5/30/12

If I were a cat and....


This is what it means to be loved; really loved.  She is a member of the human race and the creature on the right is a feline.  Both are obviously enjoying the experience!!!  But, think about this for a minute.  The lady is so far above the cat in abilities that it is almost beyond comparison.  Which reminds me of something...

John, Chapter 3
 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 
 
God loves us and HE is so far above us that it is beyond comparison.  Like the cat, we accept this love, but unlike this cat, we have more choice than just our animal instincts.  WE can choose by the force of our intellect as well as our inborn response system.  Its nice to have a choice; its even nicer that Jesus made the one that showed us true love in the first place!!!  What we do with that choice is everything, isn't it?

May 30 Judges 17, 18


May 30
Judges 17, 18

Jdg 17:1 There was a man of the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Micah.
Jdg 17:2 He said to his mother, The eleven hundred pieces of silver that were taken from you, about which you did utter a curse, and did also speak it in my ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it. His mother said, Blessed be my son of Yahweh.
Jdg 17:3 He restored the eleven hundred pieces of silver to his mother; and his mother said, I most certainly dedicate the silver to Yahweh from my hand for my son, to make an engraved image and a molten image: now therefore I will restore it to you.
Jdg 17:4 When he restored the money to his mother, his mother took two hundred pieces of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made of it an engraved image and a molten image: and it was in the house of Micah.
Jdg 17:5 The man Micah had a house of gods, and he made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.
Jdg 17:6 In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
Jdg 17:7 There was a young man out of Bethlehem Judah, of the family of Judah, who was a Levite; and he sojourned there.
Jdg 17:8 The man departed out of the city, out of Bethlehem Judah, to sojourn where he could find a place, and he came to the hill country of Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he traveled.
Jdg 17:9 Micah said to him, Where did you come from? He said to him, I am a Levite of Bethlehem Judah, and I go to sojourn where I may find a place.
Jdg 17:10 Micah said to him, Dwell with me, and be to me a father and a priest, and I will give you ten pieces of silver by the year, and a suit of clothing, and your food. So the Levite went in.
Jdg 17:11 The Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man was to him as one of his sons.
Jdg 17:12 Micah consecrated the Levite, and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah.
Jdg 17:13 Then said Micah, Now know I that Yahweh will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my priest.

