Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Revelation 16 NIV ~ Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Concise)

Revelation 16 (New International Version, ©2010)

Revelation 16

The Seven Bowls of God's Wrath

1 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, "Go, pour out the seven bowls of God's wrath on the earth."
2 The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land, and ugly, festering sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.

3 The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it turned into blood like that of a dead person, and every living thing in the sea died.

4 The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. 5 Then I heard the angel in charge of the waters say: "You are just in these judgments, O Holy One, you who are and who were;
6 for they have shed the blood of your holy people and your prophets, and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve."

7 And I heard the altar respond: "Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are your judgments."

8 The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and the sun was allowed to scorch people with fire. 9 They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him.

10 The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in agony 11 and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done.

12 The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East. 13 Then I saw three impure spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 They are demonic spirits that perform signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty. 15 "Look, I come like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake and remains clothed, so as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed."

16 Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.

17 The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne, saying, "It is done!" 18 Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and a severe earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever occurred since mankind has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake. 19 The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath. 20 Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found. 21 From the sky huge hailstones, each weighing about a hundred pounds,[a] fell on people. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible.

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Revelation 16 NIV ~ Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Concise)

Chapter 16

The first vial is poured out on the earth, the second on the sea, the third on the rivers and fountains. (1-7) The fourth on the sun, the fifth on the seat of the beast. (8-11) The sixth on the great river Euphrates. (12-16) And the seventh on the air, when shall follow the destruction of all antichristian enemies. (17-21) Verses 1-7 We are to pray that the will of God may be done on earth as it is done in heaven. Here is a succession of terrible judgments of Providence; and there seems to be an allusion to several of the plagues of Egypt. The sins were alike, and so were the punishments. The vials refer to the seven trumpets, which represented the rise of antichrist; and the fall of the enemies of the church shall bear some resemblance to their rise. All things throughout their earth, their air, their sea, their rivers, their cities, all are condemned to ruin, all accursed for the wickedness of that people. No wonder that angels, who witness or execute the Divine vengeance on the obstinate haters of God, of Christ, and of holiness, praise his justice and truth; and adore his awful judgments, when he brings upon cruel persecutors the tortures they made his saints and prophets suffer. Verses 8-11 The heart of man is so desperately wicked, that the most severe miseries never will bring any to repent, without the special grace of God. Hell itself is filled with blasphemies; and those are ignorant of the history of human nature, of the Bible, and of their own hearts, who do not know that the more men suffer, and the more plainly they see the hand of God in their sufferings, the more furiously they often rage against him. Let sinners now seek repentance from Christ, and the grace of the Holy Spirit, or they will have the anguish and horror of an unhumbled, impenitent, and desperate heart; thus adding to their guilt and misery through all eternity. Darkness is opposed to wisdom and knowledge, and forebodes the confusion and folly of the idolaters and followers of the beast. It is opposed to pleasure and joy, and signifies anguish and vexation of spirit. Verses 12-16 This probably shows the destruction of the Turkish power, and of idolatry, and that a way will be made for the return of the Jews. Or, take it for Rome, as mystical Babylon, the name of Babylon being put for Rome, which was meant, but was not then to be directly named. When Rome is destroyed, her river and merchandise must suffer with her. And perhaps a way will be opened for the eastern nations to come into the church of Christ. The great dragon will collect all his forces, to make one desperate struggle before all be lost. God warns of this great trial, to engage his people to prepare for it. These will be times of great temptation; therefore Christ, by his apostle, calls on his professed servants to expect his sudden coming, and to watch that they might not be put to shame, as apostates or hypocrites. However Christians differ, as to their views of the times and seasons of events yet to be brought to pass, on this one point all are agreed, Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, will suddenly come again to judge the world. To those living near to Christ, it is an object of joyful hope and expectation, and delay is not desired by them. Verses 17-21 The seventh and last angel poured forth his vial, and the downfal of Babylon was finished. The church triumphant in heaven saw it and rejoiced; the church in conflict on earth saw it and became triumphant. God remembered the great and wicked city; though for some time he seemed to have forgotten her idolatry and cruelty. All that was most secure was carried away by the ruin. Men blasphemed: the greatest judgments that can befal men, will not bring to repentance without the grace of God. To be hardened against God, by his righteous judgments, is a certain token of sure and utter destruction.

