

Largest Religion: Christian

Religion		Pop %	Ann Gr
Christians	28,154,047	95.45	1.2
Evangelicals	3,427,351	11.6	4.2

Answer to Prayer

The emergence of evangelicals as a force to be reckoned with. From less than 1% in the 1960s to more than 10% in 2010, Peruvian believers are now significant in both number and influence. More and more they engage in social and political issues, recognized by the state as a force for positive change and involved in bringing the fullness of the gospel to all peoples in Peru and beyond.
     For an additional 2 Answers to Prayer see Operation World book, CD-ROM, or DVD-ROM.

Challenge for Prayer

The complex and ruthless matters of foreign exploitation, manifested via oil, mining and cocaine in particular. With oil and mining, foreign companies willingly endanger pristine environments, threatening the very existence of vulnerable peoples for grotesque profit. With cocaine, foreign demand for an illicit drug in turn drags poor farmers into cultivating the coca leaf for profit. Collateral damage from drug wars and attempts to eradicate the crop, as well as massive amounts of drug money laundered through the country, create a complex situation with no easy solution. Pray for structures of sin to be cast down, for evil to be exposed and for a godly solution to be found.
     For an additional 12 Challenges for Prayer see Operation World book, CD-ROM, or DVD-ROM.

More Information

The Operation World book, CD-ROM, and DVD-ROM provide far more information and fuel for prayer for the people of Peru.

Prophecies in the Fall Feasts - Ep. 12 -"The Last Great Day" By Michael Rood

Episode 12 - "The Last Great Day"
Our Creator has shown us "the end from the beginning" through the prophetic shadow pictures embedded in His Feasts, which He commanded Israel to keep forever. Michael reveals the beauty of these Feasts and clearly details their past and future fulfillment. The Messiah fulfilled the Spring Feasts of the LORD at his first coming - it is recorded in the first four Gospels. The Messiah will fulfill the Fall Feasts of the LORD - and its future fulfillment is detailed in the fifth Gospel: the book of the Revelation.


Michael Rood's world famous 13-hour A Rood Awakening! seminar, the Feasts of the LORD and Their Prophetic Fulfillment has just gotten better! After changing the lives of countless thousands around the globe, it has been divided into twenty-six broadcast episodes, and is now available on DVD. Each digitally remastered episode includes crisp new graphics, and special introductory and closing remarks by Michael recorded at more than twenty distinct locations around the Ophel Gardens Archeological Park on Mt. Moreh-Yah (the Temple of the Mount) in Jerusalem.

This series is the foundation to understanding Bible prophecy, and the new twenty-six episode format makes it perfect for home and congregational study. This is Bible Prophecy 201.

DVD Here: http://michaelrood.tv/prophecies-in-t...
Watch Teachings Here: http://michaelrood.tv/teachings
Follow us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/michael.j.rood

"Prophecies in the Fall Feasts of the Lord"
Copyright - A Rood Awakening!
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Jeremiah 40 (New International Version)

Jeremiah 40

Jeremiah Freed

1 The word came to Jeremiah from the LORD after Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard had released him at Ramah. He had found Jeremiah bound in chains among all the captives from Jerusalem and Judah who were being carried into exile to Babylon. 2 When the commander of the guard found Jeremiah, he said to him, "The LORD your God decreed this disaster for this place. 3 And now the LORD has brought it about; he has done just as he said he would. All this happened because you people sinned against the LORD and did not obey him. 4 But today I am freeing you from the chains on your wrists. Come with me to Babylon, if you like, and I will look after you; but if you do not want to, then don't come. Look, the whole country lies before you; go wherever you please." 5 However, before Jeremiah turned to go, [a] Nebuzaradan added, "Go back to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has appointed over the towns of Judah, and live with him among the people, or go anywhere else you please." Then the commander gave him provisions and a present and let him go. 6 So Jeremiah went to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah and stayed with him among the people who were left behind in the land.
Gedaliah Assassinated

7 When all the army officers and their men who were still in the open country heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam as governor over the land and had put him in charge of the men, women and children who were the poorest in the land and who had not been carried into exile to Babylon, 8 they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah—Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah [b] the son of the Maacathite, and their men. 9 Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, took an oath to reassure them and their men. "Do not be afraid to serve the Babylonians, [c] " he said. "Settle down in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well with you. 10 I myself will stay at Mizpah to represent you before the Babylonians who come to us, but you are to harvest the wine, summer fruit and oil, and put them in your storage jars, and live in the towns you have taken over."
11 When all the Jews in Moab, Ammon, Edom and all the other countries heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant in Judah and had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, as governor over them, 12 they all came back to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah, from all the countries where they had been scattered. And they harvested an abundance of wine and summer fruit.