Jdg 18:1 In those days there was no king in Israel: and in those days the tribe of the Danites sought them an inheritance to dwell in; for to that day their inheritance had not fallen to them among the tribes of Israel.
Jdg 18:2 The children of Dan sent of their family five men from their whole number, men of valor, from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land, and to search it; and they said to them, Go, search the land. They came to the hill country of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, and lodged there.
Jdg 18:3 When they were by the house of Micah, they knew the voice of the young man the Levite; and they turned aside there, and said to him, Who brought you here? and what do you in this place? and what do you have here?
Jdg 18:4 He said to them, Thus and thus has Micah dealt with me, and he has hired me, and I am become his priest.
Jdg 18:5 They said to him, Ask counsel, please, of God, that we may know whether our way which we go shall be prosperous.
Jdg 18:6 The priest said to them, Go in peace: before Yahweh is your way wherein you go.
Jdg 18:7 Then the five men departed, and came to Laish, and saw the people who were therein, how they lived in security, after the manner of the Sidonians, quiet and secure; for there was none in the land, possessing authority, that might put them to shame in anything, and they were far from the Sidonians, and had no dealings with any man.
Jdg 18:8 They came to their brothers to Zorah and Eshtaol: and their brothers said to them, What do you say?
Jdg 18:9 They said, Arise, and let us go up against them; for we have seen the land, and behold, it is very good: and are you still? don't be slothful to go and to enter in to possess the land.
Jdg 18:10 When you go, you shall come to a people secure, and the land is large; for God has given it into your hand, a place where there is no want of anything that is in the earth.
Jdg 18:11 There set forth from there of the family of the Danites, out of Zorah and out of Eshtaol, six hundred men girt with weapons of war.
Jdg 18:12 They went up, and encamped in Kiriath Jearim, in Judah: therefore they called that place Mahaneh Dan, to this day; behold, it is behind Kiriath Jearim.
Jdg 18:13 They passed there to the hill country of Ephraim, and came to the house of Micah.
Jdg 18:14 Then the five men who went to spy out the country of Laish answered, and said to their brothers, Do you know that there is in these houses an ephod, and teraphim, and an engraved image, and a molten image? now therefore consider what you have to do.
Jdg 18:15 They turned aside there, and came to the house of the young man the Levite, even to the house of Micah, and asked him of his welfare.
Jdg 18:16 The six hundred men girt with their weapons of war, who were of the children of Dan, stood by the entrance of the gate.
Jdg 18:17 The five men who went to spy out the land went up, and came in there, and took the engraved image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image: and the priest stood by the entrance of the gate with the six hundred men girt with weapons of war.
Jdg 18:18 When these went into Micah's house, and fetched the engraved image, the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image, the priest said to them, What do you?
Jdg 18:19 They said to him, Hold your peace, put your hand on your mouth, and go with us, and be to us a father and a priest: is it better for you to be priest to the house of one man, or to be priest to a tribe and a family in Israel?
Jdg 18:20 The priest's heart was glad, and he took the ephod, and the teraphim, and the engraved image, and went in the midst of the people.
Jdg 18:21 So they turned and departed, and put the little ones and the livestock and the goods before them.
Jdg 18:22 When they were a good way from the house of Micah, the men who were in the houses near to Micah's house were gathered together, and overtook the children of Dan.
Jdg 18:23 They cried to the children of Dan. They turned their faces, and said to Micah, What ails you, that you come with such a company?
Jdg 18:24 He said, you have taken away my gods which I made, and the priest, and have gone away, and what have I more? and how then do you say to me, What ails you?
Jdg 18:25 The children of Dan said to him, "Don't let your voice be heard among us, lest angry fellows fall on you, and you lose your life, with the lives of your household."
Jdg 18:26 The children of Dan went their way: and when Micah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back to his house.
Jdg 18:27 They took that which Micah had made, and the priest whom he had, and came to Laish, to a people quiet and secure, and struck them with the edge of the sword; and they burnt the city with fire.
Jdg 18:28 There was no deliverer, because it was far from Sidon, and they had no dealings with any man; and it was in the valley that lies by Beth Rehob. They built the city, and lived therein.
Jdg 18:29 They called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father, who was born to Israel: however the name of the city was Laish at the first.
Jdg 18:30 The children of Dan set up for themselves the engraved image: and Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of the Danites until the day of the captivity of the land.
Jdg 18:31 So they set them up Micah's engraved image which he made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh.

