Sun, Jan 31st - 9:14PM
Bible Study 01 FEB
Matthew 19: 23: Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. 24: And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. 25: When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? 26: But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. 27: Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? 28: And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29: And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. 30: But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first. Matthew 20: 1: For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. 2: And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3: And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4: And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. 5: Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. 6: And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? 7: They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive. 8: So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. 9: And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. 10: But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. 11: And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, 12: Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day. 13: But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? 14: Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. 15: Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? 16: So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.
Who then can be saved? Well all men can be saved. Christ came and died on the cross to save all of humanity. But why is it hard for a rich man to be saved? Let’s put it this way, I knew I needed to be saved. I was in bad shape. I was drinking regularly and involved in a lifestyle that was headed no where. I knew I needed to change and knew Christ was the only way to this change. I recognized I needed saving and Christ was the only way to salvation. To many fail to recognize the situation they are in. They feel safe in their own manmade security not realizing it is only an illusion. Any minute that bubble of false security can disappear leaving them with nothing. Before a can be saved they must first realize they need saving, that the security this world offers is only temporary and will fade away. No matter how powerful and rich you are we will all face death some day and after that the judgment of God. And God judges the heart.
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Sun, Jan 31st - 12:43AM
Bible Study 31 JAN
3: The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? 4: And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, 5: And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? 6: Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. 7: They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? 8: He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. 9: And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery. 10: His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry. 11: But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given. 12: For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it. 13: Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them. 14: But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. 15: And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence. 16: And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? 17: And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. 18: He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, 19: Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 20: The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? 21: Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. 22: But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.
Is anything more important then obtaining eternal life? Is anything more important then serving our God the one that gives eternal life. The things of this world that leads us away from God are temporary pleasure not eternal. That is all the world can guarantee temporary pleasures.
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Wed, Jan 27th - 11:24PM
Bible Study 28 JAN
Matthew 17: 14: And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying, 15: Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. 16: And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him. 17: Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me. 18: And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour. 19: Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? 20: And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. 21: Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting. 22: And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men: 23: And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry. 24: And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute? 25: He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers? 26: Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free. 27: Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee. Matthew 18: 1: At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? 2: And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, 3: And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 4: Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5: And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. 6: But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
Jesus was telling the disciples they should become as children in humility and childlike faith. Children are very trustful at a young age. They are going to believe what there parents teach them without questioning them. But I believe in verse 6 Jesus is talking about the young in faith. The young in faith are very vulnerable to false teaching because they still don’t know the word of God. They often fall prey to false teachers because they are trustful of those in power but God says if you lead one of these astray it is better to be thrown in the sea with a heavy stone tied around your neck then to face the anger of God.
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Tue, Jan 26th - 11:45PM
Bible Study 27 JAN
Matthew 16:25: For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. 26: For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 27: For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. 28: Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom. Matthew 17: 1: And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, 2: And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. 3: And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. 4: Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. 5: While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. 6: And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. 7: And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. 8: And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only. 9: And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead. 10: And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come? 11: And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. 12: But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them. 13: Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.
What shall a man give in exchange for his soul? What a question? What is worth our soul? Sex, money, power, fame, popularity, what is worth our soul? Aint all these things temporary but our soul eternal? So what is worth our soul?
