11/9/12

What now?




This picture says it all; America no longer is the world's greatest in anything!!!  True, we still have some freedoms, but with each any every passing year, they are diminished!!!  If you feel lost, discouraged and disgusted and wonder what you can or should do about the current situation, I suggest you click on the link below.


This is worth listening to....


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeYscnFpEyA&feature=player_embedded

Please realize that I do not necessarily agree with everything presented here, but I have placed this video link on the blog as something one should think about!!!!!

Bible Reading, Nov. 9


 
Nov. 9
Isaiah 53-56
Isa 53:1 Who has believed our message? To whom has the arm of Yahweh been revealed?
Isa 53:2 For he grew up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground. He has no form nor comeliness. When we see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
Isa 53:3 He was despised, and rejected by men; a man of suffering, and acquainted with disease. He was despised as one from whom men hide their face; and we didn't respect him.
Isa 53:4 Surely he has borne our sickness, and carried our suffering; yet we considered him plagued, struck by God, and afflicted.
Isa 53:5 But he was pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. The punishment that brought our peace was on him; and by his wounds we are healed.
Isa 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray. Everyone has turned to his own way; and Yahweh has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Isa 53:7 He was oppressed, yet when he was afflicted he didn't open his mouth. As a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and as a sheep that before its shearers is mute, so he didn't open his mouth.
Isa 53:8 He was taken away by oppression and judgment; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living and stricken for the disobedience of my people?
Isa 53:9 They made his grave with the wicked, and with a rich man in his death; although he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
Isa 53:10 Yet it pleased Yahweh to bruise him. He has caused him to suffer. When you make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed. He shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of Yahweh shall prosper in his hand.
Isa 53:11 After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light and be satisfied. My righteous servant will justify many by the knowledge of himself; and he will bear their iniquities.
Isa 53:12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he poured out his soul to death, and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
 

Isa 54:1 "Sing, barren, you who didn't bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, you who did not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife," says Yahweh.
Isa 54:2 "Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of your habitations; don't spare: lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes.
Isa 54:3 For you shall spread aboard on the right hand and on the left; and your seed shall possess the nations, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.
Isa 54:4 "Don't be afraid; for you shall not be ashamed: neither be confounded; for you shall not be disappointed: for you shall forget the shame of your youth; and the reproach of your widowhood you shall remember no more.
Isa 54:5 For your Maker is your husband; Yahweh of Armies is his name: and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; the God of the whole earth shall he be called.
Isa 54:6 For Yahweh has called you as a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit, even a wife of youth, when she is cast off," says your God.
Isa 54:7 "For a small moment have I forsaken you; but with great mercies will I gather you.
Isa 54:8 In overflowing wrath I hid my face from you for a moment; but with everlasting loving kindness will I have mercy on you," says Yahweh your Redeemer.
Isa 54:9 "For this is like the waters of Noah to me; for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah shall no more go over the earth, so have I sworn that I will not be angry with you, nor rebuke you.
Isa 54:10 For the mountains may depart, and the hills be removed; but my loving kindness shall not depart from you, neither shall my covenant of peace be removed," says Yahweh who has mercy on you.
Isa 54:11 "You afflicted, tossed with storms, and not comforted, behold, I will set your stones in beautiful colors, and lay your foundations with sapphires.
Isa 54:12 I will make your pinnacles of rubies, and your gates of sparkling jewels, and all your walls of precious stones.
Isa 54:13 All your children shall be taught of Yahweh; and great shall be the peace of your children.
Isa 54:14 In righteousness you shall be established: you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not be afraid; and from terror, for it shall not come near you.
Isa 54:15 Behold, they may gather together, but not by me: whoever shall gather together against you shall fall because of you.
Isa 54:16 "Behold, I have created the smith who blows the fire of coals, and brings forth a weapon for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.
Isa 54:17 No weapon that is formed against you will prevail; and you will condemn every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of Yahweh, and their righteousness which is of me," says Yahweh.
 

Isa 55:1 "Come, everyone who thirsts, to the waters, and he who has no money; come, buy, and eat; yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
Isa 55:2 Why do you spend money for that which is not bread? and your labor for that which doesn't satisfy? listen diligently to me, and eat you that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
Isa 55:3 Turn your ear, and come to me; hear, and your soul shall live: and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.
Isa 55:4 Behold, I have given him for a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander to the peoples.
Isa 55:5 Behold, you shall call a nation that you don't know; and a nation that didn't know you shall run to you, because of Yahweh your God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he has glorified you."
Isa 55:6 Seek Yahweh while he may be found; call you on him while he is near:
Isa 55:7 let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to Yahweh, and he will have mercy on him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
Isa 55:8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," says Yahweh.
Isa 55:9 "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Isa 55:10 For as the rain comes down and the snow from the sky, and doesn't return there, but waters the earth, and makes it bring forth and bud, and gives seed to the sower and bread to the eater;
Isa 55:11 so shall my word be that goes forth out of my mouth: it shall not return to me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing I sent it to do.
Isa 55:12 For you shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing; and all the trees of the fields shall clap their hands.
Isa 55:13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree; and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to Yahweh for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off."
 

Isa 56:1 Thus says Yahweh, "Keep justice, and do righteousness; for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed.
Isa 56:2 Blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who holds it fast; who keeps the Sabbath from profaning it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil."
Isa 56:3 Neither let the foreigner, who has joined himself to Yahweh, speak, saying, "Yahweh will surely separate me from his people;" neither let the eunuch say, "Behold, I am a dry tree."
Isa 56:4 For thus says Yahweh, "To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and hold fast my covenant:
Isa 56:5 to them I will give in my house and within my walls a memorial and a name better than of sons and of daughters; I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.
Isa 56:6 Also the foreigners who join themselves to Yahweh, to minister to him, and to love the name of Yahweh, to be his servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath from profaning it, and holds fast my covenant;
Isa 56:7 even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples."
Isa 56:8 The Lord Yahweh, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, says, "Yet will I gather others to him, besides his own who are gathered."
Isa 56:9 All you animals of the field, come to devour, yes, all you animals in the forest.
Isa 56:10 His watchmen are blind, they are all without knowledge; they are all mute dogs, they can't bark; dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber.
Isa 56:11 Yes, the dogs are greedy, they can never have enough; and these are shepherds who can't understand: they have all turned to their own way, each one to his gain, from every quarter.
Isa 56:12 "Come," say they, "I will get wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and tomorrow shall be as this day, a day great beyond measure."

Nov. 9
2 Timothy 3

2Ti 3:1 But know this, that in the last days, grievous times will come.
2Ti 3:2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
2Ti 3:3 without natural affection, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, no lovers of good,
2Ti 3:4 traitors, headstrong, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God;
2Ti 3:5 holding a form of godliness, but having denied the power thereof. Turn away from these, also.
2Ti 3:6 For of these are those who creep into houses, and take captive gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts,
2Ti 3:7 always learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
2Ti 3:8 Even as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so do these also oppose the truth; men corrupted in mind, reprobate concerning the faith.
2Ti 3:9 But they will proceed no further. For their folly will be evident to all men, as theirs also came to be.
2Ti 3:10 But you did follow my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, steadfastness,
2Ti 3:11 persecutions, and sufferings: those things that happened to me at Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. I endured those persecutions. Out of them all the Lord delivered me.
2Ti 3:12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
2Ti 3:13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.
2Ti 3:14 But you remain in the things which you have learned and have been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them.
2Ti 3:15 From infancy, you have known the holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus.
2Ti 3:16 Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness,
2Ti 3:17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Revelation, Chapter 5, Mark Copeland

                        "THE BOOK OF REVELATION"

                              Chapter Five

OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THIS CHAPTER

1) To examine what is revealed about the Lamb (Jesus) and what He has
   accomplished through His death

2) To consider the impact this scene would have had upon the persecuted
   Christians in Asia

SUMMARY

The scene that began in chapter four continues.  Whereas the theme of
chapter four can be stated as "God is on His throne!", the theme of
this chapter may be called "Worthy is the Lamb!"

John's attention is drawn to a scroll in the right hand of God. Written
on the inside and on the back, it is sealed with seven seals.  A strong
angel proclaims "Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its
seals?" and at first there seems to be no one in heaven and earth
deemed worthy to open the scroll or look at it.  This prompted John to
weep (1-4).

But one of the twenty-four elders tells him not to weep for One
described as "the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David" (cf.
Gen 49:9-10; Isa 11:10) has prevailed so to be able to open the scroll
and loose its seals.  In the midst of the throne and of the living
creatures and the elders, John sees a Lamb standing as though slain
(i.e., Jesus - cf. Jn 1:29), with seven horns and seven eyes.  The
seven eyes are explained as the seven Spirits of God sent out into all
the earth (cf. Zech 4:10).  As seen before (cf. 1:4; 3:1; 4:9) they
represent the Holy Spirit, while the seven horns are indicative of
great strength (cf. Deut 33:17; 1Sa 2:10).  The Lamb is then seen as
taking the scroll out of God's right hand (5-7).

Taking the scroll prompts the four living creatures and twenty-four
elders to fall down before the Lamb.  Each possessing a harp (perhaps
symbolizing praise, Hailey) and golden bowls of incense which depict
the prayers of the saints, they sing a new song praising the Lamb as
worthy to take the scroll.  They proclaim His worthiness on the basis
of being slain and redeeming by His blood those from every nation who
are made kings and priests to God who shall reign on the earth (cf.
1:5-6; 1Pe 2:9).  The voices of many thousands of angels around the
throne then join in with their praise of the Lamb who was slain as 
worthy to receive power, riches, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and 
blessing.  Finally, every creature in heaven, earth, and sea join in 
with praise for both Him who sits on the throne (God) and the Lamb.  To
which the four living creatures say "Amen!" and the twenty-four elders
fall down and worship (8-14).

This awesome scene should certainly encourage the faithful Christian.  
As stated by Summers:

   "Such a scene was calculated to bring new courage and new hope to
   the hearts of John's first readers, the persecuted Christians of
   Asia; it brings the same cheer to Christian hearts in any age.
   Believing in the power of God (ch. 4) and the redeeming love of God
   (ch. 5), there is no enemy or force of evil which Christians need to
   fear.  They can enter the conflict or endure the evil knowing that
   God is still on his throne; he has not laid aside his scepter; he
   has not abandoned his throne to any other."

And what does the scroll represent?  As Shelly says in his commentary:

   "This scroll is the book of the destiny of mankind.  In it could
   be found the fate of the suffering saints, the outcome of Rome's
   (and I would add Jerusalem's, MAC) machinations against the church,
   and an outline of the future from John's time through the
   resolution of the particular battle raging between his brethren
   and Satan's forces.  The things revealed in the subsequent visions
   of the Revelation were bound up in this scroll."

I.e., the scroll reveals how God would manifest his righteous
indignation upon those who rejected His Christ and persecuted His
people.  Also, how the suffering saints would eventually overcome.  As
long as the scroll was sealed, the workings of God was still a mystery.
But as the seals are broken (6:1-8:1), we have:

   "the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His
   servants -- things which must shortly take place." (1:1)

OUTLINE

I. THE SCROLL AND THE LAMB (1-7)

   A. THE SCROLL IN GOD'S RIGHT HAND (1-4)
      1. Written on the inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals
      2. The proclamation by the strong angel
         a. "Who is worthy?"
         b. "To open and the scroll and to loose its seals?"
      3. The initial response
         a. No one, in heaven, on the earth, under the earth!
         b. No one, able to open the scroll, or to look at it!
      4. John's reaction:  "So I wept much, because no one was found
         worthy..."

   B. THE ONE WORTHY TO OPEN THE SCROLL (5-7)
      1. Comforting words of the elder to John
         a. "Do not weep"
         b. "Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David"
         c. He "has prevailed"
            1) "To open the scroll"
            2) "To loose its seven seals"
      2. John's description of the Lamb
         a. Standing in the midst of the throne, the four living
            creatures, and the elders
         b. A Lamb as though it had been slain
            1) Having seven horns
            2) With seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent
               into all the earth
         c. Who takes the scroll out of God's right hand

II. THE LAMB IS PRAISED (8-14)

   A. BY THE FOUR LIVING CREATURES AND TWENTY-FOUR ELDERS (8-10)
      1. Each having:
         a. A harp
         b. Golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the
            saints
      2. They sang a new song...
         a. The Lamb is worthy!
            1) To take the scroll
            2) To open its seals
         b. Because:
            1) He was slain
            2) He has redeemed them to God by His blood out of every
               tribe, tongue, people and nation
            3) He has made them kings and priests to God, to reign on
               the earth

   B. BY THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS OF ANGELS (11-12)
      1. Their voices heard around the throne, along with the living
         creatures and the elders
      2. Saying with a loud voice:
         a. Worthy is the Lamb who was slain
         b. To receive power, riches, wisdom, strength, honor, glory,
            and blessing

   C. TOGETHER WITH HIM WHO SITS ON THE THRONE (13-14)
      1. John now hears those in heaven, on earth, under the earth, and
         in the sea saying:
         a. "Blessing and honor and glory and power..."
         b. "Be to Him who sits on throne, and to the Lamb, forever and
            ever!"
      2. Upon which:
         a. The four living creatures said "Amen!"
         b. The twenty-four elders fell down and worshipped Him who
            lives forever and ever

REVIEW QUESTIONS FOR THE CHAPTER

1) What are the main points of this chapter?
   - The scroll and the Lamb (1-7)
   - The Lamb is praised (8-14)

2) What did John see in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne?
   (1)
   - A scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals

3) What did a strong angel proclaim with a loud voice? (2)
   - "Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?"

4) How did John react when it seemed there was no one worthy to open
   the scroll? (3-4)
   - He wept

5) What did one of the twenty-four elders then say to John? (5)
   - "Do not weep"
   - "Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has
      prevailed to open the scroll and it seven seals"

6) What did John see? (6)
   - A Lamb as though it had been slain, with seven horns and seven 
     eyes

7) Where was the Lamb?  What did He do? (6-7)
   - In the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures and
     the elders
   - He took the scroll out of Him who sat on the throne

8) What happened when the Lamb had taken the scroll? (8-9a)
   - The four living creatures and twenty-four elders fell down before
     the Lamb
   - They each had a harp, and golden bowls of incense (which are the
     prayers of the saints)
   - They sang a new song

9) What did they proclaim in this "new song"? (9)
   - The Lamb was worthy to take the scroll and open its seals

10) Why did they deem the Lamb worthy? (9-10)
   - For He was slain and redeemed them to God by His blood
   - He has made them kings and priests to God

11) What did John then see and hear? (11)
   - The voice of thousands of angels around the throne, the living
     creatures and the elders

12) What were they saying? (12)
   - "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain"
   - To receive power, riches, wisdom, strength, honor, glory and 
     blessing

13) What does John hear next? (13)
   - Every creature in heaven, on and under the earth, and in the sea
   - Offering blessing, honor, glory and power to both Him who sits on
     the throne, and to the Lamb

14) What happens then? (14)
   - The four living creatures said "Amen!"
   - The twenty-four elders fell down and worshipped Him who lives 
     forever and ever