Friday, August 7, 2015
A.F.W.I.S. ~ Gary Miller Ministries: The Fathers Love Letter
The Fathers Love Letter
My Child,
You may not know me, But I know everything about you.
Psalm 139:1
I know when you sit down and when you rise up. Psalm 139:2
I am familiar with all your ways. Psalm 139:3
Even the very hairs on your head are numbered.
Matthew 10:29-31
For you were made in my image. Genesis 1:27
In me you live and move and have your being. Acts 17:28
For you are my offspring. Acts 17:28
I knew you even before you were conceived. Jeremiah 1:4-5
I chose you when I planned creation. Ephesians 1:11-12
You were not a mistake,for all your days are written in my book.
Psalm 139:15-16
I determined the exact time of your birth and where you would live. Acts 17:26
You are fearfully and wonderfully made. Psalm 139:14
I knit you together in your mother's womb. Psalm 139:13
And brought you forth on the day you were born. Psalm 71:6
I have been misrepresented by those who don't know me.
John 8:41-44
I am not distant and angry, but am the complete expression of love. 1 John 4:16
And it is my desire to lavish my love on you. 1 John 3:1
Simply because you are my child and I am your Father.
1 John 3:1
I offer you more than your earthly father ever could.
Matthew 7:11
For I am the perfect father. Matthew 5:48
Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand.
James 1:17
For I am your provider and I meet all your needs.
Matthew 6:31-33
My plan for your future has always been filled with hope.
Jeremiah 29:11
Because I love you with an everlasting love. Jeremiah 31:3
My thoughts toward you are countless as the sand on the seashore. Psalms 139:17-18
And I rejoice over you with singing. Zephaniah 3:17
I will never stop doing good to you. Jeremiah 32:40
For you are my treasured possession. Exodus 19:5
I desire to establish you with all my heart and all my soul.
Jeremiah 32:41
And I want to show you great and marvelous things.
Jeremiah 33:3
If you seek me with all your heart, you will find me.
Deuteronomy 4:29
Delight in me and I will give you the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:4
For it is I who gave you those desires. Philippians 2:13
I am able to do more for you than you could possibly imagine.
Ephesians 3:20
For I am your greatest encourager. 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
I am also the Father who comforts you in all your troubles.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
When you are brokenhearted, I am close to you. Psalm 34:18
As a shepherd carries a lamb, I have carried you close to my heart.
Isaiah 40:11
One day I will wipe away every tear from your eyes.
Revelation 21:3-4
And I'll take away all the pain you have suffered on this earth.
Revelation 21:3-4
I am your Father, and I love you even as I love my son, Jesus.
John 17:23
For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed. John 17:26
He is the exact representation of my being. Hebrews 1:3
He came to demonstrate that I am for you, not against you.
Romans 8:31
And to tell you that I am not counting your sins.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19
Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19
His death was the ultimate expression of my love for you.
1 John 4:10
I gave up everything I loved that I might gain your love.
Romans 8:31-32
If you receive the gift of my son Jesus, you receive me.
1 John 2:23
And nothing will ever separate you from my love again.
Romans 8:38-39
Come home and I'll throw the biggest party heaven has ever seen.
Luke 15:7
I have always been Father, and will always be Father.