Romans 6 NIV

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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Psalm 89 New International Version (NIV)

Psalm 89^[a]

A maskil^[b] of Ethan the Ezrahite.

¹I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever;
    with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known
    through all generations.
²I will declare that your love stands firm forever,
    that you have established your faithfulness in heaven itself.
³You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
    I have sworn to David my servant,
⁴‘I will establish your line forever
    and make your throne firm through all generations.’”^[c]

⁵The heavens praise your wonders, Lord,
    your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones.
⁶For who in the skies above can compare with the Lord?
    Who is like the Lord among the heavenly beings?
⁷In the council of the holy ones God is greatly feared;
    he is more awesome than all who surround him.
⁸Who is like you, Lord God Almighty?
    You, Lord, are mighty, and your faithfulness surrounds you.

⁹You rule over the surging sea;
    when its waves mount up, you still them.
¹⁰You crushed Rahab like one of the slain;
    with your strong arm you scattered your enemies.
¹¹The heavens are yours, and yours also the earth;
    you founded the world and all that is in it.
¹²You created the north and the south;
    Tabor and Hermon sing for joy at your name.
¹³Your arm is endowed with power;
    your hand is strong, your right hand exalted.

¹⁴Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;
    love and faithfulness go before you.
¹⁵Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you,
    who walk in the light of your presence, Lord.
¹⁶They rejoice in your name all day long;
    they celebrate your righteousness.
¹⁷For you are their glory and strength,
    and by your favor you exalt our horn.^[d]
¹⁸Indeed, our shield^[e] belongs to the Lord,
    our king to the Holy One of Israel.

¹⁹Once you spoke in a vision,
    to your faithful people you said:
“I have bestowed strength on a warrior;
    I have raised up a young man from among the people.
²⁰I have found David my servant;
    with my sacred oil I have anointed him.
²¹My hand will sustain him;
    surely my arm will strengthen him.
²²The enemy will not get the better of him;
    the wicked will not oppress him.
²³I will crush his foes before him
    and strike down his adversaries.
²⁴My faithful love will be with him,
    and through my name his horn^[f] will be exalted.
²⁵I will set his hand over the sea,
    his right hand over the rivers.
²⁶He will call out to me, ‘You are my Father,
    my God, the Rock my Savior.’
²⁷And I will appoint him to be my firstborn,
    the most exalted of the kings of the earth.
²⁸I will maintain my love to him forever,
    and my covenant with him will never fail.
²⁹I will establish his line forever,
    his throne as long as the heavens endure.

³⁰“If his sons forsake my law
    and do not follow my statutes,
³¹if they violate my decrees
    and fail to keep my commands,
³²I will punish their sin with the rod,
    their iniquity with flogging;
³³but I will not take my love from him,
    nor will I ever betray my faithfulness.
³⁴I will not violate my covenant
    or alter what my lips have uttered.
³⁵Once for all, I have sworn by my holiness—
    and I will not lie to David—
³⁶that his line will continue forever
    and his throne endure before me like the sun;
³⁷it will be established forever like the moon,
    the faithful witness in the sky.”

³⁸But you have rejected, you have spurned,
    you have been very angry with your anointed one.
³⁹You have renounced the covenant with your servant
    and have defiled his crown in the dust.
⁴⁰You have broken through all his walls
    and reduced his strongholds to ruins.
⁴¹All who pass by have plundered him;
    he has become the scorn of his neighbors.
⁴²You have exalted the right hand of his foes;
    you have made all his enemies rejoice.
⁴³Indeed, you have turned back the edge of his sword
    and have not supported him in battle.
⁴⁴You have put an end to his splendor
    and cast his throne to the ground.
⁴⁵You have cut short the days of his youth;
    you have covered him with a mantle of shame.

⁴⁶How long, Lord? Will you hide yourself forever?
    How long will your wrath burn like fire?
⁴⁷Remember how fleeting is my life.
    For what futility you have created all humanity!
⁴⁸Who can live and not see death,
    or who can escape the power of the grave?
⁴⁹Lord, where is your former great love,
    which in your faithfulness you swore to David?
⁵⁰Remember, Lord, how your servant has^[g] been mocked,
    how I bear in my heart the taunts of all the nations,
⁵¹the taunts with which your enemies, Lord, have mocked,
    with which they have mocked every step of your anointed one.

