7/26/12

One more time...


Look around, whole countries are in trouble.  There is a world-wide economic depression and people the whole world over are hurting and seeking answers.  Beyond this problem lies a deeper, more sinister problem.  Evil abounds, with its pervasive tentacles slowly chocking the spiritual life from countless individuals.  People are lost and afraid; hopelessness has become common.  There just seems to be no safe direction to follow.  Yet, for those of us who have not become "spiritually color-blind" there is a way out.  Now would be a good time to look at the picture once again and then read the following verses from Paul's second letter to the Corinthians....

2 Corinthians, Chapter 4
  3 Even if our Good News is veiled, it is veiled in those who perish;  4 in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the Good News of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn on them.  5 For we don’t preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake;  6 seeing it is God who said, “Light will shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Open both your heart and mind to what Jesus can do for you!!! Have faith; it really DOES NOT MATTER whether the economy is bad or good, or you have money or health or friends or possessions.  If you are on the road that leads to heaven, you have it all!!!!  In a hundred years, all the things that you think are worth something will be unimportant and but a dim memory.  IF YOU OPEN YOUR EYES TO THE TRUTH OF WHAT JESUS HAS TAUGHT AND OBEY GOD'S WILL, then you REALLY HAVE SOMETHING INDEED!!!  Do not be blinded by the things of this world!!! Get on the right path NOW, before it is TOO LATE!!! Then your life will be a "sign" to others to look to Jesus as well!!!  LOOK AT THE SIGN ONE MORE TIME AND KEEP LOOKING!!!!

July 26 2 Chronicles 10-12


July 26
2 Chronicles 10-12

2Ch 10:1 Rehoboam went to Shechem; for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king.
2Ch 10:2 It happened, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it, (for he was in Egypt, where he had fled from the presence of king Solomon), that Jeroboam returned out of Egypt.
2Ch 10:3 They sent and called him; and Jeroboam and all Israel came, and they spoke to Rehoboam, saying,
2Ch 10:4 Your father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make you the grievous service of your father, and his heavy yoke which he put on us, lighter, and we will serve you.
2Ch 10:5 He said to them, Come again to me after three days. The people departed.
2Ch 10:6 King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, What counsel do you give me to return answer to this people?
2Ch 10:7 They spoke to him, saying, If you are kind to this people, and please them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.
2Ch 10:8 But he forsook the counsel of the old men which they had given him, and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him, who stood before him.
2Ch 10:9 He said to them, What counsel do you give, that we may return answer to this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke that your father did put on us lighter?
2Ch 10:10 The young men who had grown up with him spoke to him, saying, Thus you shall tell the people who spoke to you, saying, Your father made our yoke heavy, but make it lighter on us; thus you shall say to them, My little finger is thicker than my father's waist.
2Ch 10:11 Now whereas my father burdened you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
2Ch 10:12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king bade, saying, Come to me again the third day.
2Ch 10:13 The king answered them roughly; and king Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men,
2Ch 10:14 and spoke to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add thereto: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
2Ch 10:15 So the king didn't listen to the people; for it was brought about of God, that Yahweh might establish his word, which he spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
2Ch 10:16 When all Israel saw that the king didn't listen to them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to your tents, Israel: now see to your own house, David. So all Israel departed to their tents.
2Ch 10:17 But as for the children of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.
2Ch 10:18 Then king Rehoboam sent Hadoram, who was over the men subject to forced labor; and the children of Israel stoned him to death with stones. King Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.
2Ch 10:19 So Israel rebelled against the house of David to this day.
2Ch 11:1 When Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, one hundred eighty thousand chosen men, who were warriors, to fight against Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam.
2Ch 11:2 But the word of Yahweh came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,
2Ch 11:3 Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying,
2Ch 11:4 Thus says Yahweh, You shall not go up, nor fight against your brothers: return every man to his house; for this thing is of me. So they listened to the words of Yahweh, and returned from going against Jeroboam.
2Ch 11:5 Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem, and built cities for defense in Judah.
2Ch 11:6 He built Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,
2Ch 11:7 Beth Zur, and Soco, and Adullam,
2Ch 11:8 and Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,
2Ch 11:9 and Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah,
2Ch 11:10 and Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin, fortified cities.
2Ch 11:11 He fortified the strongholds, and put captains in them, and stores of food, and oil and wine.
2Ch 11:12 In every city he put shields and spears, and made them exceeding strong. Judah and Benjamin belonged to him.
2Ch 11:13 The priests and the Levites who were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their border.
2Ch 11:14 For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons cast them off, that they should not execute the priest's office to Yahweh;
2Ch 11:15 and he appointed him priests for the high places, and for the male goats, and for the calves which he had made.
2Ch 11:16 After them, out of all the tribes of Israel, such as set their hearts to seek Yahweh, the God of Israel, came to Jerusalem to sacrifice to Yahweh, the God of their fathers.
2Ch 11:17 So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong, three years; for they walked three years in the way of David and Solomon.
2Ch 11:18 Rehoboam took him a wife, Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David, and of Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse;
2Ch 11:19 and she bore him sons: Jeush, and Shemariah, and Zaham.
2Ch 11:20 After her he took Maacah the daughter of Absalom; and she bore him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith.
2Ch 11:21 Rehoboam loved Maacah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines: (for he took eighteen wives, and sixty concubines, and became the father of twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.)
2Ch 11:22 Rehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maacah to be chief, even the prince among his brothers; for he was minded to make him king.
2Ch 11:23 He dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his sons throughout all the lands of Judah and Benjamin, to every fortified city: and he gave them food in abundance. He sought for them many wives.
2Ch 12:1 It happened, when the kingdom of Rehoboam was established, and he was strong, that he forsook the law of Yahweh, and all Israel with him.
2Ch 12:2 It happened in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had trespassed against Yahweh,
2Ch 12:3 with twelve hundred chariots, and sixty thousand horsemen. The people were without number who came with him out of Egypt: the Lubim, the Sukkiim, and the Ethiopians.
2Ch 12:4 He took the fortified cities which pertained to Judah, and came to Jerusalem.
2Ch 12:5 Now Shemaiah the prophet came to Rehoboam, and to the princes of Judah, who were gathered together to Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said to them, Thus says Yahweh, You have forsaken me, therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shishak.
2Ch 12:6 Then the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves; and they said, Yahweh is righteous.
2Ch 12:7 When Yahweh saw that they humbled themselves, the word of Yahweh came to Shemaiah, saying, They have humbled themselves: I will not destroy them; but I will grant them some deliverance, and my wrath shall not be poured out on Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak.
2Ch 12:8 Nevertheless they shall be his servants, that they may know my service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries.
2Ch 12:9 So Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, and took away the treasures of the house of Yahweh, and the treasures of the king's house: he took all away: he took away also the shields of gold which Solomon had made.
2Ch 12:10 King Rehoboam made in their place shields of brass, and committed them to the hands of the captains of the guard, who kept the door of the king's house.
2Ch 12:11 It was so, that as often as the king entered into the house of Yahweh, the guard came and bore them, and brought them back into the guard chamber.
2Ch 12:12 When he humbled himself, the wrath of Yahweh turned from him, so as not to destroy him altogether: and moreover in Judah there were good things found.
2Ch 12:13 So king Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem, and reigned: for Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which Yahweh had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there: and his mother's name was Naamah the Ammonitess.
2Ch 12:14 He did that which was evil, because he didn't set his heart to seek Yahweh.
2Ch 12:15 Now the acts of Rehoboam, first and last, aren't they written in the histories of Shemaiah the prophet and of Iddo the seer, after the manner of genealogies? There were wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually.
2Ch 12:16 Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David: and Abijah his son reigned in his place.

Jul. 26, 27 Acts 16


Jul. 26, 27
Acts 16

Act 16:1 He came to Derbe and Lystra: and behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewess who believed; but his father was a Greek.
Act 16:2 The brothers who were at Lystra and Iconium gave a good testimony about him.
Act 16:3 Paul wanted to have him go out with him, and he took and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those parts; for they all knew that his father was a Greek.
Act 16:4 As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered the decrees to them to keep which had been ordained by the apostles and elders who were at Jerusalem.
Act 16:5 So the assemblies were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily.
Act 16:6 When they had gone through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia.
Act 16:7 When they had come opposite Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit didn't allow them.
Act 16:8 Passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas.
Act 16:9 A vision appeared to Paul in the night. There was a man of Macedonia standing, begging him, and saying, "Come over into Macedonia and help us."
Act 16:10 When he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go out to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the Good News to them.
Act 16:11 Setting sail therefore from Troas, we made a straight course to Samothrace, and the day following to Neapolis;
Act 16:12 and from there to Philippi, which is a city of Macedonia, the foremost of the district, a Roman colony. We were staying some days in this city.
Act 16:13 On the Sabbath day we went forth outside of the city by a riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down, and spoke to the women who had come together.
Act 16:14 A certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, one who worshiped God, heard us; whose heart the Lord opened to listen to the things which were spoken by Paul.
Act 16:15 When she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and stay." So she persuaded us.
Act 16:16 It happened, as we were going to prayer, that a certain girl having a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much gain by fortune telling.
Act 16:17 Following Paul and us, she cried out, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us a way of salvation!"
Act 16:18 She was doing this for many days. But Paul, becoming greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!" It came out that very hour.
Act 16:19 But when her masters saw that the hope of their gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas, and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers.
Act 16:20 When they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, "These men, being Jews, are agitating our city,
Act 16:21 and set forth customs which it is not lawful for us to accept or to observe, being Romans."
Act 16:22 The multitude rose up together against them, and the magistrates tore their clothes off of them, and commanded them to be beaten with rods.
Act 16:23 When they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely,
Act 16:24 who, having received such a command, threw them into the inner prison, and secured their feet in the stocks.
Act 16:25 But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.
Act 16:26 Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bonds were loosened.
Act 16:27 The jailer, being roused out of sleep and seeing the prison doors open, drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.
Act 16:28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, "Don't harm yourself, for we are all here!"
Act 16:29 He called for lights and sprang in, and, fell down trembling before Paul and Silas,
Act 16:30 and brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"
Act 16:31 They said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household."
Act 16:32 They spoke the word of the Lord to him, and to all who were in his house.
Act 16:33 He took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes, and was immediately baptized, he and all his household.
Act 16:34 He brought them up into his house, and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly, with all his household, having believed in God.
Act 16:35 But when it was day, the magistrates sent the sergeants, saying, "Let those men go."
Act 16:36 The jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, "The magistrates have sent to let you go; now therefore come out, and go in peace."
Act 16:37 But Paul said to them, "They have beaten us publicly, without a trial, men who are Romans, and have cast us into prison! Do they now release us secretly? No, most certainly, but let them come themselves and bring us out!"
Act 16:38 The sergeants reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Romans,
Act 16:39 and they came and begged them. When they had brought them out, they asked them to depart from the city.
Act 16:40 They went out of the prison, and entered into Lydia's house. When they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them, and departed.

"THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS" Chapter Seven


                "THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS"

                             Chapter Seven

OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THIS CHAPTER

1) To see how God can use others to comfort us

2) To understand true repentance:  what leads to it, and what is the
   evidence that it has occurred

SUMMARY

Chapter seven begins with Paul summarizing his pleas to the Corinthians
made in the previous chapter.  Again he calls for spiritual purity, and
for "hearts wide open" (1-3).

Paul returns now to a point where he left off in chapter two, his
anxiety when searching for Titus (cf. 2:12-13).  After arriving in 
Macedonia, he finds him and the report Titus has from the church in 
Corinth is a source of great comfort and joy to Paul.  Indeed, even the
manner in which Titus was received by the Corinthians filled Paul with 
joy (4-7).

The Corinthians had received a previous letter from Paul with much
sorrow, but with a godly sorrow that led to true repentance.  Paul 
could see that, and he wanted them to know it was only out of care for
them he had written it (8-12).  Thus, the way they had received Titus
and Paul's letter, rendering quick obedience, gave Paul confidence in
the Corinthians (13-16).

OUTLINE

I. PAUL'S PLEA TO THE CORINTHIANS (1-3)

   A. A PLEA FOR HOLINESS (1)
      1. In view of the promises given (1a)
      2. By cleansing ourselves from all filthiness (1b)
      3. By perfecting holiness in the fear of God (1c)
      -- This is a summary of the plea found in 6:14-18

   B. A PLEA FOR THEM TO OPEN THEIR HEARTS (2-3)
      1. To open their hearts for Paul and his companions (2a)
      2. For they have done no wrong to anyone (2b)
      3. Not said to condemn, but out of love (3)
      -- This is a repetition of the plea found in 6:11-13

II. PAUL'S COMFORT AND JOY (4-16)

   A. COMFORTED BY THE COMING OF TITUS (4-6)
      1. Paul's boldness made possible by his comfort and joy (4)
      2. Arriving in Macedonia, Paul was troubled (5)
      3. But God comforted him by the arrival of Titus (6; cf. 2:12-13)

   B. COMFORTED BY HEARING OF THEIR REPENTANCE (7-12)
      1. Titus bore good news of their repentance (7)
      2. Their repentance made him glad he had written the earlier
         epistle (8)
      3. He was glad their sorrow was that godly sorrow which leads to
         true repentance (9-10)
      4. The evidence of their godly sorrow (11)
      5. Even so, he initially wrote out of a desire to express his 
         care for them (12)

   C. HIS JOY IN THE JOY OF TITUS (13-16)
      1. Comforted in their comfort, he also rejoiced seeing the joy of
         Titus (13a)
      2. Titus' spirit had been refreshed by the Corinthians (13b)
      3. The Corinthians had lived up to the reputation Paul have given
         them (14)
      4. Titus grew in his love for them by the way they received him
         (15)
      5. All this increased Paul's joy and confidence in the 
         Corinthians (16)

REVIEW QUESTIONS FOR THE CHAPTER

1) What are the main points of this chapter?
   - Paul's plea to the Corinthians (1-3)
   - Paul's comfort and joy (4-16)

2) In view of the promises in the preceding chapter, what two things
   does Paul admonish us to do? (1)
   - Cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit
   - Perfecting holiness in the fear of God

3) What plea does Paul repeat that was made in chapter six? (2)
   - Open your hearts to us

4) What was Paul's condition when he first came to Macedonia? (5)
   - His flesh had no rest, troubled on every side
   - Outside were conflicts, inside were fears

5) How did God comfort him in Macedonia? (6-7)
   - By the coming of Titus
   - By the consolation Titus had in the earnest desire, mourning, and
     zeal of the Corinthians toward Paul

6) What about the Corinthians' sorrow led Paul to rejoice? (9)
   - Their sorrow led to repentance

7) What is the difference between "godly sorrow" and "sorrow of the 
   world"? (10)
   - Godly sorrow produces repentance to salvation
   - Sorrow of the world produces death

8) Name seven things that demonstrated the Corinthians' godly sorrow
   (11)
   - Diligence
   - Clearing of themselves
   - Indignation
   - Fear
   - Vehement desire
   - Zeal
   - Vindication

9) Why had Paul written to the Corinthians? (12)
   - That his care for them in the sight of God might be apparent

10) What gave Paul comfort and joy? (13)
   - The comfort of the Corinthians gave him comfort
   - The joy of Titus who had been refreshed by the Corinthians gave
     him joy

11) What had served to increase Titus' affection for the Corinthians?
    (15)
   - Their obedience
   - How they received him in fear and trembling

12) What else gave Paul joy? (16)
   - The confidence he had in the Corinthians in all things