5/12/12

Bulls eye!!!!



What is it? Where is it? When is it?  These three things came to mind as I viewed this for the first time.  I really don't know; but, I CAN guess.  First, this looks like a piece of ice that someone has fired a bullet through.  Second, perhaps it is on a high plateau somewhere or maybe on the flatted out top of some mountain.  By the looks of it, I would say its in the far North, someplace where its very, very cold!!! When is it? Tough question; Winter, probably, or it just might be very early Spring.  However, if this is trick photography, then it could be a picture taken just fractions of a second after a bullet has passed though a piece of ice to form this hole.  To me, this represents a target; something to attain to.  When I thought of this for a few moments, I remembered the passage from the book of Joshua that I read a few days ago...

Joshua Chapter 1

 6 “Be strong and courageous; for you shall cause this people to inherit the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.  7 Only be strong and very courageous, to observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded you. Don’t turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. 8 This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success. 

The God of heaven spoke to Moses servant Joshua (who was his successor) to give him encouragement.  And he needed it badly!!!  Can you imagine taking over leadership of about a million people that had been led by MOSES????  Talk about your daunting tasks.  However, remember, this is GOD talking!!!!  And he tells him HOW TO DO IT!!!  Basically, remember that I am with you, so be strong and courageous.  Remember also, to think of the law that I gave to Moses.  Do these things and you will be right on target.  Bulls eye!!!!!













May 12 Joshua 5, 6


May 12
Joshua 5, 6

Jos 5:1 It happened, when all the kings of the Amorites, who were beyond the Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites, who were by the sea, heard how that Yahweh had dried up the waters of the Jordan from before the children of Israel, until we had passed over, that their heart melted, neither was there spirit in them any more, because of the children of Israel.
Jos 5:2 At that time, Yahweh said to Joshua, "Make flint knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time."
Jos 5:3 Joshua made himself flint knives, and circumcised the children of Israel at the hill of the foreskins.
Jos 5:4 This is the reason Joshua circumcised: all the people who came out of Egypt, who were males, even all the men of war, died in the wilderness by the way, after they came out of Egypt.
Jos 5:5 For all the people who came out were circumcised; but all the people who were born in the wilderness by the way as they came out of Egypt had not been circumcised.
Jos 5:6 For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, until all the nation, even the men of war who came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they didn't listen to the voice of Yahweh. Yahweh swore to them that he wouldn't let them see the land which Yahweh swore to their fathers that he would give us, a land flowing with milk and honey.
Jos 5:7 Their children, whom he raised up in their place, were circumcised by Joshua; for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them on the way.
Jos 5:8 It happened, when they were done circumcising all the nation, that they stayed in their places in the camp until they were healed.
Jos 5:9 Yahweh said to Joshua, "Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you." Therefore the name of that place was called Gilgal, to this day.
Jos 5:10 The children of Israel encamped in Gilgal. They kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month at evening in the plains of Jericho.
Jos 5:11 They ate unleavened cakes and parched grain of the produce of the land on the next day after the Passover, in the same day.
Jos 5:12 The manna ceased on the next day, after they had eaten of the produce of the land. The children of Israel didn't have manna any more; but they ate of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.
Jos 5:13 It happened, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man stood in front of him with his sword drawn in his hand. Joshua went to him, and said to him, "Are you for us, or for our adversaries?"
Jos 5:14 He said, "No; but I have come now as commander of Yahweh's army." Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and worshipped, and said to him, "What does my lord say to his servant?"