⁵²Praise be to the Lord forever!
Amen and Amen.

Footnotes:

Psalm 89:1 In Hebrew texts 89:1-52 is numbered 89:2-53.
Psalm 89:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
Psalm 89:4 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 37, 45 and 48.
Psalm 89:17 Horn here symbolizes strong one.
Psalm 89:18 Or sovereign
Psalm 89:24 Horn here symbolizes strength.
Psalm 89:50 Or your servants have

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

AFWIS Joins Operation World in Prayer for the Italian Republic of Europe

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

Jul 22: Italy

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Italy

Italian Republic

Europe

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Geography

Area: 301,000 sq km
A long, mountainous peninsula that dominates the central Mediterranean Sea. Also two large islands, Sardinia and Sicily.
Population: 60,097,564 Annual Growth: 0.49%
Capital: Rome
Urbanites: 68.4%
HDI Rank: 18 of 182 (UN Human Development Reports 2009)

Peoples

Peoples: 64 (17% unreached) All peoples
Unreached Peoples Prayer Card

Official language: Italian, but vigorous use of nine regional languages akin to Italian Languages: 42 All languages

Religion

Largest Religion: Christian

Religion		Pop %	Ann Gr
Christians	49,508,373	82.38	-0.2
Evangelicals	632,714	1.1	1.9

Prayercast

Challenges for Prayer

The challenge of Christian leadership in Italy remains urgent, since a lack of mature, qualified and gifted leaders persists. Academic and pastoral training are needs, but finance, time and lack of vision limit opportunities. Authentic servant leadership must be demonstrated, since authoritarian structures, power struggles and dependence on programmes rather than on pastoral discipling are unfortunately common. Thankfully, increasingly diverse options are available:
a) Full-time training institutions. IBEI and IBI(AoG) offer academic degrees through residential programmes. A newly established Pentecostal faculty in the Naples area offers accredited theological degrees. There are a few shorter, residential programmes (YWAM/Gioventu in Missione).
b) Modular programmes are growing quickly, especially helpful for bivocational pastors and lay leaders. Among others are Accademia Teologica Italiana (Aurora Mission) and Istituto di Formazione Evangelica e Documentazione. Local training initiatives are also increasingly popular.
Pray that the various means of training would bolster pastoral leadership across the nation and, in turn, uplift and disciple the whole Church to entirely new levels of maturity.
The least reached sectors of the population:
a) More than 70% of Italy’s 8,101 comuni (communities ranging from small village to large city) are without an established Bible-believing congregation.
b) Many areas of Italy lack a strong indigenous evangelical presence (specifically: Abruzzo, Friuli, Liguria, Marche, Molise, Trentino, Umbria, Valle d’Aosta and Veneto). Immigration and some very modest church growth are slowly improving the situation.
c) Sardinia, a Mediterranean island with limited autonomy, has 1.67 million people and its own language and culture. Sardinia has only about 30 evangelical churches and a few Christian workers. There has been radio outreach for some years. Suspicion of outsiders, fear, vendettas, the occult and the activities of JWs all make any evangelistic outreach difficult.
d) The 1,850,000 students in 94 universities remain a needy and crucial mission field. GBU(IFES) has nearly 30 groups with around 300 students and aims to eventually have 50. Agape(CCCI), Great Commission in northern Italy and a growing number of local congregations focus on students as well. In Milan alone, there are more than 175,000 students with little outreach being done – CW is one of a handful working in this context. Also, there are increasing opportunities to reach international students in Italy.
e) The estimated 500,000 drug addicts have high rates of HIV infection and crime. Cocaine and sniffing solvents are the fastest-growing problems, affecting young people in particular. Evangelicals are only beginning to meet the challenge (Betel in 5 centres; Teen Challenge 2; AoG 2).
For an additional 9 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 Italy.

Psalm 88 (NIV)

Psalm 88 (New International Version)

Psalm 88

A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah. For the director of music. According to mahalath leannoth. A maskil of Heman the Ezrahite.

1[a] [b] O LORD, the God who saves me, day and night I cry out before you.
2 May my prayer come before you; turn your ear to my cry.