13 Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers still in the open country came to Gedaliah at Mizpah 14 and said to him, "Don't you know that Baalis king of the Ammonites has sent Ishmael son of Nethaniah to take your life?" But Gedaliah son of Ahikam did not believe them.

15 Then Johanan son of Kareah said privately to Gedaliah in Mizpah, "Let me go and kill Ishmael son of Nethaniah, and no one will know it. Why should he take your life and cause all the Jews who are gathered around you to be scattered and the remnant of Judah to perish?"

16 But Gedaliah son of Ahikam said to Johanan son of Kareah, "Don't do such a thing! What you are saying about Ishmael is not true."

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Proverbs 2 (New International Version)

Proverbs 2

Moral Benefits of Wisdom

1 My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you,
2 turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding,

3 and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding,

4 and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure,

5 then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.

6 For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

7 He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,

8 for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.

9 Then you will understand what is right and just and fair—every good path.

10 For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.

11 Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you.

12 Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men, from men whose words are perverse,

13 who leave the straight paths to walk in dark ways,

14 who delight in doing wrong and rejoice in the perverseness of evil,

15 whose paths are crooked and who are devious in their ways.

16 It will save you also from the adulteress, from the wayward wife with her seductive words,

17 who has left the partner of her youth and ignored the covenant she made before God. [a]

18 For her house leads down to death and her paths to the spirits of the dead.

19 None who go to her return or attain the paths of life.

20 Thus you will walk in the ways of good men and keep to the paths of the righteous.

21 For the upright will live in the land, and the blameless will remain in it;

22 but the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the unfaithful will be torn from it.

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  Proverbs 2
  
  Moral Benefits of Wisdom
  
  1 My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you,
  2 turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding,
  
  3 and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding,
  
  4 and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure,
  
  5 then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.
  
  6 For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
  
  7 He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,
  
  8 for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.
  
  9 Then you will understand what is right and just and fair—every good path.
  
  10 For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
  
  11 Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you.
  
  12 Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men, from men whose words are perverse,
  
  13 who leave the straight paths to walk in dark ways,
  
  14 who delight in doing wrong and rejoice in the perverseness of evil,
  
  15 whose paths are crooked and who are devious in their ways.
  
  16 It will save you also from the adulteress, from the wayward wife with her seductive words,
  
  17 who has left the partner of her youth and ignored the covenant she made before God. [a]
  
  18 For her house leads down to death and her paths to the spirits of the dead.
  
  19 None who go to her return or attain the paths of life.
  
  20 Thus you will walk in the ways of good men and keep to the paths of the righteous.
  
  21 For the upright will live in the land, and the blameless will remain in it;
  
  22 but the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the unfaithful will be torn from it.

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Romans 7 (New International Version, ©2010)

Romans 7

Released From the Law, Bound to Christ

1 Do you not know, brothers and sisters—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law has authority over someone only as long as that person lives? 2 For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law that binds her to him. 3 So then, if she has sexual relations with another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress if she marries another man.
4 So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. 5 For when we were in the realm of the flesh,[a] the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in us, so that we bore fruit for death. 6 But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.

The Law and Sin

7 What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, "You shall not covet."[b] 8 But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of coveting. For apart from the law, sin was dead. 9 Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. 10 I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death. 11 For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death. 12 So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.
13 Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! Nevertheless, in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it used what is good to bring about my death, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.

14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[c] For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

21 So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God's law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in my sinful nature[d] a slave to the law of sin.

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Prophecies in the Fall Feasts - Ep. 11 - "Jerusalem: A Cup of Trembling for All Nations" By Michael Rood

Episode 11 - "Jerusalem: A Cup of Trembling for All Nations"
Our Creator has shown us "the end from the beginning" through the prophetic shadow pictures embedded in His Feasts, which He commanded Israel to keep forever. Michael reveals the beauty of these Feasts and clearly details their past and future fulfillment. The Messiah fulfilled the Spring Feasts of the LORD at his first coming - it is recorded in the first four Gospels. The Messiah will fulfill the Fall Feasts of the LORD - and its future fulfillment is detailed in the fifth Gospel: the book of the Revelation.


Michael Rood's world famous 13-hour A Rood Awakening! seminar, the Feasts of the LORD and Their Prophetic Fulfillment has just gotten better! After changing the lives of countless thousands around the globe, it has been divided into twenty-six broadcast episodes, and is now available on DVD. Each digitally remastered episode includes crisp new graphics, and special introductory and closing remarks by Michael recorded at more than twenty distinct locations around the Ophel Gardens Archeological Park on Mt. Moreh-Yah (the Temple of the Mount) in Jerusalem.

This series is the foundation to understanding Bible prophecy, and the new twenty-six episode format makes it perfect for home and congregational study. This is Bible Prophecy 201.

DVD Here: http://michaelrood.tv/prophecies-in-t...
Watch Teachings Here: http://michaelrood.tv/teachings
Follow us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/michael.j.rood

"Prophecies in the Fall Feasts of the Lord"
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Jeremiah 39 (New International Version)

Jeremiah 39

The Fall of Jerusalem

1 This is how Jerusalem was taken: In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his whole army and laid siege to it. 2 And on the ninth day of the fourth month of Zedekiah's eleventh year, the city wall was broken through. 3 Then all the officials of the king of Babylon came and took seats in the Middle Gate: Nergal-Sharezer of Samgar, Nebo-Sarsekim [a] a chief officer, Nergal-Sharezer a high official and all the other officials of the king of Babylon. 4 When Zedekiah king of Judah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled; they left the city at night by way of the king's garden, through the gate between the two walls, and headed toward the Arabah. [b]
5 But the Babylonian [c] army pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. They captured him and took him to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced sentence on him. 6 There at Riblah the king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes and also killed all the nobles of Judah. 7 Then he put out Zedekiah's eyes and bound him with bronze shackles to take him to Babylon.

8 The Babylonians [d] set fire to the royal palace and the houses of the people and broke down the walls of Jerusalem. 9 Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard carried into exile to Babylon the people who remained in the city, along with those who had gone over to him, and the rest of the people. 10 But Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard left behind in the land of Judah some of the poor people, who owned nothing; and at that time he gave them vineyards and fields.

11 Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had given these orders about Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard: 12 "Take him and look after him; don't harm him but do for him whatever he asks." 13 So Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard, Nebushazban a chief officer, Nergal-Sharezer a high official and all the other officers of the king of Babylon 14 sent and had Jeremiah taken out of the courtyard of the guard. They turned him over to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, to take him back to his home. So he remained among his own people.

15 While Jeremiah had been confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of the LORD came to him: 16 "Go and tell Ebed-Melech the Cushite, 'This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I am about to fulfill my words against this city through disaster, not prosperity. At that time they will be fulfilled before your eyes. 17 But I will rescue you on that day, declares the LORD; you will not be handed over to those you fear. 18 I will save you; you will not fall by the sword but will escape with your life, because you trust in me, declares the LORD.' "

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Proverbs 1 (New International Version)

Proverbs 1

Prologue: Purpose and Theme

1 The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:
2 for attaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight;

3 for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair;

4 for giving prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young-

5 let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance-

6 for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise.

7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools [a] despise wisdom and discipline.

Exhortations to Embrace Wisdom

Warning Against Enticement

8 Listen, my son, to your father's instruction and do not forsake your mother's teaching.
9 They will be a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck.

10 My son, if sinners entice you, do not give in to them.

11 If they say, "Come along with us; let's lie in wait for someone's blood, let's waylay some harmless soul;

12 let's swallow them alive, like the grave, [b] and whole, like those who go down to the pit;

13 we will get all sorts of valuable things and fill our houses with plunder;

14 throw in your lot with us, and we will share a common purse"-

15 my son, do not go along with them, do not set foot on their paths;

16 for their feet rush into sin, they are swift to shed blood.