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Sun, Jan 24th - 1:24AM
Bible Study 24 JAN
Matthew 15:1 Some Pharisees and teachers of religious law now arrived from Jerusalem to see Jesus. They asked him, 2 “Why do your disciples disobey our age-old tradition? For they ignore our tradition of ceremonial hand washing before they eat.” 3 Jesus replied, “And why do you, by your traditions, violate the direct commandments of God? 4 For instance, God says, ‘Honor your father and mother,’[a] and ‘Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.’[b] 5 But you say it is all right for people to say to their parents, ‘Sorry, I can’t help you. For I have vowed to give to God what I would have given to you.’ 6 In this way, you say they don’t need to honor their parents.[c] And so you cancel the word of God for the sake of your own tradition. 7 You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote, 8 ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 9 Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’[d]” 10 Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. “Listen,” he said, “and try to understand. 11 It’s not what goes into your mouth that defiles you; you are defiled by the words that come out of your mouth.” 12 Then the disciples came to him and asked, “Do you realize you offended the Pharisees by what you just said?” 13 Jesus replied, “Every plant not planted by my heavenly Father will be uprooted, 14 so ignore them. They are blind guides leading the blind, and if one blind person guides another, they will both fall into a ditch.” 15 Then Peter said to Jesus, “Explain to us the parable that says people aren’t defiled by what they eat.” 16 “Don’t you understand yet?” Jesus asked. 17 “Anything you eat passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer. 18 But the words you speak come from the heart—that’s what defiles you. 19 For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander. 20 These are what defile you. Eating with unwashed hands will never defile you.” (NLT)
Verse 9 says for they teach man made ideas as commands from God. Boy do we see a lot of that today. It as if they are unhappy with what the Bible says and have decided to rewrite the Bible for themselves. Prosperity preachers, Universalists, all false teachers cherry pick certain verses to base their beliefs off of and ignore about 99% of the rest of the Bible and then you have their blind believers who through their own Biblical ignorance fall for their heresy. They are ignorant of the Bible because through their own laziness don’t take the time to study the Bible for themselves. They choose a preacher who is saying what they want to hear and allow him to interpret the Bible for them and now you have the blind leading the blind who are both heading for the ditch.
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Sat, Jan 23rd - 2:12AM
Bible Study 23 JAN
Matthew 14:13: When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities. 14: And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick. 15: And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals. 16: But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat. 17: And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes. 18: He said, Bring them hither to me. 19: And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. 20: And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full. 21: And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children. 22: And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. 23: And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone. 24: But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. 25: And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. 26: And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. 27: But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. 28: And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. 29: And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. 30: But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. 31: And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? 32: And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. 33: Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.
I am the type of person that has to be fed spiritually daily and honestly we probably all are. When I don’t fed myself spiritually daily I fill my soul with the garbage of the world. I take my eyes off of Christ and they wonder to sinful things such as anger, doubt, fear, lust, all the things Satan likes to throw our way to keep us distracted from the things of God. This is what happen to Peter soon as he took his eyes off of Christ doubt and fear crept in but soon as Peter realized he was sinking he called upon the name of the Lord and he lifted him up.
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Wed, Jan 20th - 10:24PM
Matthew 13:24-43
Matthew 13:24: Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: 25: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. 26: But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. 27: So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? 28: He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? 29: But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. 30: Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. 31: Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: 32: Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof. 33: Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened. 34: All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them: 35: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world. 36: Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. 37: He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; 38: The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; 39: The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. 40: As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. 41: The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; 42: And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43: Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
I really can’t understand how people can read the Bible and then say they don’t believe in the coming judgment of God and eternal punishment. I think it is pretty clear myself, Verses 37 through 43 spell it out pretty clearly. It actually says at the end of the world and verse 42 says furnace of fire where there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. What do they think this is explaining?
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Mon, Jan 18th - 11:26PM
Bible Study 19 JAN
Matthew 12:38: Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. 39: But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: 40: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41: The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. 42: The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. 43: When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. 44: Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. 45: Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation. 46: While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. 47: Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. 48: But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? 49: And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! 50: For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.
People are constantly seeking proof of God. I know God is real because I know what God has done in my life personally. I am no longer a drunk party chaser. I no longer live for myself or my career. I live for something more, a higher calling. I live to do the will of God no matter where that may lead. My life belongs to God wholly. I truly can see the hand of God in the events that have unfolded in my life. I believe I am where I am at today because this is where God wants me. I grew up in Virginia but now live in El Paso through a series of events that brought me here. Since coming to El Paso I have found a great Bible believing church with a great Bible believing pastor that I have learn a lot from, I have starting teaching the teenage Sunday school class, and I love teaching the word of God. God has given me the opportunity to get my degree in Biblical Studies through Liberty University’s online degree program. I have a great healthy, blessed family, I have a roof over my head, the cabinets are full and I thank God for all things. He has brought me a long way from living in a two bedroom trailer in a small coal mining town to where I am today and it is all the work of God. I could have just as easy ended up like a lot of my friends. Addicted to drugs and alcohol with no hope in the world and that is where I was headed but a friend of mine convinced me to join the Army with him and while I was in I met my wife who really turned my life around and through a series of events I found my way back to God. I can look back and see the hand of God in each major event in my life that brought me to where I am today. That is why I know God is real because I know what he has done in my life.
