12/19/12

What if...?


I enjoy looking at forecasts because I like to have a general idea of what the weather is going to be like for the week.  But, this one is a little scary!!!  Just for the sake of discussion, suppose the end of the world REALLY IS GOING TO BE HERE ON FRIDAY????  Or, to put it another way, what if you had only 2 DAYS TO LIVE???  Would you live those days differently?  Why?  Just suppose, for a moment, that EVERYTHING THE BIBLE SAYS IS REALLY TRUE!!!  Next, consider the following passage along with those thoughts....


2 Thessalonians, Chapter 1
 3  We are bound to always give thanks to God for you, brothers, even as it is appropriate, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of each and every one of you towards one another abounds;  4 so that we ourselves boast about you in the assemblies of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions which you endure.  5 This is an obvious sign of the righteous judgment of God, to the end that you may be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God, for which you also suffer.  6 Since it is a righteous thing with God to repay affliction to those who afflict you,  7 and to give relief to you who are afflicted with us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire,  8 giving vengeance to those who don’t know God, and to those who don’t obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus,  9 who will pay the penalty: eternal destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of his might,  10 when he comes to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired among all those who have believed (because our testimony to you was believed) in that day.

I really do not know if the world is going to end on Friday!!!  If it doesn't-great!!!  If it does... I get to see Jesus!!!  How about you?????? Or will you just change the channel to get a second opinion??


Bible reading, Dec. 19


Dec. 19
Obadiah

Oba 1:1 The vision of Obadiah. This is what the Lord Yahweh says about Edom. We have heard news from Yahweh, and an ambassador is sent among the nations, saying, "Arise, and let's rise up against her in battle.
Oba 1:2 Behold, I have made you small among the nations. You are greatly despised.
Oba 1:3 The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who dwell in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high, who says in his heart, 'Who will bring me down to the ground?'
Oba 1:4 Though you mount on high as the eagle, and though your nest is set among the stars, I will bring you down from there," says Yahweh.
Oba 1:5 "If thieves came to you, if robbers by night--oh, what disaster awaits you--wouldn't they only steal until they had enough? If grape pickers came to you, wouldn't they leave some gleaning grapes?
Oba 1:6 How Esau will be ransacked! How his hidden treasures are sought out!
Oba 1:7 All the men of your alliance have brought you on your way, even to the border. The men who were at peace with you have deceived you, and prevailed against you. Friends who eat your bread lay a snare under you. There is no understanding in him."
Oba 1:8 "Won't I in that day," says Yahweh, "destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of the mountain of Esau?
Oba 1:9 Your mighty men, Teman, will be dismayed, to the end that everyone may be cut off from the mountain of Esau by slaughter.
Oba 1:10 For the violence done to your brother Jacob, shame will cover you, and you will be cut off forever.
Oba 1:11 In the day that you stood on the other side, in the day that strangers carried away his substance, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots for Jerusalem, even you were like one of them.
Oba 1:12 But don't look down on your brother in the day of his disaster, and don't rejoice over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction. Don't speak proudly in the day of distress.
Oba 1:13 Don't enter into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity. Don't look down on their affliction in the day of their calamity, neither seize their wealth on the day of their calamity.
Oba 1:14 Don't stand in the crossroads to cut off those of his who escape. Don't deliver up those of his who remain in the day of distress.
Oba 1:15 For the day of Yahweh is near all the nations! As you have done, it will be done to you. Your deeds will return upon your own head.
Oba 1:16 For as you have drunk on my holy mountain, so will all the nations drink continually. Yes, they will drink, swallow down, and will be as though they had not been.
Oba 1:17 But in Mount Zion, there will be those who escape, and it will be holy. The house of Jacob will possess their possessions.
Oba 1:18 The house of Jacob will be a fire, the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble. They will burn among them, and devour them. There will not be any remaining to the house of Esau." Indeed, Yahweh has spoken.
Oba 1:19 Those of the South will possess the mountain of Esau, and those of the lowland, the Philistines. They will possess the field of Ephraim, and the field of Samaria. Benjamin will possess Gilead.
Oba 1:20 The captives of this army of the children of Israel, who are among the Canaanites, will possess even to Zarephath; and the captives of Jerusalem, who are in Sepharad, will possess the cities of the Negev.
Oba 1:21 Saviors will go up on Mount Zion to judge the mountains of Esau, and the kingdom will be Yahweh's.