3 For my soul is full of trouble and my life draws near the grave. [c]

4 I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am like a man without strength.

5 I am set apart with the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave, whom you remember no more, who are cut off from your care.

6 You have put me in the lowest pit, in the darkest depths.

7 Your wrath lies heavily upon me; you have overwhelmed me with all your waves. Selah

8 You have taken from me my closest friends and have made me repulsive to them. I am confined and cannot escape;

9 my eyes are dim with grief. I call to you, O LORD, every day; I spread out my hands to you.

10 Do you show your wonders to the dead? Do those who are dead rise up and praise you? Selah

11 Is your love declared in the grave, your faithfulness in Destruction [d] ?

12 Are your wonders known in the place of darkness, or your righteous deeds in the land of oblivion?

13 But I cry to you for help, O LORD; in the morning my prayer comes before you.

14 Why, O LORD, do you reject me and hide your face from me?

15 From my youth I have been afflicted and close to death; I have suffered your terrors and am in despair.

16 Your wrath has swept over me; your terrors have destroyed me.

17 All day long they surround me like a flood; they have completely engulfed me.

18 You have taken my companions and loved ones from me; the darkness is my closest friend.

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Romans 5 (NIV)

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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Revelation 15 NIV ~ Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Concise)

Revelation 15 (New International Version, ©2010)

Revelation 15

Seven Angels With Seven Plagues

1 I saw in heaven another great and marvelous sign: seven angels with the seven last plagues—last, because with them God's wrath is completed. 2 And I saw what looked like a sea of glass glowing with fire and, standing beside the sea, those who had been victorious over the beast and its image and over the number of its name. They held harps given them by God 3 and sang the song of God's servant Moses and of the Lamb:
"Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty.
Just and true are your ways, King of the nations.[a]
4 Who will not fear you, Lord, and bring glory to your name?
For you alone are holy.
All nations will come and worship before you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed."[b]

5 After this I looked, and I saw in heaven the temple—that is, the tabernacle of the covenant law—and it was opened. 6 Out of the temple came the seven angels with the seven plagues. They were dressed in clean, shining linen and wore golden sashes around their chests. 7 Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of God, who lives for ever and ever. 8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.

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Revelation 15 NIV ~ Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Concise)

Chapter 15

A song of praise is sung by the church. (1-4) Seven angels with the seven plagues; and to them one of the living creatures gives seven golden vials full of the wrath of God. (5-8) Verses 1-4 Seven angels appeared in heaven; prepared to finish the destruction of antichrist. As the measure of Babylon's sins was filled up, it finds the full measure of Divine wrath. While believers stand in this world, in times of trouble, as upon a sea of glass mingled with fire, they may look forward to their final deliverance, while new mercies call forth new hymns of praise. The more we know of God's wonderful works, the more we shall praise his greatness as the Lord God Almighty, the Creator and Ruler of all worlds; but his title of Emmanuel, the King of saints, will make him dear to us. Who that considers the power of God's wrath, the value of his favour, or the glory of his holiness, would refuse to fear and honour him alone? His praise is above heaven and earth. Verses 5-8 In the judgments God executes upon antichrist and his followers, he fulfils the prophecies and promises of his word. These angels are prepared for their work, clothed with pure and white linen, their breasts girded with golden girdles, representing the holiness, and righteousness, and excellence of these dealings with men. They are ministers of Divine justice, and do every thing in a pure and holy manner. They were armed with the wrath of God against his enemies. Even the meanest creature, when armed with the anger of God, will be too hard for any man in the world. The angels received the vials from one of the four living creatures, one of the ministers of the true church, as in answer to the prayers of the ministers and people of God. Antichrist could not be destroyed without a great shock to all the world, and even the people of God would be in trouble and confusion while the great work was doing. The greatest deliverances of the church are brought about by awful and astonishing steps of Providence; and the happy state of the true church will not begin till obstinate enemies shall be destroyed, and lukewarm or formal Christians are purified. Then, whatever is against Scripture being purged away, the whole church shall be spiritual, and the whole being brought to purity, unity, and spirituality, shall be firmly established.

Monday, July 21, 2014

AFWIS Joins Operation World in Prayer for the State of Israel in Asia

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

Jul 21: Israel

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Israel