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Mon, Jan 18th - 12:57AM
Bible Study 18 JAN
Matthew 12:14: Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him. 15: But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all; 16: And charged them that they should not make him known: 17: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, 18: Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles. 19: He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. 20: A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory. 21: And in his name shall the Gentiles trust. 22: Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw. 23: And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David? 24: But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils. 25: And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: 26: And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand? 27: And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges. 28: But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. 29: Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house. 30: He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad. 31: Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. 32: And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come. 33: Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit. 34: O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. 35: A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. 36: But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. 37: For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
A man will be judged by the fruit he produces. Israel was a agriculture society and knew about producing fruit. That is why so much of the Bible talks in farming terms. Another one is you will reap what you sow. If you sow righteousness you will reap righteousness. If you sow the word of God you will reap the awards thereof. If you attack the word of God and your Christian brothers you will reap the award thereof. You are either with God or against him. You can’t have it both ways. There are many who try to appease the world by attacking those who are strong in the faith. They call them fundies and label them as hateful and intolerant. These are tactics of God haters not Christian brothers and sisters. Appeasing the world won’t get you to heaven only following God will get you to heaven. Don’t be fooled we will all stand before God someday and give an account of the fruit that we have produced. Those who reject the Holy Spirits call to repent and accept Christ is the ones of who have blasphemed the Holy Spirit. Because it is accepting the Holy Spirit into your life when you are saved that will send you to heaven and it is rejecting the call of the Holy Spirit to accept Christ that will send you to hell.
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Sun, Jan 17th - 12:47AM
Bible Study 17 JAN
Matthew 11: 25: At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. 26: Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight. 27: All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. 28: Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29: Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30: For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew 12:1: At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat. 2: But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day. 3: But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him; 4: How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests? 5: Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless? 6: But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple. 7: But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless. 8: For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day. 9: And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue: 10: And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him. 11: And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? 12: How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days. 13: Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other.
What the Jewish leaders failed to understand was that following a set of regulations and rituals would never bring them close to God. Jesus said those that worship God must do so in Spirit and in Truth. You can go through all the rituals you want but if your heart doesn’t belong to God you will never see heaven.
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Sat, Jan 16th - 12:59AM
Bible Study 16 JAN
Matthew 11: 1: And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities. 2: Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, 3: And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? 4: Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: 5: The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. 6: And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me. 7: And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? 8: But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. 9: But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet. 10: For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. 11: Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12: And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. 13: For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. 14: And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come. 15: He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. 16: But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, 17: And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented. 18: For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil. 19: The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children. 20: Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not: 21: Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22: But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. 23: And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24: But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.
When you read about Jesus and the Apostles and the other Old Testament prophets how many of them lived in big houses, wore expensive clothes and preached physical prosperity? Zero. They came from simple backgrounds and lived simple lives. They spent their lives preaching the word of God without expecting a profit for their service. There are many false teachings out there and prosperity preaching is one of the biggest. Jesus never promised physical rewards for following him, actually he said you can expect hardships and persecutions. He promised awards in the life after this in heaven. Prosperity preachers you can have your reward here now on earth, I’ll be waiting for mine in heaven. Don’t be fooled by these false teachers. There idea of prosperity is to live off of your donations and offerings. The blessings of God are not for sale. If any preacher every tells you have to give him money to receive a blessing from God he is a false teacher and you need to flee from him.
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Fri, Jan 15th - 3:14AM
Bible Study 15 JAN
Matthew 10:16: Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. 17: But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; 18: And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. 19: But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. 20: For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. 21: And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. 22: And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. 23: But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come. 24: The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. 25: It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household? 26: Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known. 27: What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops. 28: And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29: Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. 30: But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31: Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows. 32: Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. 33: But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. 34: Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. 35: For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. 36: And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. 37: He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38: And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. 39: He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. 40: He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. 41: He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. 42: And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.
Jesus said he didn’t come to bring peace but a sword. The sword is the word of God which Paul described as sharper than any two edged sword. Jesus turned the Jewish world upside down. The Jews were expecting a Messiah after the notion of David, a warrior king that would overthrow the Romans and restore the Jewish kingdom, instead they got a Messiah that called them hypocrites and told them all of mankind that turned to God was God’s chosen people not just them. He told them that following the law meant nothing if their hearts were not truly righteous. This wasn’t what they had expected or wanted to hear. Like the world today they want their ears tickled and be told that God loves everybody and that everyone is going to heaven. Well God does love everybody but God is a God of righteous and justice and as a righteous just God he will punish the wicked and have no part with sinners.
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Wed, Jan 13th - 11:34PM
Bible Study 14 JAN
Matthew 10:1: And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. 2: Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3: Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; 4: Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him. 5: These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: 6: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7: And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. 8: Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. 9: Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, 10: Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat. 11: And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, inquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence. 12: And when ye come into an house, salute it. 13: And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14: And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. 15: Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
We are to preach the word of God. Some will receive, some will not. God has never forced anyone to follow him and we can’t force anyone to believe. We can’t save anyone. We can only show them the way to salvation. I say this because I was recently asked how can I call myself a happy Christian when I believe so many are going to hell. Well I am happy because I have the Savior in my life. It is sad that so many will never know the Savior or refuse to accept him but the only thing we can do is plant the seed of God’s word and hope it finds fertile ground.
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Sun, Jan 10th - 11:21PM
Bible Study 11 JAN
Matthew 8:14 When Jesus arrived at Peter’s house, Peter’s mother-in-law was sick in bed with a high fever. 15 But when Jesus touched her hand, the fever left her. Then she got up and prepared a meal for him. 16 That evening many demon-possessed people were brought to Jesus. He cast out the evil spirits with a simple command, and he healed all the sick. 17 This fulfilled the word of the Lord through the prophet Isaiah, who said, “He took our sicknesses and removed our diseases.”[d] The Cost of Following Jesus 18 When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he instructed his disciples to cross to the other side of the lake. 19 Then one of the teachers of religious law said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” 20 But Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man[e] has no place even to lay his head.” 21 Another of his disciples said, “Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.” 22 But Jesus told him, “Follow me now. Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead.[f]” Jesus Calms the Storm 23 Then Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with his disciples. 24 Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25 The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” 26 Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm. 27 The disciples were amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked. “Even the winds and waves obey him!” Jesus Heals Two Demon-Possessed Men 28 When Jesus arrived on the other side of the lake, in the region of the Gadarenes,[g] two men who were possessed by demons met him. They lived in a cemetery and were so violent that no one could go through that area. 29 They began screaming at him, “Why are you interfering with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torture us before God’s appointed time?” 30 There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding in the distance. 31 So the demons begged, “If you cast us out, send us into that herd of pigs.” 32 “All right, go!” Jesus commanded them. So the demons came out of the men and entered the pigs, and the whole herd plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned in the water. 33 The herdsmen fled to the nearby town, telling everyone what happened to the demon-possessed men. 34 Then the entire town came out to meet Jesus, but they begged him to go away and leave them alone. (NLT)
The disciples asked who is the man? The disciples had been traveling with Jesus for sometime but still didn’t fully understand who Jesus was? Can we fully understand Jesus with our human intellect? Probably not but lets point who the Bible says Jesus is. He is the Son of God, born of a virgin, who lived a sinless life and he became our sin sacrifice on the cross that whosoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life. He is the one and only way to heaven. There is no other way. Any other way is a lie and only leads to destruction. The demons knew who Jesus was and they know their destiny. It is your destiny also if you live in rebellion to God.
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Sun, Jan 10th - 12:58AM
Bible Study 10 JAN
Matthew 7:21Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. 24Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 25And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. 26And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: 27And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. 28And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: 29For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Matthew 8:1When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. 2And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. 3And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them. 5And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, 6And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. 7And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. 8The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. 9For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. 10When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. 11And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. 12But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 13And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.
Look no matter how much we might wish hell doesn’t exist it does. It is a very real place and if you don’t know Christ and accept him as your Savior you will experience it. It says in verse 21 if you don’t do the will of the Father you will never enter heaven. The will of the Father is that all will enter into a personal relationship with him through his son Jesus Christ. Christ is the sure foundation. All others will wash away.
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Sat, Jan 9th - 2:20AM
Bible Study 09 JAN
Matthew 7:1: Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2: For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. 3: And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 4: Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? 5: Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. 6: Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. 7: Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 9: Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? 10: Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11: If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? 12: Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. 13: Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. 15: Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16: Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17: Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18: A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19: Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20: Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Listen I am no Biblical scholar but I do know one thing and the Bible is very clear on this: Jesus is the only way to heaven. There is no other way because he alone died on the cross for our sins. Anybody that tells your anything different is a false teacher. John says you will know them by their fruit. Look who supports them. With people like this it is often the most sinful because they want to be told they are going to heaven no matter how sinful their life is.
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Mon, Jan 4th - 11:25PM
Bible Study 05 JAN
Matthew 5:1And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: 2And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, 3Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. 5Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. 6Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. 7Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. 8Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. 9Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. 10Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. 13Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. 14Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. 17Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 19Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
In the Old Testament we had the Mosaic Law. In the New Testament we have the Beatitudes. Are there any real difference? They both are guides to leaving a righteous life before God. Are we still under the Old Testament law? No. Christ established a new covenant with all nations when he died on the cross for us. We fulfill the commandments of the law of God by living a life of faith in Jesus Christ and by following his teachings. Salvation comes in accepting Christ as our Savior not in following rules. But if we are truly a child of God we will show it in living a righteous life before God.
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Sun, Jan 3rd - 11:01PM
Bible Study 04 JAN
Matthew 4:1: Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. 2: And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. 3: And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. 4: But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. 5: Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, 6: And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. 7: Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. 8: Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; 9: And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 10: Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. 11: Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him. 12: Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee; 13: And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim: 14: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, 15: The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; 16: The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up. 17: From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 18: And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. 19: And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. 20: And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. 21: And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. 22: And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.
Listen people we are in a midst of a battle that is going on since the beginning of time. A battle between good and evil, a battle between God and Satan. Satan caused Adam and Eve to sin by luring them into giving into their temptations in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve cast all of mankind into a life of sin and caused all to be in the power of death but Jesus came to earth to offer us freedom from death by accepting him as our Lord and Savior. Satan isn’t some creation of myth, he is the real deal, he is evil. Evil is very real and hell is very real and we are all heading there unless you give yourself to God. God gave us freewill. We can either choose to continue to live in sin and head for hell or we can repent as Jesus says, accept him as our Lord and Savior and turn from our life of slavery to sin and death and turn to a life of service to God.
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Sat, Jan 2nd - 5:24PM
Bible Study 02 JAN
1: Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 2: Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. 3: When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4: And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. 5: And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, 6: And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. 7: Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. 8: And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. 9: When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. 10: When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. 11: And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. 12: And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way. 13: And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. 14: When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: 15: And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son. 16: Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men. 17: Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, 18: In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not. 19: But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20: Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life. 21: And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. 22: But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee: 23: And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene. Matthew continues in chapter 2 in showing that Jesus indeed fulfilled the prophecies of the Old Testament about the Messiah. In Micah 5:2 Bethlehem is prophesied as the birthplace of the Messiah. Numbers 24:17 tells of a star out of Jacob. Hosea 11:1 tells of God calling his son out of Egypt. Jeremiah 31:15 tells of Rachael crying for her children. Isn’t it ironic that Matthew was trying so hard to convince a people who had spent their lifetimes waiting for the Messiah that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. Jesus was the Messiah there is no doubt about that. The problem was that he was not what they wanted as a Messiah. They had created their own image of wanted they wanted as Messiah not what God had promised. Well things haven’t changed. Man still today tries to recreate the Savior in their idea of what a Savior should be instead of accepting the Christ of the Bible.
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Fri, Jan 1st - 2:06PM
Bible Study 01 JAN
1: The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. 2: Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren; 3: And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram; 4: And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon; 5: And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse; 6: And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias; 7: And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa; 8: And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias; 9: And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias; 10: And Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias; 11: And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon: 12: And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel; 13: And Zorobabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor; 14: And Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud; 15: And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob; 16: And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. 17: So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations. 18: Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. 19: Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. 20: But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. 21: And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. 22: Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 23: Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. 24: Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: 25: And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS. People often ask why there are four different Gospels that say different things. Well the four Gospels all tell the same story in different ways. The four Gospels were written by four different men from different backgrounds and they were written to different audiences. Matthew was one of the disciples of Christ and he is writing to the Jewish people. Matthew is trying to show that Jesus is the long waited Messiah that the Jewish nation had been waiting for. That is the reason for the genealogy. According to prophecy the Messiah would be a decadent of Abraham and David. Also according to prophecy the Messiah would be born of a virgin just as Jesus was. Matthew was showing his Jewish audience that Jesus had fulfilled these prophecies.
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