Dec. 19
Revelation 1

Rev 1:1 This is the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things which must happen soon, which he sent and made known by his angel to his servant, John,
Rev 1:2 who testified to God's word, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, about everything that he saw.
Rev 1:3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and keep the things that are written in it, for the time is at hand.
Rev 1:4 John, to the seven assemblies that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace, from God, who is and who was and who is to come; and from the seven Spirits who are before his throne;
Rev 1:5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us, and washed us from our sins by his blood;
Rev 1:6 and he made us to be a Kingdom, priests to his God and Father; to him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Rev 1:7 Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, including those who pierced him. All the tribes of the earth will mourn over him. Even so, Amen.
Rev 1:8 "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."
Rev 1:9 I John, your brother and partner with you in oppression, Kingdom, and perseverance in Christ Jesus, was on the isle that is called Patmos because of God's Word and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Rev 1:10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, like a trumpet
Rev 1:11 saying, "What you see, write in a book and send to the seven assemblies: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and to Laodicea."
Rev 1:12 I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. Having turned, I saw seven golden lampstands.
Rev 1:13 And among the lampstands was one like a son of man, clothed with a robe reaching down to his feet, and with a golden sash around his chest.
Rev 1:14 His head and his hair were white as white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire.
Rev 1:15 His feet were like burnished brass, as if it had been refined in a furnace. His voice was like the voice of many waters.
Rev 1:16 He had seven stars in his right hand. Out of his mouth proceeded a sharp two-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining at its brightest.
Rev 1:17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man. He laid his right hand on me, saying, "Don't be afraid. I am the first and the last,
Rev 1:18 and the Living one. I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. I have the keys of Death and of Hades.
Rev 1:19 Write therefore the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will happen hereafter;
Rev 1:20 the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands. The seven stars are the angels of the seven assemblies. The seven lampstands are seven assemblies.

Proverbs, Wisdom regarding marriage part 2, Mark Copeland

                         "THE BOOK OF PROVERBS"

                     Wisdom Regarding Marriage (2)

INTRODUCTION

1. We saw in our previous lesson that Proverbs can be a helpful guide in
   selecting a good spouse

2. In this study, we will consider what it says about being a good
   spouse

3. The importance of this subject should be evident...
   a. Happiness in life is greatly affected by how successful we are in
      marriage
   b. Even our usefulness to the Lord is affected by the relationship
      between husbands and wives
   c. For example, a husband's prayers can be hindered by his treatment
      of his wife - 1Pe 3:7

[Appreciating the importance of a good marriage, let's begin with that
beautiful passage in Proverbs 31 where we read about...]

I. THE VIRTUOUS WIFE

   A. THE IDEAL WIFE...
      1. Trustworthy - Pr 31:11
         a. The husband can safely entrust her with his income
         b. She will not squander what he gives her, but use it in a
            manner that benefits them both
      2. Filled with an enduring love - Pr 31:12
         a. Devoted to doing her husband good all her life
         b. Just as she vowed in the wedding ceremony
      3. Has practical skills - Pr 31:13-15,21-22
         a. Such as sewing
         b. And cooking
      4. Industrious - Pr 31:16,24
         a. Makes investments (buys land and plants a vineyard)
         b. Provides extra income (makes clothing and sells to
            merchants)
      5. Compassionate - Pr 31:20
         a. Helping the poor
         b. Reaching out to the needy
      6. Strong character - Pr 31:25
         a. Character matters, and she has developed a strong one
         b. Just as Peter stressed in 1Pe 3:3-4
      7. Speaks words of wisdom and kindness - Pr 31:26
         a. She is thus concerned about what proceeds from her mouth
         b. Just as Paul stressed in Ep 4:29
      8. Diligently sees to her family's need - Pr 31:27
         a. Makes whatever preparation necessary - cf. Pr 31:15
         b. So that her family does not go in want - cf. Pr 31:21
      9. Fears the Lord - Pr 31:29-30
         a. She understands that this quality is more important and
            praiseworthy than physical beauty
         b. With the fear of the Lord, she has the potential for great
            wisdom - Pr 1:7
      -- Such are the qualities of being a good spouse

   B. WHAT A WIFE DOES NOT WANT TO BE...
      1. Contentious - cf. Pr 21:9,19
      2. Hateful - Pr 30:21-23
      -- Both make it where the husband does not want to be around her

[Enough about being a good wife; where can we go in Proverbs to learn
about being a good husband...?]

II. THE VIRTUOUS HUSBAND

   A. WHERE'S THE PASSAGE DESCRIBING THE VIRTUOUS MAN...?
      1. A question often raised by women, sometimes suggesting there is
         none
      2. But bear in mind that the Proverbs are primarily addressed to
         the man!
         a. There is half a chapter describing the virtuous woman
         b. There are thirty plus chapters describing the virtuous man!
      -- The entire book, if followed, produces a husband any woman
         would love

   B. THE IDEAL HUSBAND...
      1. Values his wife highly - Pr 18:22; 19:14
         a. He realizes that she is a gift from God
         b. Especially when she proves to be prudent
      2. Gives his wife her due - Pr 31:31
         a. Allows his wife the opportunity to develop her own abilities
         b. Lets her reap the benefits of her own labors
         c. I.e., does not treat her simply as an appendage of himself
      3. Praises his wife profusely - Pr 31:28b-29
         a. Praises her frequently
         b. Does not take her for granted
      4. Trusts his wife implicitly - Pr 31:11
         a. Demonstrates a willingness to trust her
         b. In such areas as her intelligence, her faithfulness, her
            abilities
         c. Is not jealous or suspicious
      5. Content with his wife's love - Pr 5:15-21
         a. Does not look elsewhere
         b. Will save him and his family much harm
      -- A few examples of how Proverbs can help a man be a good spouse

CONCLUSION

1. So much of the joy and meaning of life that God would have us enjoy
   is lost if there is not a good marriage

2. As Solomon wrote in another book of wisdom...

   "Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your
   vain life which He has given you under the sun, all your days of
   vanity; for that is your portion in life, and in the labor which
   you perform under the sun." - Ec 9:9

The book Of Proverbs can also guide us in developing wholesome families.
Our next study shall consider examples of inspired advice on providing
for a family and raising children...