May 30, 31 John 8


May 30, 31
John 8

Joh 8:1 but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
Joh 8:2 Now very early in the morning, he came again into the temple, and all the people came to him. He sat down, and taught them.
Joh 8:3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman taken in adultery. Having set her in the midst,
Joh 8:4 they told him, "Teacher, we found this woman in adultery, in the very act.
Joh 8:5 Now in our law, Moses commanded us to stone such. What then do you say about her?"
Joh 8:6 They said this testing him, that they might have something to accuse him of. But Jesus stooped down, and wrote on the ground with his finger.
Joh 8:7 But when they continued asking him, he looked up and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him throw the first stone at her."
Joh 8:8 Again he stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground.
Joh 8:9 They, when they heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning from the oldest, even to the last. Jesus was left alone with the woman where she was, in the middle.
Joh 8:10 Jesus, standing up, saw her and said, "Woman, where are your accusers? Did no one condemn you?"
Joh 8:11 She said, "No one, Lord." Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you. Go your way. From now on, sin no more."
Joh 8:12 Again, therefore, Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life."
Joh 8:13 The Pharisees therefore said to him, "You testify about yourself. Your testimony is not valid."
Joh 8:14 Jesus answered them, "Even if I testify about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from, and where I am going; but you don't know where I came from, or where I am going.
Joh 8:15 You judge according to the flesh. I judge no one.
Joh 8:16 Even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent me.
Joh 8:17 It's also written in your law that the testimony of two people is valid.
Joh 8:18 I am one who testifies about myself, and the Father who sent me testifies about me."
Joh 8:19 They said therefore to him, "Where is your Father?" Jesus answered, "You know neither me, nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also."
Joh 8:20 Jesus spoke these words in the treasury, as he taught in the temple. Yet no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.
Joh 8:21 Jesus said therefore again to them, "I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sins. Where I go, you can't come."
Joh 8:22 The Jews therefore said, "Will he kill himself, that he says, 'Where I am going, you can't come?' "
Joh 8:23 He said to them, "You are from beneath. I am from above. You are of this world. I am not of this world.
Joh 8:24 I said therefore to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am he, you will die in your sins."
Joh 8:25 They said therefore to him, "Who are you?" Jesus said to them, "Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning.
Joh 8:26 I have many things to speak and to judge concerning you. However he who sent me is true; and the things which I heard from him, these I say to the world."
Joh 8:27 They didn't understand that he spoke to them about the Father.
Joh 8:28 Jesus therefore said to them, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and I do nothing of myself, but as my Father taught me, I say these things.
Joh 8:29 He who sent me is with me. The Father hasn't left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him."
Joh 8:30 As he spoke these things, many believed in him.
Joh 8:31 Jesus therefore said to those Jews who had believed him, "If you remain in my word, then you are truly my disciples.
Joh 8:32 You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
Joh 8:33 They answered him, "We are Abraham's seed, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How do you say, 'You will be made free?' "
Joh 8:34 Jesus answered them, "Most certainly I tell you, everyone who commits sin is the bondservant of sin.
Joh 8:35 A bondservant doesn't live in the house forever. A son remains forever.
Joh 8:36 If therefore the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.
Joh 8:37 I know that you are Abraham's seed, yet you seek to kill me, because my word finds no place in you.
Joh 8:38 I say the things which I have seen with my Father; and you also do the things which you have seen with your father."
Joh 8:39 They answered him, "Our father is Abraham." Jesus said to them, "If you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham.
Joh 8:40 But now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth, which I heard from God. Abraham didn't do this.
Joh 8:41 You do the works of your father." They said to him, "We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father, God."
Joh 8:42 Therefore Jesus said to them, "If God were your father, you would love me, for I came out and have come from God. For I haven't come of myself, but he sent me.
Joh 8:43 Why don't you understand my speech? Because you can't hear my word.
Joh 8:44 You are of your father, the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and doesn't stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks on his own; for he is a liar, and its father.
Joh 8:45 But because I tell the truth, you don't believe me.
Joh 8:46 Which of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me?
Joh 8:47 He who is of God hears the words of God. For this cause you don't hear, because you are not of God."
Joh 8:48 Then the Jews answered him, "Don't we say well that you are a Samaritan, and have a demon?"
Joh 8:49 Jesus answered, "I don't have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me.
Joh 8:50 But I don't seek my own glory. There is one who seeks and judges.
Joh 8:51 Most certainly, I tell you, if a person keeps my word, he will never see death."
Joh 8:52 Then the Jews said to him, "Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets; and you say, 'If a man keeps my word, he will never taste of death.'
Joh 8:53 Are you greater than our father, Abraham, who died? The prophets died. Who do you make yourself out to be?"
Joh 8:54 Jesus answered, "If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say that he is our God.
Joh 8:55 You have not known him, but I know him. If I said, 'I don't know him,' I would be like you, a liar. But I know him, and keep his word.
Joh 8:56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day. He saw it, and was glad."
Joh 8:57 The Jews therefore said to him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?"
Joh 8:58 Jesus said to them, "Most certainly, I tell you, before Abraham came into existence, I AM."
Joh 8:59 Therefore they took up stones to throw at him, but Jesus was hidden, and went out of the temple, having gone through the midst of them, and so passed by.

"ACTS OF THE APOSTLES" Chapter Thirteen Mark Copeland


                         "ACTS OF THE APOSTLES"

                            Chapter Thirteen

OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THIS CHAPTER

1) To trace the route of Paul and Barnabas on their missionary journey

2) To give special attention to their evangelistic methods and message

3) To notice that people judge themselves unworthy of eternal life, not
   God; and that people ordained for eternal life are those with good
   and noble hearts, willing to listen and heed the gospel

SUMMARY

With his attention now on the ministry of Paul, Luke narrates the
beginning of Paul's first missionary journey.  It started with the call
of the Holy Spirit, who instructed the prophets and teachers at the
church in Antioch of Syria to separate Barnabas and Saul for the work He
has called them.  With fasting, prayer, and the laying on of hands, the
two men were sent out on their journey (1-3)

Sailing from Selucia, they arrived at the island of Cyprus, the home
country of Barnabas (cf. 4:36).  Assisting them was John Mark (Barnabas'
cousin who had joined them earlier, and was later the companion of Peter
and author of the gospel of Mark; cf. 12:25; Col 4:10; 1Pe 5:13).  Here
they began what Luke later describes as Paul's custom:  preaching in the
synagogues of the Jews (cf. 17:1-3).  Starting in Salamis, they made
their way to Paphos, where they met the sorcerer Elymas Bar-Jesus along
with the proconsul Sergius Paulus.  When Sergius wanted to hear the Word
of God, Elymas tried to prevent Barnabas and Saul from speaking.  Filled
with the Holy Spirit, Saul rebuked the sorcerer and rendered him
sightless.  Astonished at the power behind the teaching of the Lord,
Sergius believes.  From this point forward, Saul is now called Paul and
also became the more prominent member of the missionary team (4-12).