Jos 5:15 The prince of Yahweh's army said to Joshua, "Take your shoes off of your feet; for the place on which you stand is holy." Joshua did so.
Jos 6:1 Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the children of Israel. No one went out, and no one came in.
Jos 6:2 Yahweh said to Joshua, "Behold, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and the mighty men of valor.
Jos 6:3 All your men of war shall march around the city, going around the city once. You shall do this six days.
Jos 6:4 Seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark. On the seventh day, you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets.
Jos 6:5 It shall be that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall go up every man straight before him."
Jos 6:6 Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said to them, "Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of Yahweh."
Jos 6:7 They said to the people, "Advance! March around the city, and let the armed men pass on before Yahweh's ark."
Jos 6:8 It was so, that when Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns before Yahweh advanced, and blew the trumpets; and the ark of the covenant of Yahweh followed them.
Jos 6:9 The armed men went before the priests who blew the trumpets, and the ark went after them. The trumpets sounded as they went.
Jos 6:10 Joshua commanded the people, saying, "You shall not shout, nor let your voice be heard, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I tell you to shout. Then you shall shout."
Jos 6:11 So he caused the ark of Yahweh to go around the city, going about it once. Then they came into the camp, and lodged in the camp.
Jos 6:12 Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of Yahweh.
Jos 6:13 The seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of Yahweh went on continually, and blew the trumpets: and the armed men went before them. The rear guard came after the ark of Yahweh. The trumpets sounded as they went.
Jos 6:14 The second day they marched around the city once, and returned into the camp. They did this six days.
Jos 6:15 It happened on the seventh day, that they rose early at the dawning of the day, and marched around the city in the same way seven times. Only on this day they marched around the city seven times.
Jos 6:16 It happened at the seventh time, when the priests blew the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, "Shout, for Yahweh has given you the city!
Jos 6:17 The city shall be devoted, even it and all that is in it, to Yahweh. Only Rahab the prostitute shall live, she and all who are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.
Jos 6:18 But as for you, only keep yourselves from the devoted thing, lest when you have devoted it, you take of the devoted thing; so would you make the camp of Israel accursed, and trouble it.
Jos 6:19 But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are holy to Yahweh. They shall come into Yahweh's treasury."
Jos 6:20 So the people shouted, and the priests blew the trumpets. It happened, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, that the people shouted with a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.
Jos 6:21 They utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, both young and old, and ox, and sheep, and donkey, with the edge of the sword.
Jos 6:22 Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, "Go into the prostitute's house, and bring out from there the woman and all that she has, as you swore to her."
Jos 6:23 The young men who were spies went in, and brought out Rahab with her father, her mother, her brothers, and all that she had. They also brought out all her relatives, and they set them outside of the camp of Israel.
Jos 6:24 They burnt the city with fire, and all that was in it. Only they put the silver, the gold, and the vessels of brass and of iron into the treasury of Yahweh's house.
Jos 6:25 But Rahab the prostitute, her father's household, and all that she had, Joshua saved alive. She lived in the midst of Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers, whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.
Jos 6:26 Joshua commanded them with an oath at that time, saying, "Cursed be the man before Yahweh, who rises up and builds this city Jericho. With the loss of his firstborn shall he lay its foundation, and with the loss of his youngest son shall he set up its gates."
Jos 6:27 So Yahweh was with Joshua; and his fame was in all the land.

May 12, 13 Luke 23


May 12, 13
Luke 23

Luk 23:1 The whole company of them rose up and brought him before Pilate.
Luk 23:2 They began to accuse him, saying, "We found this man perverting the nation, forbidding paying taxes to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king."
Luk 23:3 Pilate asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" He answered him, "So you say."
Luk 23:4 Pilate said to the chief priests and the multitudes, "I find no basis for a charge against this man."
Luk 23:5 But they insisted, saying, "He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee even to this place."
Luk 23:6 But when Pilate heard Galilee mentioned, he asked if the man was a Galilean.
Luk 23:7 When he found out that he was in Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem during those days.
Luk 23:8 Now when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly glad, for he had wanted to see him for a long time, because he had heard many things about him. He hoped to see some miracle done by him.
Luk 23:9 He questioned him with many words, but he gave no answers.
Luk 23:10 The chief priests and the scribes stood, vehemently accusing him.
Luk 23:11 Herod with his soldiers humiliated him and mocked him. Dressing him in luxurious clothing, they sent him back to Pilate.
Luk 23:12 Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before that they were enemies with each other.
Luk 23:13 Pilate called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people,
Luk 23:14 and said to them, "You brought this man to me as one that perverts the people, and see, I have examined him before you, and found no basis for a charge against this man concerning those things of which you accuse him.
Luk 23:15 Neither has Herod, for I sent you to him, and see, nothing worthy of death has been done by him.
Luk 23:16 I will therefore chastise him and release him."
Luk 23:17 Now he had to release one prisoner to them at the feast.
Luk 23:18 But they all cried out together, saying, "Away with this man! Release to us Barabbas!"-
Luk 23:19 one who was thrown into prison for a certain revolt in the city, and for murder.
Luk 23:20 Then Pilate spoke to them again, wanting to release Jesus,
Luk 23:21 but they shouted, saying, "Crucify! Crucify him!"
Luk 23:22 He said to them the third time, "Why? What evil has this man done? I have found no capital crime in him. I will therefore chastise him and release him."
Luk 23:23 But they were urgent with loud voices, asking that he might be crucified. Their voices and the voices of the chief priests prevailed.
Luk 23:24 Pilate decreed that what they asked for should be done.
Luk 23:25 He released him who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, for whom they asked, but he delivered Jesus up to their will.
Luk 23:26 When they led him away, they grabbed one Simon of Cyrene, coming from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it after Jesus.
Luk 23:27 A great multitude of the people followed him, including women who also mourned and lamented him.
Luk 23:28 But Jesus, turning to them, said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, don't weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.
Luk 23:29 For behold, the days are coming in which they will say, 'Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.'
Luk 23:30 Then they will begin to tell the mountains, 'Fall on us!' and tell the hills, 'Cover us.'
Luk 23:31 For if they do these things in the green tree, what will be done in the dry?"
Luk 23:32 There were also others, two criminals, led with him to be put to death.
Luk 23:33 When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified him there with the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left.
Luk 23:34 Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they don't know what they are doing." Dividing his garments among them, they cast lots.
Luk 23:35 The people stood watching. The rulers with them also scoffed at him, saying, "He saved others. Let him save himself, if this is the Christ of God, his chosen one!"
Luk 23:36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming to him and offering him vinegar,
Luk 23:37 and saying, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!"
Luk 23:38 An inscription was also written over him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: "THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS."
Luk 23:39 One of the criminals who was hanged insulted him, saying, "If you are the Christ, save yourself and us!"
Luk 23:40 But the other answered, and rebuking him said, "Don't you even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation?
Luk 23:41 And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong."
Luk 23:42 He said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when you come into your Kingdom."
Luk 23:43 Jesus said to him, "Assuredly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise."
Luk 23:44 It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour.
Luk 23:45 The sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two.
Luk 23:46 Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!" Having said this, he breathed his last.
Luk 23:47 When the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, "Certainly this was a righteous man."
Luk 23:48 All the multitudes that came together to see this, when they saw the things that were done, returned home beating their breasts.
Luk 23:49 All his acquaintances, and the women who followed with him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.
Luk 23:50 Behold, a man named Joseph, who was a member of the council, a good and righteous man
Luk 23:51 (he had not consented to their counsel and deed), from Arimathaea, a city of the Jews, who was also waiting for the Kingdom of God:
Luk 23:52 this man went to Pilate, and asked for Jesus' body.
Luk 23:53 He took it down, and wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid him in a tomb that was cut in stone, where no one had ever been laid.
Luk 23:54 It was the day of the Preparation, and the Sabbath was drawing near.
Luk 23:55 The women, who had come with him out of Galilee, followed after, and saw the tomb, and how his body was laid.
Luk 23:56 They returned, and prepared spices and ointments. On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.

"THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW" Chapter Twenty-Four by Mark Copeland

                        "THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW"

                          Chapter Twenty-Four

This chapter records the beginning of the Olivet discourse, prompted by
questions following Jesus’ prediction of the destruction of the temple
(1-3).  It involves the destruction of Jerusalem which occurred in 70
A.D., though many also see intertwining references to the Second Coming
of Christ (4-51).

POINTS TO PONDER

   *  The fulfillment of events foretold by Jesus in this chapter

   *  The importance of being prepared and productive

REVIEW QUESTIONS

1) What are the main points of this chapter?
   - The destruction of the temple foretold - Mt 24:1-3
   - The sign when things would soon occur - Mt 24:4-28
   - The tribulation and events immediately after - Mt 24:29-35
   - The need to be prepared and productive - Mt 24:36-51

2) What questions were prompted by Jesus’ prediction? (3)
   - "When will these things be?  What will be the sign...?"

3) What did Jesus say would not be the sign? (4-13)
   - False christs, wars, famines, pestilences, earthquakes,
     persecution, lawlessness

4) What would happen before the "end" would come? (14)
   - The gospel preached in all the world (cf. Mk 16:15; Ro 10:16-18; Co
     1:23)

5) What would be the sign for those in Judea to flee?  (15-16; cf. Lk
   21:20-21)
   - The abomination of desolation (Jerusalem surrounded by armies)

6) What would happen immediately after the tribulation of those days?
   (29-31)
   - Cataclysmic events involving celestial bodies (sun, moon, stars)
   - The sign of the Son of Man, His coming on clouds of heaven,
     gathering the elect

7) Where else is language like this used to describe judgment upon a
   nation?
   - Isa 13:6-13; 19:1-2; 34:4-6; Nah 1:1-5

8) What would not pass away before these things would be fulfilled? (34)
   - That generation

9) Why did Jesus stress the importance of preparation and productivity?
   (36-51)
   - No one knows the day or hour
   - The Son of Man will come unexpectedly
   - His servants will be judged by their faithful service