Ephesians 3:14-15
My question is…
Will you be my child? John 1:12-13
I am waiting for you. Luke 15:11-32
Love, Your Dad
Almighty God
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Chronological New Testament Study Day 67
2 Corinthians 10; 2 Corinthians 11; 2 Corinthians 12; 2 Corinthians 13
1 By the meekness and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to
you--I, Paul, who am "timid" when face to face with you, but
"bold" when away! 2 I beg you that when I come I may
not have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some people who think that we
live by the standards of this world. 3 For though we live in
the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons
we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have
divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments
and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we
take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 6 And
we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is
complete. 7 You are looking only on the surface of things. If
anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ, he should consider again that we
belong to Christ just as much as he. 8 For even if I boast
somewhat freely about the authority the Lord gave us for building you up rather
than pulling you down, I will not be ashamed of it. 9 I do not
want to seem to be trying to frighten you with my letters. 10 For
some say, "His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is
unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing." 11 Such
people should realize that what we are in our letters when we are absent, we
will be in our actions when we are present. 12 We do not dare
to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they
measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they
are not wise. 13 We, however, will not boast beyond proper
limits, but will confine our boasting to the field God has assigned to us, a
field that reaches even to you. 14 We are not going too far in
our boasting, as would be the case if we had not come to you, for we did get as
far as you with the gospel of Christ. 15 Neither do we go
beyond our limits by boasting of work done by others. Our hope is that, as your
faith continues to grow, our area of activity among you will greatly
expand, 16 so that we can preach the gospel in the regions
beyond you. For we do not want to boast about work already done in another
man's territory. 17 But, "Let him who boasts boast in the
Lord." 18 For it is not the one who commends himself who
is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.
1 I hope you will put up with a little of my foolishness;
but you are already doing that. 2 I am jealous for you with a
godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might
present you as a pure virgin to him. 3 But I am afraid that
just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be
led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4 For
if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached,
or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different
gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough. 5But
I do not think I am in the least inferior to those
"super-apostles." 6 I may not be a trained speaker,
but I do have knowledge. We have made this perfectly clear to you in every
way. 7 Was it a sin for me to lower myself in order to elevate
you by preaching the gospel of God to you free of charge? 8 I
robbed other churches by receiving support from them so as to serve you. 9 And
when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the
brothers who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed. I have kept myself
from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so. 10 As
surely as the truth of Christ is in me, nobody in the regions of Achaia will
stop this boasting of mine. 11 Why? Because I do not love you?
God knows I do! 12 And I will keep on doing what I am doing in
order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be
considered equal with us in the things they boast about. 13 For
such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of
Christ. 14 And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an
angel of light. 15 It is not surprising, then, if his servants
masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions
deserve. 16 I repeat: Let no one take me for a fool. But if
you do, then receive me just as you would a fool, so that I may do a little
boasting. 17 In this self-confident boasting I am not talking
as the Lord would, but as a fool. 18 Since many are boasting
in the way the world does, I too will boast. 19 You gladly put
up with fools since you are so wise! 20 In fact, you even put
up with anyone who enslaves you or exploits you or takes advantage of you or
pushes himself forward or slaps you in the face. 21 To my
shame I admit that we were too weak for that! What anyone else dares to boast
about--I am speaking as a fool--I also dare to boast about. 22 Are
they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham's
descendants? So am I. 23 Are they servants of Christ? (I am
out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been
in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to
death again and again. 24 Five times I received from the Jews
the forty lashes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with
rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a
day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I
have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own
countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the
country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. 27 I
have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger
and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.28 Besides
everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the
churches. 29 Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led
into sin, and I do not inwardly burn? 30 If I must boast, I
will boast of the things that show my weakness. 31 The God and
Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever, knows that I am not
lying. 32 In Damascus the governor under King Aretas had the
city of the Damascenes guarded in order to arrest me. 33 But I
was lowered in a basket from a window in the wall and slipped through his
hands.
1 I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be
gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. 2 I
know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven.
Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know--God knows. 3 And
I know that this man--whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know,
but God knows-- 4 was caught up to paradise. He heard
inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell. 5 I
will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except
about my weaknesses. 6 Even if I should choose to boast, I
would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so
no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say. 7 To
keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great
revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to
torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it
away from me. 9 But he said to me, "My grace is
sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I
will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may
rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in
weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For
when I am weak, then I am strong. 11 I have made a fool of
myself, but you drove me to it. I ought to have been commended by you, for I am
not in the least inferior to the "super-apostles," even though I am
nothing. 12 The things that mark an apostle--signs, wonders
and miracles--were done among you with great perseverance. 13 How
were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was never a burden to
you? Forgive me this wrong! 14 Now I am ready to visit you for
the third time, and I will not be a burden to you, because what I want is not
your possessions but you. After all, children should not have to save up for
their parents, but parents for their children. 15 So I will
very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well. If I
love you more, will you love me less? 16 Be that as it may, I
have not been a burden to you. Yet, crafty fellow that I am, I caught you by
trickery! 17 Did I exploit you through any of the men I sent
you? 18 I urged Titus to go to you and I sent our brother with
him. Titus did not exploit you, did he? Did we not act in the same spirit and
follow the same course? 19Have you been thinking all along that we
have been defending ourselves to you? We have been speaking in the sight of God
as those in Christ; and everything we do, dear friends, is for your
strengthening. 20 For I am afraid that when I come I may not
find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I
fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions,
slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder. 21 I am afraid that
when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over
many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin
and debauchery in which they have indulged.
1 This will be my third visit to you. "Every matter
must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses." 2 I
already gave you a warning when I was with you the second time. I now repeat it
while absent: On my return I will not spare those who sinned earlier or any of
the others, 3 since you are demanding proof that Christ is
speaking through me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among
you. 4 For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he
lives by God's power. Likewise, we are weak in him, yet by God's power we will
live with him to serve you. 5 Examine yourselves to see
whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ
Jesus is in you--unless, of course, you fail the test? 6 And I
trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test. 7 Now
we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong. Not that people will see
that we have stood the test but that you will do what is right even though we
may seem to have failed. 8 For we cannot do anything against
the truth, but only for the truth. 9 We are glad whenever we
are weak but you are strong; and our prayer is for your perfection. 10 This
is why I write these things when I am absent, that when I come I may not have
to be harsh in my use of authority--the authority the Lord gave me for building
you up, not for tearing you down. 11 Finally, brothers,
good-by. Aim for perfection, listen to my appeal, be of one mind, live in
peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. 12 Greet
one another with a holy kiss. 13 All the saints send their
greetings. 14 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the
love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
Ecclesiastes 4
Ecclesiastes 4 (New International Version)
Ecclesiastes 4
Oppression, Toil, Friendlessness
1 Again I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun: I saw the tears of the oppressed— and they have no comforter; power was on the side of their oppressors— and they have no comforter.
2 And I declared that the dead, who had already died, are happier than the living, who are still alive.
3 But better than both is he who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun.
4 And I saw that all labor and all achievement spring from man's envy of his neighbor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
5 The fool folds his hands and ruins himself.
6 Better one handful with tranquillity than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.
7 Again I saw something meaningless under the sun:
8 There was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. "For whom am I toiling," he asked, "and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?" This too is meaningless— a miserable business!
9 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work:
10 If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!
11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?
12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
Advancement Is Meaningless
13 Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take warning. 14 The youth may have come from prison to the kingship, or he may have been born in poverty within his kingdom. 15 I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed the youth, the king's successor. 16 There was no end to all the people who were before them. But those who came later were not pleased with the successor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
Ecclesiastes 4
Oppression, Toil, Friendlessness
1 Again I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun: I saw the tears of the oppressed— and they have no comforter; power was on the side of their oppressors— and they have no comforter.
2 And I declared that the dead, who had already died, are happier than the living, who are still alive.
3 But better than both is he who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun.
4 And I saw that all labor and all achievement spring from man's envy of his neighbor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
5 The fool folds his hands and ruins himself.
6 Better one handful with tranquillity than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.
7 Again I saw something meaningless under the sun:
8 There was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. "For whom am I toiling," he asked, "and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?" This too is meaningless— a miserable business!
9 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work:
10 If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!
11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?
12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
Advancement Is Meaningless
13 Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take warning. 14 The youth may have come from prison to the kingship, or he may have been born in poverty within his kingdom. 15 I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed the youth, the king's successor. 16 There was no end to all the people who were before them. But those who came later were not pleased with the successor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
Revelation 14
Revelation 14 (New International Version, ©2010)
Revelation 14
The Lamb and the 144,000
1 Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps. 3 And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. 4 These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they remained virgins. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among mankind and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb. 5 No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.
The Three Angels
6 Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language and people. 7 He said in a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water."
8 A second angel followed and said, "'Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great,'[a] which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries."
9 A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: "If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives its mark on their forehead or on their hand, 10 they, too, will drink the wine of God's fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. They will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever. There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name." 12 This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus.
13 Then I heard a voice from heaven say, "Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on." "Yes," says the Spirit, "they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them."
Harvesting the Earth and Trampling the Winepress
14 I looked, and there before me was a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was one like a son of man[b] with a crown of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. 15 Then another angel came out of the temple and called in a loud voice to him who was sitting on the cloud, "Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe." 16 So he who was seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested.
17 Another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. 18 Still another angel, who had charge of the fire, came from the altar and called in a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, "Take your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth's vine, because its grapes are ripe." 19 The angel swung his sickle on the earth, gathered its grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God's wrath. 20 They were trampled in the winepress outside the city, and blood flowed out of the press, rising as high as the horses' bridles for a distance of 1,600 stadia.
Revelation 14
The Lamb and the 144,000
1 Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps. 3 And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. 4 These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they remained virgins. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among mankind and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb. 5 No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.
The Three Angels
6 Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language and people. 7 He said in a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water."
8 A second angel followed and said, "'Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great,'[a] which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries."
9 A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: "If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives its mark on their forehead or on their hand, 10 they, too, will drink the wine of God's fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. They will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever. There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name." 12 This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus.
13 Then I heard a voice from heaven say, "Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on." "Yes," says the Spirit, "they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them."
Harvesting the Earth and Trampling the Winepress
14 I looked, and there before me was a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was one like a son of man[b] with a crown of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. 15 Then another angel came out of the temple and called in a loud voice to him who was sitting on the cloud, "Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe." 16 So he who was seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested.
17 Another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. 18 Still another angel, who had charge of the fire, came from the altar and called in a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, "Take your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth's vine, because its grapes are ripe." 19 The angel swung his sickle on the earth, gathered its grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God's wrath. 20 They were trampled in the winepress outside the city, and blood flowed out of the press, rising as high as the horses' bridles for a distance of 1,600 stadia.
Thursday, August 6, 2015
Revelation 13
Revelation 13 (New International Version, ©2010)
Revelation 13
The Beast out of the Sea
1 The dragon[a] stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on its horns, and on each head a blasphemous name. 2 The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority. 3 One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was filled with wonder and followed the beast. 4 People worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, "Who is like the beast? Who can wage war against it?"
5 The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise its authority for forty-two months. 6 It opened its mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. 7 It was given power to wage war against God's holy people and to conquer them. And it was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. 8 All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the Lamb's book of life, the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world.[b]
9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.
10 "If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity they will go.
If anyone is to be killed[c] with the sword, with the sword they will be killed."[d] This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of God's people.
The Beast out of the Earth
11 Then I saw a second beast, coming out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon. 12 It exercised all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. 13 And it performed great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to the earth in full view of the people. 14 Because of the signs it was given power to perform on behalf of the first beast, it deceived the inhabitants of the earth. It ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. 15 The second beast was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. 16 It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, 17 so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name.
18 This calls for wisdom. Let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man.[e] That number is 666.
Revelation 13
The Beast out of the Sea
1 The dragon[a] stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on its horns, and on each head a blasphemous name. 2 The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority. 3 One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was filled with wonder and followed the beast. 4 People worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, "Who is like the beast? Who can wage war against it?"
5 The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise its authority for forty-two months. 6 It opened its mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. 7 It was given power to wage war against God's holy people and to conquer them. And it was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. 8 All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the Lamb's book of life, the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world.[b]
9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.
10 "If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity they will go.
If anyone is to be killed[c] with the sword, with the sword they will be killed."[d] This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of God's people.
The Beast out of the Earth
11 Then I saw a second beast, coming out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon. 12 It exercised all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. 13 And it performed great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to the earth in full view of the people. 14 Because of the signs it was given power to perform on behalf of the first beast, it deceived the inhabitants of the earth. It ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. 15 The second beast was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. 16 It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, 17 so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name.