17 How useless to spread a net in full view of all the birds!

18 These men lie in wait for their own blood; they waylay only themselves!

19 Such is the end of all who go after ill-gotten gain; it takes away the lives of those who get it.

Warning Against Rejecting Wisdom

20 Wisdom calls aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the public squares;
21 at the head of the noisy streets [c] she cries out, in the gateways of the city she makes her speech:

22 "How long will you simple ones [d] love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge?

23 If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you.

24 But since you rejected me when I called and no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand,

25 since you ignored all my advice and would not accept my rebuke,

26 I in turn will laugh at your disaster; I will mock when calamity overtakes you-

27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you.

28 "Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me.

29 Since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the LORD,

30 since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke,

31 they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.

32 For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them;

33 but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm."

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Romans 6 (New International Version, ©2010)

Romans 6

Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ

1 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with,[a] that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.

8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.

11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13 Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. 14 For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.

Slaves to Righteousness

15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means! 16 Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. 18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
19 I am using an example from everyday life because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness. 20 When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. 21 What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! 22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in[b] Christ Jesus our Lord.

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AFWIS Joins Operation World in Prayer for the Republic of Paraguay in Latin America

Published on Operation World (http://www.operationworld.org)

Home > Oct 01: Paraguay

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Oct 01: Paraguay

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Paraguay

Republic of Paraguay

Latin America

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Geography

Area: 406,752 sq km
Landlocked nation between Brazil, Argentina and Bolivia. The Paraguay River divides the more fertile and developed east from the scrub forests, marshes and ranches of the sparsely populated Gran Chaco.
Population: 6,459,727    Annual Growth: 1.81%
Capital: Asuncion
Urbanites: 61.5%
HDI Rank: 101 of 182 (UN Human Development Reports 2009)

Peoples

Peoples: 39 (3% unreached) All peoples
Unreached Peoples Prayer Card

Official language: Spanish, Guaraní. The latter is understood by almost 90% of the population    Languages: 27 All languages

Religion

Largest Religion: Christian

Religion		Pop %	Ann Gr
Christians	6,220,717	96.30	1.8
Evangelicals	393,263	6.1	3.1

Challenges for Prayer

A large proportion of Paraguay’s believers are from immigrant backgrounds: German-speaking (Mennonites and Lutherans), Brazilian (Pentecostals), Ukrainian (Baptists and Pentecostals) and Korean (Presbyterians). These immigrant communities are sometimes inward-looking and isolated from mainstream national life. But there is a growing awareness of their responsibility to reach out with the gospel; Mennonites actively work with indigenous peoples in the Chaco, and Koreans are involved in outreach also. Pray for a spiritual awakening and great mission vision in the immigrant churches.
Evangelical church growth continues, particularly within the churches with Pentecostal/charismatic tendencies. Most of these groups entered Paraguay from Brazil, Chile and Argentina. While zealous, there is much room for growth in fellowship with other Christian groups, in attitudes toward wealth and in leadership models. Pray for a balanced faith that submits to both the Word and the Spirit.
     For an additional 7 Challenges for Prayer see Operation World book, CD-ROM, or DVD-ROM.

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The Operation World book, CD-ROM, and DVD-ROM provide far more information and fuel for prayer for the people of Paraguay.

AFWIS Joins Operation World in Prayer for the Independent State of Papua New Guinea - Pacific and Bougainville - Pacific

Published on Operation World (http://www.operationworld.org)

Home > Sep 30: Papua New Guinea, Bougainville

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Sep 30: Papua New Guinea, Bougainville

Papua New Guinea, Bougainville

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Papua New Guinea

Independent State of Papua New Guinea

Pacific

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Geography

Area: 462,840 sq km
Eastern half of New Guinea, the second largest island in the world, and many smaller islands in the north and east together make up the nation of Papua New Guinea (PNG). A land of high mountains, dense forests, lowland swamps, coral islands, torrential rainfall, many rivers and great biodiversity.
Population: 6,888,387    Annual Growth: 2.40%
Capital: Port Moresby
Urbanites: 13%
HDI Rank: 148 of 182 (UN Human Development Reports 2009)

Peoples

Peoples: 879 (0% unreached) All peoples
Unreached Peoples Prayer Card

Official language: English, Tok Pisin (Melanesian/English Creole) and Motu    Languages: 830 All languages

Religion

Largest Religion: Christian

Religion		Pop %	Ann Gr
Christians	6,601,830	95.84	2.4
Evangelicals	1,773,348	25.7	3.1

Challenge for Prayer

The last 130 years of great mission success in PNG started along the coast, moved inland, reaching finally to the Highlands and almost every people. Some have seen mass movements to Christ. Over 95% of all peoples now claim to be Christian. Praise God for the presence of a living, vibrant Church today. But a deeper level of discipleship is lacking in many places, sometimes resulting in disillusionment and a turning back to ungodly traditions, drunkenness, gambling, “cargo cults” or other syncretistic groups. Revivals have come (East and West Sepik, New Britain, North Solomons and Highlands areas); more are needed to see lasting change.
     For an additional 11 Challenges for Prayer see Operation World book, CD-ROM, or DVD-ROM.

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The Operation World book, CD-ROM, and DVD-ROM provide far more information and fuel for prayer for the people of Papua New Guinea.

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Bougainville

Pacific

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Geography

Area: 9,300 sq km
The most northerly of the Solomon Islands but arbitrarily linked to PNG in colonial times.

Peoples

Religion

Challenge for Prayer

The island’s economy and social structures are depressed. The civil war damaged or destroyed most of the already few services there before. There is little by way of education and healthcare, and most people exist in subsistence mode. Pray for the Church to work in partnership with the government in envisioning a new Bougainville, providing a pastoral and prophetic voice.
     For an additional 2 Challenges for Prayer see Operation World book, CD-ROM, or DVD-ROM.

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The Operation World book, CD-ROM, and DVD-ROM provide far more information and fuel for prayer for the people of Bougainville.

Let's pray the PEACE, PROTECTION, PROVISION, PURITY AND PRESENCE OF GOD over our Schools this week!

Here's a declaration that some have been using:

 We pray the PEACE, PROTECTION, PROVISION, PURITY AND PRESENCE OF GOD for ______________ school -- over every administrator, teacher, student and the families associated with this school, in Jesus Name.

Jeremiah 38 (New International Version)

Jeremiah 38

Jeremiah Thrown Into a Cistern

1 Shephatiah son of Mattan, Gedaliah son of Pashhur, Jehucal [a] son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur son of Malkijah heard what Jeremiah was telling all the people when he said, 2 "This is what the LORD says: 'Whoever stays in this city will die by the sword, famine or plague, but whoever goes over to the Babylonians [b] will live. He will escape with his life; he will live.' 3 And this is what the LORD says: 'This city will certainly be handed over to the army of the king of Babylon, who will capture it.' "
4 Then the officials said to the king, "This man should be put to death. He is discouraging the soldiers who are left in this city, as well as all the people, by the things he is saying to them. This man is not seeking the good of these people but their ruin."

5 "He is in your hands," King Zedekiah answered. "The king can do nothing to oppose you."

6 So they took Jeremiah and put him into the cistern of Malkijah, the king's son, which was in the courtyard of the guard. They lowered Jeremiah by ropes into the cistern; it had no water in it, only mud, and Jeremiah sank down into the mud.

7 But Ebed-Melech, a Cushite, [c] an official [d] in the royal palace, heard that they had put Jeremiah into the cistern. While the king was sitting in the Benjamin Gate, 8 Ebed-Melech went out of the palace and said to him, 9 "My lord the king, these men have acted wickedly in all they have done to Jeremiah the prophet. They have thrown him into a cistern, where he will starve to death when there is no longer any bread in the city."

10 Then the king commanded Ebed-Melech the Cushite, "Take thirty men from here with you and lift Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern before he dies."

11 So Ebed-Melech took the men with him and went to a room under the treasury in the palace. He took some old rags and worn-out clothes from there and let them down with ropes to Jeremiah in the cistern. 12 Ebed-Melech the Cushite said to Jeremiah, "Put these old rags and worn-out clothes under your arms to pad the ropes." Jeremiah did so, 13 and they pulled him up with the ropes and lifted him out of the cistern. And Jeremiah remained in the courtyard of the guard.

Zedekiah Questions Jeremiah Again

14 Then King Zedekiah sent for Jeremiah the prophet and had him brought to the third entrance to the temple of the LORD. "I am going to ask you something," the king said to Jeremiah. "Do not hide anything from me."
15 Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, "If I give you an answer, will you not kill me? Even if I did give you counsel, you would not listen to me."

16 But King Zedekiah swore this oath secretly to Jeremiah: "As surely as the LORD lives, who has given us breath, I will neither kill you nor hand you over to those who are seeking your life."

17 Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, "This is what the LORD God Almighty, the God of Israel, says: 'If you surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon, your life will be spared and this city will not be burned down; you and your family will live. 18 But if you will not surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon, this city will be handed over to the Babylonians and they will burn it down; you yourself will not escape from their hands.' "

19 King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, "I am afraid of the Jews who have gone over to the Babylonians, for the Babylonians may hand me over to them and they will mistreat me."

20 "They will not hand you over," Jeremiah replied. "Obey the LORD by doing what I tell you. Then it will go well with you, and your life will be spared. 21 But if you refuse to surrender, this is what the LORD has revealed to me: 22 All the women left in the palace of the king of Judah will be brought out to the officials of the king of Babylon. Those women will say to you: " 'They misled you and overcame you— those trusted friends of yours. Your feet are sunk in the mud; your friends have deserted you.'

23 "All your wives and children will be brought out to the Babylonians. You yourself will not escape from their hands but will be captured by the king of Babylon; and this city will [e] be burned down."

24 Then Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, "Do not let anyone know about this conversation, or you may die. 25 If the officials hear that I talked with you, and they come to you and say, 'Tell us what you said to the king and what the king said to you; do not hide it from us or we will kill you,' 26 then tell them, 'I was pleading with the king not to send me back to Jonathan's house to die there.' "

27 All the officials did come to Jeremiah and question him, and he told them everything the king had ordered him to say. So they said no more to him, for no one had heard his conversation with the king.

28 And Jeremiah remained in the courtyard of the guard until the day Jerusalem was captured.

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Proverbs 30 (New International Version)

Proverbs 30

Sayings of Agur

1 The sayings of Agur son of Jakeh—an oracle [a] : This man declared to Ithiel, to Ithiel and to Ucal: [b]
2 "I am the most ignorant of men; I do not have a man's understanding.

3 I have not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the Holy One.

4 Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered up the wind in the hollow of his hands? Who has wrapped up the waters in his cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and the name of his son? Tell me if you know!

5 "Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.

6 Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.

7 "Two things I ask of you, O LORD; do not refuse me before I die:

8 Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.

9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the LORD ?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.

10 "Do not slander a servant to his master, or he will curse you, and you will pay for it.

11 "There are those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers;

12 those who are pure in their own eyes and yet are not cleansed of their filth;

13 those whose eyes are ever so haughty, whose glances are so disdainful;

14 those whose teeth are swords and whose jaws are set with knives to devour the poor from the earth, the needy from among mankind.

15 "The leech has two daughters. 'Give! Give!' they cry. "There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, 'Enough!':

16 the grave, [c] the barren womb, land, which is never satisfied with water, and fire, which never says, 'Enough!'

17 "The eye that mocks a father, that scorns obedience to a mother, will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley, will be eaten by the vultures.

18 "There are three things that are too amazing for me, four that I do not understand:

19 the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship on the high seas, and the way of a man with a maiden.

20 "This is the way of an adulteress: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, 'I've done nothing wrong.'

21 "Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up:

22 a servant who becomes king, a fool who is full of food,

23 an unloved woman who is married, and a maidservant who displaces her mistress.

24 "Four things on earth are small, yet they are extremely wise:

25 Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer;

26 coneys [d] are creatures of little power, yet they make their home in the crags;

27 locusts have no king, yet they advance together in ranks;

28 a lizard can be caught with the hand, yet it is found in kings' palaces.

29 "There are three things that are stately in their stride, four that move with stately bearing:

30 a lion, mighty among beasts, who retreats before nothing;

31 a strutting rooster, a he-goat, and a king with his army around him. [e]

32 "If you have played the fool and exalted yourself, or if you have planned evil, clap your hand over your mouth!

33 For as churning the milk produces butter, and as twisting the nose produces blood, so stirring up anger produces strife."

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Romans 5 (New International Version, ©2010)

Romans 5

Peace and Hope

1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we[b] boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we[c] also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! 10 For if, while we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11 Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Death Through Adam, Life Through Christ

12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned—
13 To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone's account where there is no law. 14 Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come.

15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! 16 Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man's sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. 17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!

18 Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

20 The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21 so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

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