From Cyprus they sailed to Perga in Pamphylia, where John Mark left them
to return to Jerusalem (later causing contention between Paul and
Barnabas; cf. 15:36-40).  Arriving in Antioch of Pisidia, they attended
the synagogue of the Jews on the Sabbath.  Invited to speak, Paul
preached Jesus by first reviewing the history of Israel from the Exodus
to the time of David.  Noting God's promise concerning the seed of
David, Paul summarized the ministry of John the Baptist and then
introduced Jesus as the Savior who was crucified, buried and raised from
the dead, and seen by eyewitnesses.  Offering further evidence of the
resurrection from Old Testament prophecy, Paul proclaimed forgiveness of
sins through Jesus with a warning against unbelief (13-41).

The response was positive, especially among the Gentiles, and Paul and
Barnabas were invited to speak the following Sabbath.  When unbelieving
Jews saw that the whole city came out to hear, they were filled with
envy and opposed the things spoken by Paul.  Declared themselves
unworthy of eternal life, Paul turned his efforts toward the Gentiles
who were much more receptive.  The word of the Lord spread through the
region, but eventually Paul and Barnabas were forced to leave and thus
went to Iconium.  Their work in Antioch was not in vain, for left behind
were disciples filled with joy and the Holy Spirit (42-52).

OUTLINE

I. DEPARTURE FROM ANTIOCH OF SYRIA (1-3)

   A. PROPHETS AND TEACHERS AT ANTIOCH (1)
      1. Barnabas, Simeon (called Niger), Lucius of Cyrene
      2. Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod), Saul

   B. BARNABAS AND SAUL SEPARATED AND SENT (2-3)
      1. As the prophets and teachers ministered to the Lord and fasted
      2. The Holy Spirit commands that Barnabas and Saul be separated
         for His work
      3. With fasting, prayer, and laying on of hands, Barnabas and Saul
         are sent away

II. MINISTRY ON THE ISLAND OF CYPRUS (4-12)

   A. JOURNEY TO SALAMIS (4-5)
      1. Sent out by the Holy Spirit, Barnabas and Saul go down to
         Seleucia
      2. From Seleucia they sail to Cyprus and arrive at Salamis
      3. In Salamis they preach the Word in the Jewish synagogue,
         assisted by John Mark

   B. CONFRONTATION AT PAPHOS (6-12)
      1. Crossing the island of Cyprus they arrive at Paphos
      2. There they encounter Elymas Bar-Jesus, a sorcerer and false
         prophet
         a. The proconsul, Sergius Paulus, wanted to hear the Word of
            God
         b. Elymas sought to keep him from hearing Barnabas and Saul
      3. Saul (who is also called Paul from this point forward)
         confronts and confounds Elymas
         a. Filled with the Holy Spirit, Paul looked at him intently and
            saw that he was full of deceit and fraud
         b. Calling him a son of the devil and enemy of righteousness,
            Paul charged him with perverting the ways of the Lord
         c. Paul then foretells his blindness by the hand of the Lord,
            which happens immediately
      4. Seeing what happened, Sergius Paulus believes, astonished at
         the teaching of the Lord

III. PREACHING IN ANTIOCH OF PISIDIA (13-52)

   A. FROM CYPRUS TO ANTIOCH, BY WAY OF PERGA (13-14)
      1. Setting sail from Paphos, they arrive in Perga of Pamphylia
      2. At Perga, John Mark leaves them and returns to Jerusalem
      3. From Perga, they come to Antioch of Pisidia

   B. THE FIRST SABBATH IN ANTIOCH (14-43)
      1. Visiting the synagogue, they are invited to address the people
      2. Paul's sermon to the men of Israel and those who fear God
         a. He reviews Israel's history from the Exodus to the time of
            David
         b. He proclaims Jesus as the seed of David who was introduced
            by John the Baptist
         c. He preaches the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus
         d. He offers evidence for the resurrection: eyewitnesses and
            messianic prophecies
         e. He announces forgiveness and justification available through
            Jesus Christ, not the law
         f. He warns them not to despise the wonderful work of God
      3. The response and follow up to his sermon
         a. The Gentiles beg that he will preach the same to them on the
            next Sabbath
         b. Many Jews and devout proselytes follow Paul and Barnabas,
            who persuade them to continue in the grace of God

