God is "yes", even when we are "no"

Have a stubborn child? Then this probably looks familiar to you; it does to me.  But, that was long ago, thousands of miles away and almost forgotten.  But, kids grow up, things change; now its their turn to guide those under THEIR charge to grow up properly.  When I first saw this, I said to myself... boy, I am glad God is like this.. . Paul puts it like this...

2 Corinthians, Chapter 1

 19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, by me, Silvanus, and Timothy, was not “Yes and no,” but in him is “Yes.” 20 For however many are the promises of God, in him is the “Yes.” Therefore also through him is the “Amen,” to the glory of God through us.

God could have wiped out all human life in the flood.  He could have destroyed the world along with Sodom and Gomorrah or when Israel strayed into idolatry.  God has been patient with human beings since they first appeared on the Earth and hopefully will continue to be until Jesus returns.  For our part, we need to be receptive to his word; willing to become obedient to every desire for us. I freely admit that sometimes I can be a bit TOO stubborn and hope that God will be understanding towards me when my time to "meet my maker" has arrived.  Today, my wish for you is that God will be merciful to you as well!!!

Aug. 30 Psalm 20-22

Aug. 30

Psalm 20-22

Psa 20:1 May Yahweh answer you in the day of trouble. May the name of the God of Jacob set you up on high,

Psa 20:2 send you help from the sanctuary, grant you support from Zion,

Psa 20:3 remember all your offerings, and accept your burnt sacrifice. Selah.

Psa 20:4 May He grant you your heart's desire, and fulfill all your counsel.

Psa 20:5 We will triumph in your salvation. In the name of our God, we will set up our banners. May Yahweh grant all your requests.

Psa 20:6 Now I know that Yahweh saves his anointed. He will answer him from his holy heaven, with the saving strength of his right hand.

Psa 20:7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses, but we trust the name of Yahweh our God.

Psa 20:8 They are bowed down and fallen, but we rise up, and stand upright.

Psa 20:9 Save, Yahweh! Let the King answer us when we call!

Psa 21:1 The king rejoices in your strength, Yahweh! How greatly he rejoices in your salvation!

Psa 21:2 You have given him his heart's desire, and have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah.

Psa 21:3 For you meet him with the blessings of goodness. You set a crown of fine gold on his head.

Psa 21:4 He asked life of you, you gave it to him, even length of days forever and ever.

Psa 21:5 His glory is great in your salvation. You lay honor and majesty on him.

Psa 21:6 For you make him most blessed forever. You make him glad with joy in your presence.

Psa 21:7 For the king trusts in Yahweh. Through the loving kindness of the Most High, he shall not be moved.

Psa 21:8 Your hand will find out all of your enemies. Your right hand will find out those who hate you.

Psa 21:9 You will make them as a fiery furnace in the time of your anger. Yahweh will swallow them up in his wrath. The fire shall devour them.

Psa 21:10 You will destroy their descendants from the earth, their posterity from among the children of men.

Psa 21:11 For they intended evil against you. They plotted evil against you which cannot succeed.

Psa 21:12 For you will make them turn their back, when you aim drawn bows at their face.

Psa 21:13 Be exalted, Yahweh, in your strength, so we will sing and praise your power.

Psa 22:1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?

Psa 22:2 My God, I cry in the daytime, but you don't answer; in the night season, and am not silent.

Psa 22:3 But you are holy, you who inhabit the praises of Israel.

Psa 22:4 Our fathers trusted in you. They trusted, and you delivered them.

Psa 22:5 They cried to you, and were delivered. They trusted in you, and were not disappointed.

Psa 22:6 But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised by the people.

Psa 22:7 All those who see me mock me. They insult me with their lips. They shake their heads, saying,

Psa 22:8 "He trusts in Yahweh; let him deliver him. Let him rescue him, since he delights in him."

Psa 22:9 But you brought me out of the womb. You made me trust at my mother's breasts.

Psa 22:10 I was thrown on you from my mother's womb. You are my God since my mother bore me.

Psa 22:11 Don't be far from me, for trouble is near. For there is none to help.

Psa 22:12 Many bulls have surrounded me. Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled me.

Psa 22:13 They open their mouths wide against me, lions tearing prey and roaring.

Psa 22:14 I am poured out like water. All my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax; it is melted within me.

Psa 22:15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd. My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You have brought me into the dust of death.

Psa 22:16 For dogs have surrounded me. A company of evildoers have enclosed me. They have pierced my hands and feet.

Psa 22:17 I can count all of my bones. They look and stare at me.

Psa 22:18 They divide my garments among them. They cast lots for my clothing.

Psa 22:19 But don't be far off, Yahweh. You are my help: hurry to help me.

Psa 22:20 Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog.

Psa 22:21 Save me from the lion's mouth! Yes, from the horns of the wild oxen, you have answered me.

Psa 22:22 I will declare your name to my brothers. In the midst of the assembly, I will praise you.

Psa 22:23 You who fear Yahweh, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, glorify him! Stand in awe of him, all you descendants of Israel!

Psa 22:24 For he has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, Neither has he hidden his face from him; but when he cried to him, he heard.

Psa 22:25 Of you comes my praise in the great assembly. I will pay my vows before those who fear him.

Psa 22:26 The humble shall eat and be satisfied. They shall praise Yahweh who seek after him. Let your hearts live forever.

Psa 22:27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to Yahweh. All the relatives of the nations shall worship before you.

Psa 22:28 For the kingdom is Yahweh's. He is the ruler over the nations.

Psa 22:29 All the rich ones of the earth shall eat and worship. All those who go down to the dust shall bow before him, even he who can't keep his soul alive.

Psa 22:30 Posterity shall serve him. Future generations shall be told about the Lord.

Psa 22:31 They shall come and shall declare his righteousness to a people that shall be born, for he has done it.

Aug. 30 Romans 11

Aug. 30

Romans 11

Rom 11:1 I ask then, did God reject his people? May it never be! For I also am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.

Rom 11:2 God didn't reject his people, which he foreknew. Or don't you know what the Scripture says about Elijah? How he pleads with God against Israel:

Rom 11:3 "Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have broken down your altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life."

Rom 11:4 But how does God answer him? "I have reserved for myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to Baal."

Rom 11:5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

Rom 11:6 And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.

Rom 11:7 What then? That which Israel seeks for, that he didn't obtain, but the chosen ones obtained it, and the rest were hardened.

Rom 11:8 According as it is written, "God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear, to this very day."

Rom 11:9 David says, "Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, a stumbling block, and a retribution to them.

Rom 11:10 Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see. Bow down their back always."

Rom 11:11 I ask then, did they stumble that they might fall? May it never be! But by their fall salvation has come to the Gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy.

Rom 11:12 Now if their fall is the riches of the world, and their loss the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fullness?

Rom 11:13 For I speak to you who are Gentiles. Since then as I am an apostle to Gentiles, I glorify my ministry;

Rom 11:14 if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh, and may save some of them.

Rom 11:15 For if the rejection of them is the reconciling of the world, what would their acceptance be, but life from the dead?

Rom 11:16 If the first fruit is holy, so is the lump. If the root is holy, so are the branches.

Rom 11:17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them, and became partaker with them of the root and of the richness of the olive tree;

Rom 11:18 don't boast over the branches. But if you boast, it is not you who support the root, but the root supports you.

Rom 11:19 You will say then, "Branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in."

Rom 11:20 True; by their unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by your faith. Don't be conceited, but fear;

Rom 11:21 for if God didn't spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you.

Rom 11:22 See then the goodness and severity of God. Toward those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in his goodness; otherwise you also will be cut off.

Rom 11:23 They also, if they don't continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.

Rom 11:24 For if you were cut out of that which is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree, how much more will these, which are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

Rom 11:25 For I don't desire you to be ignorant, brothers, of this mystery, so that you won't be wise in your own conceits, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in,

Rom 11:26 and so all Israel will be saved. Even as it is written, "There will come out of Zion the Deliverer, and he will turn away ungodliness from Jacob.

Rom 11:27 This is my covenant to them, when I will take away their sins."

Rom 11:28 Concerning the Good News, they are enemies for your sake. But concerning the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sake.

Rom 11:29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

Rom 11:30 For as you in time past were disobedient to God, but now have obtained mercy by their disobedience,

Rom 11:31 even so these also have now been disobedient, that by the mercy shown to you they may also obtain mercy.

Rom 11:32 For God has shut up all to disobedience, that he might have mercy on all.

Rom 11:33 Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past tracing out!

Rom 11:34 "For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?"

Rom 11:35 "Or who has first given to him, and it will be repaid to him again?"

Rom 11:36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things. To him be the glory for ever! Amen.

"THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS" Chapter Four by Mark Copeland

                "THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS"

                              Chapter Four

OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THIS CHAPTER

1) To understand how the Christian should increase more and more in 
   such matters as obedience, holiness, love, and diligence

2) To appreciate the precious hope and comfort we have for those who 
   have died in Christ

SUMMARY

With this chapter Paul begins a series of apostolic instructions
related to the Christian's walk in holiness, especially in view of the
coming of Christ.  Urging them to abound more and more so that they 
might please God, he first focuses on their sanctification and the need
to abstain from sexual immorality (1-8).  He then urges them to 
increase more and more in brotherly love, even though they had been 
taught by God to love another and did so toward all the brethren 
throughout Macedonia (9-10).  That they might walk properly toward 
outsiders, he urges them to lead quiet lives, mind their own business, 
and to work with their own hands (11-12).

Paul then addresses the matter of those who have fallen asleep in 
Jesus.  He did not want the Thessalonians to sorrow over them as others
who have no hope.  For just as God raised Jesus from the dead, even so
He would bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus (13-14).  This leads
to a description of the Lord's coming, especially as it relates to how
those who are alive and remain until His coming will in no way precede 
those who have died.  Indeed, when the Lord comes from heaven, the dead
in Christ will rise first, and we who are alive and remain will at that
time be caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air, to be
with Him forever.  Christians should therefore comfort one another with
these words (15-18).

OUTLINE

I. WALK IN HOLINESS (1-8)

   A. TO PLEASE GOD (1-2)
      1. An exhortation in the Lord Jesus to abound more and more (1)
      2. According to the commandments Paul gave them through the Lord
         Jesus (2)

   B. TO ABSTAIN FROM SEXUAL IMMORALITY (3-8)
      1. For this is the will of God, their sanctification (3)
      2. That each one know how to posses his own vessel (4-5)
         a. In sanctification and honor (4)
         b. Not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know
            God (5)
      3. That no one take advantage of and defraud his brother in this
         matter (6)
         a. Because the Lord is the avenger of such things (6a)
         b. As Paul forewarned and testified (6b)  
      4. For God called us in holiness, not to uncleanness (7)
      5. To reject this is to reject God, who has also given us His 
         Holy Spirit (8)

II. WALK IN LOVE (9-10)

   A. AS TAUGHT BY GOD (9)
      1. Concerning brotherly love, Paul really did not need to write
         anything (9a)
      2. For they were taught by God to love one another (9b)

   B. TO INCREASE MORE AND MORE (10)
      1. Indeed, their love was manifest toward all the brethren 
         throughout Macedonia (10a)
      2. Yet Paul urges them to increase in their love even more (10b)

III. WALK IN DILIGENCE (11-12)

   A. TO WORK WITH THEIR HANDS (11)
      1. They should aspire to lead quiet lives, to mind their own 
         business (11a)
      2. Working with their own hands, as Paul commanded them (11b)

   B. TO WALK PROPERLY TOWARD OUTSIDERS (12)
      1. Conducting themselves properly toward those outside (12a)
      2. So that they may lack nothing (12b)

IV. WALK IN HOPE (13-18)

   A. WITH NO SORROW CONCERNING THOSE WHO HAVE DIED (13-14)
      1. Paul does not want them to be ignorant (13)
         a. Concerning those who have fallen asleep (13a)
         b. Lest they sorrow as others who have no hope (13b)
      2. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God
         will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus (14)

   B. FOR WE SHALL BE REJOINED WITH THEM WHEN CHRIST RETURNS (15-18)
      1. Those who are alive when Christ comes will not precede those
         who are asleep (15)
         a. The Lord Himself will descend from heaven (16)
            1) With a shout
            2) With the voice of an archangel
            3) With the trumpet of God
         b. And the dead in Christ will rise first (16b)
      2. Then we who are alive and remain... (17)
         a. Shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet
            the Lord (17a)
         b. And thus we shall always be with the Lord (17b)
      3. Therefore comfort one another with these words (18)

REVIEW QUESTIONS FOR THE CHAPTER

1) What are the main points of this chapter?
   - Walk in holiness (1-8)
   - Walk in love (9-10)
   - Walk in diligence (11-12)
   - Walk in hope (13-18)

2) What did Paul urge and exhort them in the Lord Jesus to do? (1)
   - To abound more and more

3) What is the will of God regarding our sanctification? (3)
   - To abstain from sexual immorality

4) What should each person do regarding "his own vessel"? (4-5)
   - Possess it in sanctification and honor
   - Not in passion of lust, like Gentiles who do not know God

5) Why should we be careful not to defraud our brother in this matter?
   (6-7)
   - Because the Lord is the avenger of all such things
   - For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness

6) If we reject Paul's warning, who is it we are really rejecting? (8)
   - God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit

7) Why did Paul not need to write to the Thessalonians about brotherly
   love?  Yet what does he urge them? (9-10)
   - Because they were taught by God to love one another
   - Because they showed love toward all the brethren throughout
     Macedonia
   - To increase more and more

8) What three things does Paul encourage them to do in order to walk
   properly toward outsiders and be lacking in nothing? (11-12)
   - Aspire to lead quite lives
   - Mind their own business
   - Work with their own hands   

9) Why did Paul not want them to be ignorant concerning those who have
   fallen asleep? (13)
   - Lest they sorrow as those who have no hope

10) Who will God bring with Jesus? (14)
   - Those who sleep in Jesus

11) What is said of those who are alive and remain until the coming of
    the Lord? (15)
   - They will by no means precede those who are asleep

12) List the order of events that will occur when Jesus comes again 
    (16-17)
   - The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the
     voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God
   - The dead in Christ will rise first
   - We who are alive shall be caught up together with them in the
     clouds to meet the Lord in the air
   - Thus we shall always be with the Lord

13) In view of these coming events, what we should we do? (18)
   - Comfort one another with these words