18 This calls for wisdom. Let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man.[e] That number is 666.
Ecclesiastes 3
Ecclesiastes 3 (New International Version)
Ecclesiastes 3
A Time for Everything
1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:
2 a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3 a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
6 a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7 a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8 a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.
9 What does the worker gain from his toil? 10 I have seen the burden God has laid on men. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. 12 I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. 13 That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil—this is the gift of God. 14 I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him.
15 Whatever is has already been, and what will be has been before; and God will call the past to account. [a]
16 And I saw something else under the sun: In the place of judgment—wickedness was there, in the place of justice—wickedness was there.
17 I thought in my heart, "God will bring to judgment both the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time for every activity, a time for every deed."
18 I also thought, "As for men, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals. 19 Man's fate is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath [b] ; man has no advantage over the animal. Everything is meaningless. 20 All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return. 21 Who knows if the spirit of man rises upward and if the spirit of the animal [c] goes down into the earth?"
22 So I saw that there is nothing better for a man than to enjoy his work, because that is his lot. For who can bring him to see what will happen after him?
Ecclesiastes 3
A Time for Everything
1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:
2 a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3 a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
6 a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7 a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8 a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.
9 What does the worker gain from his toil? 10 I have seen the burden God has laid on men. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. 12 I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. 13 That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil—this is the gift of God. 14 I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him.
15 Whatever is has already been, and what will be has been before; and God will call the past to account. [a]
16 And I saw something else under the sun: In the place of judgment—wickedness was there, in the place of justice—wickedness was there.
17 I thought in my heart, "God will bring to judgment both the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time for every activity, a time for every deed."
18 I also thought, "As for men, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals. 19 Man's fate is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath [b] ; man has no advantage over the animal. Everything is meaningless. 20 All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return. 21 Who knows if the spirit of man rises upward and if the spirit of the animal [c] goes down into the earth?"
22 So I saw that there is nothing better for a man than to enjoy his work, because that is his lot. For who can bring him to see what will happen after him?
Chronological New Testament Study Day 66
2 Corinthians 5; 2 Corinthians 6; 2 Corinthians 7; 2 Corinthians 8; 2
Corinthians 9
1 Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is
destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built
by human hands. 2 Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed
with our heavenly dwelling, 3 because when we are clothed, we
will not be found naked. 4 For while we are in this tent, we
groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be
clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up
by life. 5 Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose
and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.6 Therefore
we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we
are away from the Lord. 7 We live by faith, not by
sight. 8 We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away
from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So we make it our
goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. 10 For
we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may
receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or
bad.11 Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to
persuade men. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your
conscience. 12 We are not trying to commend ourselves to you
again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can
answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the
heart. 13 If we are out of our mind, it is for the sake of
God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14 For
Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and
therefore all died. 15 And he died for all, that those who
live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was
raised again. 16 So from now on we regard no one from a
worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no
longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new
creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 18 All this is
from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry
of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to
himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed
to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ's
ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on
Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had
no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of
God.
1 As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God's
grace in vain. 2 For he says, "In the time of my favor I
heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you." I tell you, now is
the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation. 3 We put
no stumbling block in anyone's path, so that our ministry will not be
discredited. 4 Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves
in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; 5 in
beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and
hunger; 6 in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in
the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; 7 in truthful speech and
in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the
left; 8 through glory and dishonor, bad report and good
report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; 9 known, yet
regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed;10 sorrowful,
yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet
possessing everything. 11 We have spoken freely to you,
Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. 12 We are not
withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from
us. 13 As a fair exchange--I speak as to my children--open
wide your hearts also. 14 Do not be yoked together with
unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what
fellowship can light have with darkness? 15 What harmony is
there between Christ and Belial ? What does a believer have in common with an
unbeliever? 16 What agreement is there between the temple of
God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said:
"I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and
they will be my people." 17 "Therefore come out from
them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive
you." 18 "I will be a Father to you, and you will be
my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."
1 Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify
ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting
holiness out of reverence for God. 2 Make room for us in your
hearts. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have exploited no
one. 3 I do not say this to condemn you; I have said before
that you have such a place in our hearts that we would live or die with
you. 4 I have great confidence in you; I take great pride in
you. I am greatly encouraged; in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds. 5 For
when we came into Macedonia, this body of ours had no rest, but we were
harassed at every turn--conflicts on the outside, fears within. 6 But
God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, 7 and
not only by his coming but also by the comfort you had given him. He told us
about your longing for me, your deep sorrow, your ardent concern for me, so
that my joy was greater than ever. 8 Even if I caused you
sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it--I see that my
letter hurt you, but only for a little while-- 9 yet now I am
happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to
repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in
any way by us. 10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to
salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. 11 See
what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to
clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern,
what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves
to be innocent in this matter. 12 So even though I wrote to
you, it was not on account of the one who did the wrong or of the injured
party, but rather that before God you could see for yourselves how devoted to
us you are. 13 By all this we are encouraged. In addition to
our own encouragement, we were especially delighted to see how happy Titus was,
because his spirit has been refreshed by all of you. 14 I had
boasted to him about you, and you have not embarrassed me. But just as
everything we said to you was true, so our boasting about you to Titus has
proved to be true as well.15 And his affection for you is all the
greater when he remembers that you were all obedient, receiving him with fear
and trembling. 16 I am glad I can have complete confidence in
you.
1 And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace
that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2 Out of the most
severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich
generosity. 3 For I testify that they gave as much as they
were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4 they
urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the
saints. 5 And they did not do as we expected, but they gave
themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will. 6 So
we urged Titus, since he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to
completion this act of grace on your part. 7 But just as you
excel in everything--in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness
and in your love for us--see that you also excel in this grace of giving. 8 I
am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by
comparing it with the earnestness of others. 9 For you know
the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes
he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. 10 And
here is my advice about what is best for you in this matter: Last year you were
the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so. 11 Now
finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your
completion of it, according to your means. 12 For if the
willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not
according to what he does not have. 13 Our desire is not that
others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be
equality. 14 At the present time your plenty will supply what
they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there
will be equality, 15 as it is written: "He who gathered
much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too
little." 16 I thank God, who put into the heart of Titus
the same concern I have for you. 17 For Titus not only
welcomed our appeal, but he is coming to you with much enthusiasm and on his
own initiative. 18 And we are sending along with him the
brother who is praised by all the churches for his service to the gospel. 19 What
is more, he was chosen by the churches to accompany us as we carry the
offering, which we administer in order to honor the Lord himself and to show
our eagerness to help. 20 We want to avoid any criticism of
the way we administer this liberal gift. 21 For we are taking
pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the
eyes of men. 22 In addition, we are sending with them our
brother who has often proved to us in many ways that he is zealous, and now
even more so because of his great confidence in you. 23 As for
Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among you; as for our brothers, they
are representatives of the churches and an honor to Christ. 24 Therefore
show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our pride in you, so
that the churches can see it.
1 There is no need for me to write to you about this service
to the saints. 2 For I know your eagerness to help, and I have
been boasting about it to the Macedonians, telling them that since last year
you in Achaia were ready to give; and your enthusiasm has stirred most of them
to action. 3 But I am sending the brothers in order that our
boasting about you in this matter should not prove hollow, but that you may be
ready, as I said you would be. 4 For if any Macedonians come
with me and find you unprepared, we--not to say anything about you--would be
ashamed of having been so confident. 5 So I thought it
necessary to urge the brothers to visit you in advance and finish the
arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. Then it will be ready as a
generous gift, not as one grudgingly given. 6Remember this: Whoever
sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also
reap generously. 7 Each man should give what he has decided in
his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a
cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to
you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound
in every good work. 9 As it is written: "He has scattered
abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever." 10 Now
he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and
increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your
righteousness. 11 You will be made rich in every way so that
you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will
result in thanksgiving to God.12 This service that you perform is
not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many
expressions of thanks to God. 13 Because of the service by
which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that
accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in
sharing with them and with everyone else. 14 And in their
prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing
grace God has given you. 15Thanks be to God for his indescribable
gift!
Wednesday, August 5, 2015
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