   C. THE SECOND SABBATH IN ANTIOCH (44-49)
      1. Almost the whole city gathers to hear the Word of God
      2. The Jews become envious, and begin contradicting and
         blaspheming Paul
      3. Paul and Barnabas boldly rebuke the Jews for rejecting the
         Word, and turn to the Gentiles as commanded by the Lord
      4. The Gentiles rejoice, many believe, and the Word of the Lord is
         spread throughout the region

   D. PERSECUTION AND EXPULSION TO ICONIUM (50-52)
      1. The Jews stir up devout and prominent women and chief men to
         persecute and expel Paul and Barnabas from their region
      2. Shaking the dust of their feet against them, Paul and Barnabas
         go to Iconium
      3. The disciples, meanwhile, are filled with joy and with the Holy
         Spirit

REVIEW QUESTIONS FOR THE CHAPTER

1) What are the main points of this chapter?
   - Departure from Antioch of Syria (1-3)
   - Ministry on the island of Cyprus (4-12)
   - Preaching in Antioch of Pisidia (13-52)

2) Who were the prophets and teachers at the church in Antioch? (1)
   - Barnabas, Simeon (Niger), Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen, Saul

3) Who told them to send Barnabas and Saul on their journey? (2)
   - The Holy Spirit

4) What activities helped to prepare them for their mission? (3)
   - Fasting, prayer, the laying on of hands

5) From what city did they disembark, and to where did they sail? (4)
   - Selucia; the island of Cyprus

6) Where did they first preach?  Who was with them? (5)
   - Salamis
   - John (Mark); cf. 12:25

7) At Paphos, who wanted to hear the Word of God?  Who sought to prevent
   him? (6-8)
   - Sergius Paulus, proconsul
   - Bar-Jesus, a Jewish false prophet, also known as Elymas the
     sorcerer

8) What did Saul do to Elymas?  What affect did this have on Sergius
   Paulus? (9-12)
   - Caused a dark mist to fall on him, resulting in blindness
   - Caused him to believe, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord

9) Setting sail from Paphos, where did they go?  Who left when they
   arrived? (13)
   - Perga in Pamphylia
   - John, who returned to Jerusalem

10) Where did Paul and Barnabas go next?  What did they do on the
    Sabbath day? (14)
   - Antioch of Pisidia
   - Attended the synagogue

11) Invited to speak, what periods of Israel's history did Paul first
    review? (15-22)
   - The exodus, wilderness wanderings, the judges, the kings Saul and
     David

12) Skipping from David to his descendant Jesus, whose ministry does
    Paul review? (23-25)
   - That of John the Baptist

13) Focusing on the word of salvation, what does Paul proclaim
    concerning Jesus? (26-30)
   - His death, burial and resurrection

14) What evidence does Paul provide for the resurrection of Jesus?
    (31-37)
   - Testimony of witnesses
   - Testimony of scripture

15) What does Paul preach in the name of Jesus? (38-39)
   - Forgiveness of sins
   - Justification not provided by the Law of Moses

16) With what does Paul conclude his sermon? (40-41)
   - A warning against unbelief, as forewarned in the Scriptures

17) Who begged to hear more the next Sabbath? (42)
   - The Gentiles

18) Who followed Paul and Barnabas? (43)
   - Many of the Jews and devout proselytes

19) What happened on the next Sabbath? (44-45)
   - The whole city came to hear the word of God
   - Envious Jews began to contradict and blaspheme, opposing Paul

20) What did Paul say of those who rejected the gospel? (46)
   - They judged themselves unworthy of eternal life (i.e., not God, cf.
     1Ti 2:3-4; 2Pe 3:9; Re 22:17)

21) What happened next, as foretold by the prophet Isaiah? (46-48)
   - Paul turned to the Gentiles, many who gladly received the word

22) What sort of people were ordained to eternal life and thus believed?
    (48)
   - Those glad to hear and glorify the Word (i.e., those of good and
     noble hearts, willing to receive the seed of the gospel which
     produces faith, cf. Lk 8:15; Ac 17:11; Ro 10:17)

23) What two opposite effects did Paul's preaching have in Antioch?
    (49-50)
   - The word of the Lord was spread throughout the region
   - Persecution by the unbelieving Jews forced Paul and Barnabas to
     leave

24) Where did Barnabas and Paul then go?  What about the disciples left
    behind? (51-52)
   - Iconium
   - They were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit