xsm crusher company,the best crusher manufacturer in china!we sale all kinds of crushers and grinding plant machine such as:impact crusher,jaw crusher,ball mill,cone crusher etc...

The goal of Bible Study is not just learning, but living

If you are saved, you will have a desire to be holy, a hunger for the Word, the inner witness of the Spirit, and a desire to share Jesus.

These are the birthmarks of the believer.



#573 15 May 12



. . . What does it profit, my brethren, if a man says he has faith but has not works? Can his faith save him? . . .



James 2:14



Grateful for . . . .



THE WORD OF GOD !



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Greetings! In the above verse, James presents the reverse side of the coin of faith. In effect, he argues strongly against the idea that a man can be saved by a faith which does not radically transform his life and conduct. Thus he makes plain the truth that there can be no true faith if there are no evidences to prove that faith. He does not argue that we are saved by works, but that works demonstrate the existence of genuine faith. This is consistent with Paul's teaching that the believer is a new creation (2 Cor 5:17), and as such will manifest a new kind of character and behavior which will reflect the life of the Lord Jesus.


Be a blessing this week!



* * * * * * * * *




This week's Trivia's: [answer's below . . ]

1. Complete the following warning of Paul: "Be not unequally yoked . . ."

2. In Jesus' parable of the talents, what did the third servant do with his talent?



* * * * * * * * *

God's two greatest gifts are Jesus and time

* * * * * * * * *

BIBLE MEDITATION: “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” Hebrews 4:15

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT: When something bad happens to us, we may respond with, “What did I do? I must have done something terrible.” Then we proceed down the trail of morbid introspection or what I call “navel gazing.” We look down and into ourselves. We take ourselves apart piece by piece, examining and re-examining ourselves. Then we put ourselves back together trying to figure out what we did wrong.
It may be that you have done absolutely nothing wrong, but God is simply testing your faith. If we don’t understand this, you see, we may get discouraged.
The seeds of doubt and discouragement sprout in the soil of ignorance.

ACTION POINT: Claim the promises of 1 Peter 1:3-9 for strength in the midst of your trial.

from the Ministries of Love Worth Finding . . . by Adrian Rogers



* * * * * * * * *

He became as I am so that I might become as He is

* * * * * * * * *



"What In The World Is Going On?" by Dr David Jeremiah

As I share this book with you I hope together we can learn to read the signs and understand coming events. There may be times that I will need to omit

parts of the usual layout to bring to you the important teaching from this book. [printed in 2008]

Lets begin to put together pieces of the puzzle, and try to recognize the clues that God has given us to find peace in "our terrifying age," and come

to an understanding of what in the world is going on. John 14:27.. "Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid"


ARMING FOR ARMAGEDDON





Arming for Armageddon

General Douglas MacArthur stood tall on the deck of the USS Missouri in Tokyo harbor. It was September 2, 1945, and this man who had engineered America's hard-fought victory in the Pacific had just witnessed the signatures of Japan's leaders ending the bloody global struggle known as World War II. On that day, this authentic American hero uttered a profound warning, which he later repeated in his famous farewell address before the United States Congress: "We have had our last chance," he said. "If we do not now devise some greater and more equitable system, Armageddon will be at our door."

Shortly after he was inaugurated as the fortieth president of the United States, Ronald Reagan was astounded by the complexities of the Middle East. Israel, on its thin strip of land, was surrounded by well-armed Arab enemies who were splintered like broken glass into countless factions and divisions impossible to reconcile. On Friday, May 15, 1981, scribbling in his diary, Reagan noted the intractable problems involving Lebanon, Syria, Saudi Arabia, the Soviet Union, and Israel. "Sometimes I wonder," he wrote, "if we are destined to witness Armageddon."

Only three weeks later, on Sunday, June 7, he received news that Israel had bombed the Iraqi nuclear rector. That afternoon, Reagan wrote in his diary: "Got word of Israel bombing Iraq - nuclear reactor. I swear I believe Armageddon is near."

Armageddon. The very word chills the soul. Probably there are few adults who are not familiar with that word and what it implies. Why have our national leaders, in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, begun to use that doomsday word in their speaking and writing? I believe it is because they can see how modern weaponry and international tensions are showing how quickly global equilibrium could get out of control, leading to a cataclysmic war such as the world has never seen before.

Our nation is no stranger to war. According to the US Army Military Institute, the United States has been involved in twenty-nine wars or military conflicts. This averages out to one war for every eight years of America's history. This number includes not only the major conflicts, but also lesser-known engagements, such as the Seminole wars, America's involvement in the Boxer rebellion, and the invasion of Panama. Approximately 1,314,971 troops have died for their country in these wars. This includes 25,000 who died in the War of the Independence; 623,026 in the Civil War; more than 400,000 in World War II; more than 58,000 in Vietnam; and nearly 4,000 in the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. (That number has increased to more than 4,000 since the report was published.)

The Bible tells us that there is yet another war to be fought on this earth. This war, called Armageddon, makes all the wars America has fought to date look like minor skirmishes. This war will draw the final curtain on modern civilization. In this chapter we will lift the biblical veil to show what is going on the world that will lead to Armageddon. In fact, preparations for that war are underway right now throughout the world. The only thing holding back its rapid approach is the yet-to-occur disappearance of all true believers in Jesus Christ, the event we know as the Rapture of the church.


The Preparation for the Battle of Armageddon [able to add this portion]

In the twelfth chapter of Revelation, the apostle John revealed how this conflagration will come about. "So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast tot he earth, and his angels were cast out with him . . . Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast tot he earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child" (vv. 9, 13).

These verses tell us that during the Tribulation, when Satan is cast out of heaven to the earth, he will begin immediately to persecute the woman who bought for the male child. The "woman" is an obvious metaphor for Israel, through whom the child Jesus was born. Satan's first attempt at persecution will be the battle of Gog and Magog. As we learned in the previous chapter, this battle, which precedes the Battle of Armageddon, will be a massive, Russian-led coalition of nations coming against Israel like swarms of hornets against a defenseless child. As Revelation tells us, Satan will be the motivating force behind this invasion. But before he accomplishes his intended annihilation of Israel, she will be rescued by Almighty God.

The thwarting of the battle of Gog and Magog will be a setback to Satan, but he will not give up; he is relentless in his persecution of the Jews. His purpose, beginning in the middle of the Tribulation period, is to destroy the Jewish people before Christ can set up His kingdom, thus wrecking God's prophesied rule over the earth. According to Revelation 16, Satan will employ two fearful personalities in these plans: "And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet" (v. 13, emphasis added).

Here John tells us that Satan will empower the beast, who is the head of the reestablished Roman Empire, and the false prophet, the head of the new world religious system. Thus Satan (the dragon), the Beast (the Antichrist), and the false prophet become the unholy trinity committed to the destruction of Israel. when the church of Jesus Christ is taken safely into heaven and the Tribulation period begins, the unrestrained satanic persecution of Israel will people and the entire world toward the Battle of Armageddon.



next week: The Place of the Battle of Armageddon


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Stop telling God how big your storm is. Instead, tell the storm how big your God is

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JESUS' TESTIMONY OF A CENTURION'S FAITH

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. . . Jesus said to him, "I will come and heal him." But the centurion said, "Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed." . . . Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following, "Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel." . . . Matt 8:7-8, 10



THE CENTURION HERE -- an officer in charge of a hundred soldiers -- was undoubtedly a God-fearing Gentile. Jesus knew his heart and did not need to hear a direct request from anyone for healing of the servant. And indeed the centurion was so humble, he felt unworthy to have Jesus come into his house.

That the centurion twice called Jesus "Lord" shows a lot more than simple courtesy. The soldier was affirming that Christ was the Son of God, able to heal the man's paralyzed servant. He knew that only a powerful word from Jesus, uttered inside or outside the house, would be adequate.

In His humanity Jesus was amazed that the Roman centurion showed more real faith than He had found in many Jews. Although a number of Jews had already believed in the Lord, none had manifested the kind of sincerity, sensitivity, humility, love, and deep faith this Gentile had just displayed. On several occasions Jesus would reprimand even the Twelve for their lack of faith (Matt 8:23; Jn 14:9).

The good news of salvation originated from Israel (Matt 1:1-23). But that benefit comes to all who believe, not just to a certain ethnic group. God ordained in His redemptive plan that the Savior, His own Son, be born, live, and die as a Jew. But the fact that any Jew makes it to heaven will not be because he or she was a Jew like Jesus, but because of saving faith. This principle applies to everyone of every nationality.



Ask YOURSELF


How do you respond to the call for greater faith -- especially like that of someone in a different class or station than you? Are you resentful of the implication? Convinced you can never be that way? Or are you driven to your knees in a prayerful appeal for faith at all costs?



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The Holy Spirit never leaves a surrendered vessel unfilled or unused

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Should We Pluck out Our Eye? . . . John Barnett

Why does Jesus paint this shocking picture [in Matthew 18:9]? I believe He wants us to take radical steps, to do whatever is necessary to deal with sexual temptation.

Now, the hand and eye are not the causes of sin. A blind man can still lust and a man without a hand can still steal. But the eye is a means of access for both godly and ungodly input. And the hand is a means of performing righteous or sinful acts. We must therefore govern what the eye looks at and the hand does.

If we take Jesus seriously, we need to think far more radically about sexual purity. The battle is too intense, and the stakes are too high to approach purity casually or gradually.

Some men fall into mental adultery through lingerie ads, billboards, women joggers in tight pants, women with low cut blouses or short skirts, cheerleaders or dancers, movies, TV shows, and commercials of the beer-and-bikini variety. Some men’s weakness is the Sunday newspaper’s ad inserts or nearly any magazine.

So, stop looking. And then stop putting yourself in the position to look!

It’s a sin to deliberately put ourselves in a position where we’ll likely commit sin. Whether it’s the lingerie department, the swimming pool, or the workout room at an athletic club - if it trips you up, stay away from it.

Sound drastic? Compare it to gouging out an eye or cutting off a hand!


Taken from "Jesus, the Radical" by Discover the Book Ministries.



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You will never learn that God is all you need until He is all you have

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Answers to this week's Trivia's:

1. Complete the following warning of Paul: "Be not unequally yoked . . ."

A. with unbelievers." 2 Cor 6:14

2. In Jesus' parable of the talents, what did the third servant do with his talent?

0 A. He buried it Matt 25:18



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You can't just tip your hat to Jesus; you must bow your knee

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favorite BIBLE VERSE: Wrestling With Evil ...

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities,

against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age Ephesians 6:11-12 NKJV


When wrestlers compete, they rely on both strength and strategy to overcome their opponent. Even before the match begins, a wrestler takes a moment to size up his opponent,

looking for his opponent's potential vulnerabilities, while remaining fully aware of his own. The passage in Ephesians uses the image of a wrestling match to convey the ongoing

struggle and preparation that standing strong against evil entails - and it reminds you to be sure that you are fighting the right opponent.

People may do evil things, but your battle is not with individuals. Your battle is with evil itself. The Ephesians were well-acquainted with principalities, powers, and rulers of

darkness - different kinds of evil spirits. The society was heavily involved in sorcery and magic. Even those who chose not to follow God were aware there was some kind of

spiritual battle going on behind the scenes of their everyday life. Ephesians 6 provides readers with God's guidelines on how to effectively fight that battle.

Mixing metaphors between wrestling and fighting a battle, Ephesians 6 instructs you to cover yourself with God-given armor. This protective gear is described in more detail in

subsequent verses, but it includes things such as truth, righteousness, God's Spirit, God's word, and prayer. As you choose to don God's armor each day and remind yourself who

your opponent really is, you'll find yourself well-prepared to hold your ground against evil, regardless of when or where you find it.


Being prepared to encounter evil and focusing on it are two different things. Stay focused on God. His Spirit will make you aware of any battles you need to face.



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Blessing: Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you Jn 14:27

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* * * * * * * * *


Until next time remember, "Keep looking up!"

God loves you and yours, He really does!



Nancy <\\\><


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Remember:

A man may go to heaven…..

Without health, without wealth;

Without fame, without a great name;

Without learning, without earnings;

Without culture, without beauty;

Without friends and without ten thousand other things----

But he can NEVER go to Heaven without Christ.





This week's Quiz: Birds in the Bible

1. On what creation day did God create birds? Gen 1:20-23

3rd day
4th day
5th day
6th day


2. About whom did Joseph prophesy that the birds would eat his flesh? Gen 40:16-19

the butler
the baker
the Pharaoh
Goliath


3. What was an acceptable burnt offering for the Israelites to sacrifice? Lev 1:14

turtledoves

crows
chickens
quail


4. To whom did a Philistine say, "Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air..."? 1 Sam 17:44

king Saul
Daniel
David
Hosea


5. Who sat on sackcloth among the rocks during harvest to prevent birds from devouring her dead sons who had been hanged? 2 Sam 21:8-10

Rizpah
Deborah
Ruth
Jezebel


6. What did ravens bring to Elijah in the wilderness? 1 Ki 17:6

meat
honey
locusts
water


7. What bird did Noah send out from the ark first? Gen 8:7-8

dove
raven
pigeon
hawk


8. Whose hair was compared to eagle feathers and his fingernails to bird claws? Dan 4:33

Elisha
Nebuchadnezzar
John the Baptist
Elijah


9. On whom did the Holy Spirit descend like a dove? Matt 3:16

John the Baptist
Elisha
Elijah
Jesus


10. What bird did God provide for the Israelites to eat in the wilderness? Num 11:31

quail
doves
pigeons
chickens

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Message View
Bbl Stdy #572 . . .
From: hisfootprints4us <hisfootprints4us@comcast.net>
To: Nancy <hisfootprints4us@comcast.net>
Date: Tue, May 8, 2012 9:28 am
The goal of Bible Study is not just learning, but living

If you are saved, you will have a desire to be holy, a hunger for the Word, the inner witness of the Spirit, and a desire to share Jesus.

These are the birthmarks of the believer.



#572 8 May 12



. . . I [Paul] know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven - whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows.

And I know that this man was caught up into Paradise - whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows . . .



2 Corinthians 12:2-3



Grateful for . . . .



THE WORD OF GOD !



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Greetings! Welcome to our new list reader! So thankful you could join us. God loves you!
The word heaven is used in various senses in the Bible. Often it refers to the abode of God, the place from which Christ came and to which He went at His ascension and from which He is coming again. It is also pictured as the place to which the saints go upon death. Of all the facts concerning heaven the following are of particular interest:
1. it is the place of God's throne Isa 66:1
2. Christ our Mediator has entered into heaven Heb 6:20; 9:12, 24
3. the angels are in heaven Matt 18:10; 24:36
4. the wicked are excluded from heaven Gal 5:21; Rev 22:15
5. the saints are rewarded in heaven 1 Pet 1:4
6. here believers are to lay up treasure Matt 6:20; Lk 12:33


In other words: "caught up to the third heaven . . . caught up into Paradise" ... Paul was not describing two separate visions; "the third heaven" and "Paradise" are the same place [cf. Rev 2:7, which says

the tree of life is in Paradise, with Rev 22:14 which says it is in heaven].

The first heaven is the earth's atmosphere Gen 8:2; Deut 11:11; 1 Ki 8:35

the second is interplanetary and interstellar space Gen 15:5; Ps 8:3; Isa 13:10

the third is the abode of God 1 Ki 8:30; 2 Chron 30:27; Ps 123:1


"a man in Christ" .. Though Paul's reluctance to boast caused him to refer to himself in the third person, the context makes it obvious that he was speaking about himself; relating the experience of

another man would hardly have enhanced Paul's' apostolic credentials. Also, Paul's thorn in the flesh afflicted him, not someone else [v. 7].

"whether in ... or ... out of the body".. Paul was so overwhelmed by his heavenly vision that he did not know the precise details. However, whether he was caught up bodily into heaven [like Enoch,

Gen 5:24 and Elijah, 2 Ki 2:11], or his spirit was temporarily separated from his body, was not important.



Be a blessing this week!



* * * * * * * * *




This week's Trivia's: [answer's below . . ]

1. Which of the following men was not a prophet .. Daniel, Solomon, Moses or Isaiah?

2. According to Luke 10:27, we should love God with all our heart, soul, strength and what else?



* * * * * * * * *

Don't ever underestimate the power of your testimony of thanksgiving

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BIBLE MEDITATION: “If we are faithless, He remains faithful - for He cannot deny Himself.” 2 Timothy 2:13

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT: Are you a fair-weather Christian? There are some who, if their children get sick, will stop tithing. If they get a bad report from the doctor, they stop praising. If somebody hurts their feelings, they stop going to church.
You can tell the commitment level of a Christian by their “fair weather” gauge.
The test is, when everything goes wrong or doesn’t add up, what will you do?
I’ll give you some hints. Keep giving. Keep praying. Keep praising. Keep witnessing. Keep worshipping. Don’t fail to be faithful.

ACTION POINT: Think of three things you can do today to bring the light of God’s Son to someone who may be struggling with his or her faith. Then go do it!

from the Ministries of Love Worth Finding . . . by Adrian Rogers



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Are you backslidden? Let your faith in God's Word bring you back

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"What In The World Is Going On?" by Dr David Jeremiah

As I share this book with you I hope together we can learn to read the signs and understand coming events. There may be times that I will need to omit

parts of the usual layout to bring to you the important teaching from this book. [printed in 2008]

Lets begin to put together pieces of the puzzle, and try to recognize the clues that God has given us to find peace in "our terrifying age," and come

to an understanding of what in the world is going on. John 14:27.. "Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid"


THE NEW AXIS OF EVIL




THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD'S PLAN . . .


The Salvation of God's People

Finally, note the sovereignty of God's plan in rescuing His people. Ezekiel tells us that the ultimate outcome of the battle of Gog and Magog will be the salvation of the Jewish people:


Therefore thus says the Lord God: "Now I will bring back the captives of Jacob, and have mercy on the whole house of Israel; and I will be jealous for My holy name -

after they have borne their shame, and all their unfaithfulness in which they were unfaithful to Me, when they dwelt safely in their own land, and no one made them afraid.

When I have brought hem back from the peoples and gathered them out of their enemies' lands, and I am hallowed in them in the sight of many nations, then they shall

know that I am the LORD their God, who sent them into captivity among the nations, but also brought them back to their land, and left none of them captive any longer.

And I will not hide My face from them anymore; for I shall have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel," says the Lord God. [39:25-29]


Thus Ezekiel ends his monumental prophecy on a high note, extolling God's tender love and compassion toward His people. No matter how great the evil in men's hearts, no matter how much destruction and death that evil brings about, God's ultimate purpose in confronting that evil, in revealing His glory among the nations, and in bringing His own from the lands of the enemy is always to accomplish the salvation of His people.

As Ezekiel shows us so vividly, God's destruction of the Axis of Evil in the last days will accomplish the salvation of His people, the nation of Israel. By identifying this Axis of Evil as modern nations who are unwittingly bent on fulfilling this devastating prophecy, we have answered another question about what is going on in the world today. We have shown how present events will lead to the ultimate accomplishment of God's purposes.

I think it is important to point out that there is, in a sense, the potential for an axis of evil within the heart of every one of us. As the apostle Paul tells us, each of us has in our heart that "sinful nature" we inherited from Adam - a propensity for selfish evil that, if not controlled by the presence of God's Spirit, can run rampant and produce destruction in our lives and in the lives of those about us.

But thanks be to God, His salvation is not for Israel only. All men and women today can choose to be among God's people. You don't have to be a Jew to receive salvation, nor does being a Russian or an Iranian force one to be a part of the Axis of Evil. God in His infinite love pours out His Spirit on all who believe and turn to Him. With that wonderful transaction, and as His Spirit is poured out on the redeemed, the axis of evil in our hearts is transformed by God's love.

I will conclude this chapter by passing on to you a fine and touching example of this principle, which I recently found in a true incident reported by Robert Morgan:


Daniel Christiansen tells about a relative, a Romanian soldier in World War II, named Ana Gheorghe. It was 1941, and troops had overrun the Romanian region of Bessarabia

and entered Moldavia. Ana and his comrades were badly frightened. Bullets whizzed around them, and mortar shells shook the earth. By day, Ana sought relief reading his

Bible, but at night he could only crouch close to the earth and recall verses memorized in childhood.

One day during a spray of enemy fire, Ana was separated from his company. In a panic, he bolted deeper and deeper into the woods until, huddling at the base of a large tree,

he fell asleep from exhaustion. The next day, trying to find his comrades, he moved cautiously toward the front, staying in the shadows of the trees, nibbling a crust of bread,

drinking from streams. Hearing the battle closing in, he unslung his rifle, pulled the bolt, and watched for the enemy, his nerves near the breaking point. Twenty yards away, a

Russian soldier suddenly appeared.

All my mental rehearsals of bravery served me nothing. I dropped my gun and fell to my knees, then buried my face in my sweating palms and began to pray.

While praying, I waited for the cold touch of the Russian's rifle barrel against my head.

I felt a slight pressure on my shoulder close to my neck. I opened my eyes slowly. There was my enemy kneeling in front of me, his gun lying next to mine among

the wildflowers. His eyes were closed in prayer. We did not understand a single word of the other's language, but we could pray. We ended our prayer with two

words that need no translation: "Alleluia . . . Amen!"

Then, after a tearful embrace, we walked quickly to opposite sides of the clearing and disappeared beneath the trees.



next week: Arming for Armageddon


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We as believers get to partake in His promises!

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PHYSICAL HEALINGS AND SPIRITUAL CLEANSING

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. . . "... as a testimony to them." . . . Matt 8:4c



CHRIST'S MIRACULOUS HEALINGS were significant in His earthly ministry. They displayed genuine concern for human need and testified that He was God. But several times Jesus stated,

"Which is easier, to say, 'Yours sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? But so that you many know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins" (Matt 9:5-6; cf. Mk 2:9; Lk 5:23). The healing miracles simply illustrated the cleansing of sin, which was Jesus' primary purpose within God's redemptive plan.

Curing leprosy was an especially powerful illustration, because its physical destructiveness parallels sin's spiritual destructiveness. The Lord's healing of leprosy restored people to human fellowship, just as His cleansing of sin restores them to divine fellowship.

The church today often fails to confront individuals with the horrible destructiveness of their sin. Instead of "coming to Christ" by making an emotional, feeling-good decision, people need to realize their sins and bring them to God for cleansing. True conversion occurs when, like the leper, sinners confess their need and humbly seek His restoration. Like the leprous man, sinners flee to Christ as their only hope for rescue from their helpless condition of lostness.

Paralleling the healing again, Jesus' first requirement for new converts is their obedience to His Word. Only after demonstrating a new life of righteousness can they give proper testimony to what the Savior has done.



Ask YOURSELF


Is it fair to say that sinfulness is often a precursor to sickness? There is certainly no universal answer to this question, but how can you use times of limitation, weakness, or confinement to let God examine your heart and deepen your desire to follow Him?



* * * * * * * * *

Jesus is committed to His message because He is committed to His people

* * * * * * * * *


What is a Carnal Christian? . . . J. Vernon McGee

Paul says, "And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ" (1 Cor 3:1). So the carnal Christian is a babe in Christ; he doesn't understand the Word of God at all and doesn't have much of a heart for that. Paul continues, "For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?" (v. 3). The very fact that you have strife in any Christian organization - be it a church, a mission board or a radio program - there you have carnal Christians. That's the mark of carnality, the fact that they can't get along with other Christians. The second mark is that some were saying, "I'm with Paul" and others, "I'm with Apollos" - they follow men rather than follow God. That is the problem a great many Christians have today - they follow certain Christian leaders, talking about which radio teachers they like or don't like. But when you talk like that, it's carnality. Because most of the men on radio are attempting to teach the Word of God the way they feel God is leading and guiding them, and that's true in the church. Carnality manifests itself in that way. And there are several other characteristics. One of the evidences of their carnality is that they all wanted to speak in tongues, and that just doesn't happen to be a measure of spirituality but of carnality. They were also having problems at the Lord's Table. One was suing another in the law. And they were attempting to do things in the flesh by their own strength. All of these things, friend, indicate the carnality that is in Christians and determines what's a carnal Christian. Believe me, there are quite a few of them around today.



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You have an inheritance... share the Word

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Answers to this week's Trivia's:

1. Which of the following men was not a prophet .. Daniel, Solomon, Moses or Isaiah?

A. Solomon

2. According to Luke 10:27, we should love God with all our heart, soul, strength and what else?

A. Mind



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Its not what God demands, but what He offers

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favorite BIBLE VERSE: Willing Surrender ...

Be subject [submit] to one another out of reverence for Christ Ephesians 5:21 NLT


For many people, the idea of submitting themselves to someone else carries negative connotations. Submitting implies inferiority, subservience, or blind obedience. Nothing could be farther from

God's truth. submission as described in the Bible is a mutual commitment between two equals whose goal is to foster unity and cooperation. The ancient Greek word used in the Bible to describe

submission is a military command telling troops to get in order according to their rank. By following this structure of authority, soldiers can work together more efficiently to accomplish their own

individual duties. A company with too many generals and not enough privates has little chance of winning a war.

In the Bible, several verses ask wives to submit to their husbands, servants to submit to their masters, and citizens to submit tot he government. Ephesians 5:21 lays the groundwork for them all.

It makes absolutely clear that submission is expected of every follower of Jesus, not just a few specific groups of people. One way that Jesus showed His love was by willingly setting His rights

aside to better serve others. Every time you follow His example, you honor Him.

In daily life, submitting to one another looks a lot like respect, humility, and love. It means that demanding your own way, flaunting your authority, or nurturing a superiority complex are things

of the past. It means that your life is beginning to look more like Jesus'.


Before mutual submission is evident in your actions, it needs to take root in your attitude. That process begins the moment you submit your own personal agenda for life to God's.



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Blessing: There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear 1 Jn 4:18

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *



* * * * * * * * *


Until next time remember, "Keep looking up!"

God loves you and yours, He really does!



Nancy <\\\><


~ This is a FREE e-mailing ~

This Bible Study is sent to subscribers only according to our strict NO SP*M policy. If you appreciate the information contained in this letter,
please forward it to your friends. If you have acquired this letter from a friend and want to subscribe:

Send an e-mail with Subscribe on the subject line to: hisfootprints4us@comcast.net
If you do not want to receive these Bible Studies, please send an email with 'unsubscribe' on the subject line to hisfootprints4us@comcast.net No hard feelings



Remember:

A man may go to heaven…..

Without health, without wealth;

Without fame, without a great name;

Without learning, without earnings;

Without culture, without beauty;

Without friends and without ten thousand other things----

But he can NEVER go to Heaven without Christ.





This week's Quiz: Children in the Bible

1. What young man was sold into slavery by his brothers? Gen 37:28

Jacob
Joseph
Joshua
Jonathan


2. What infant was raised by the Pharaoh's daughter? Exo 2:10

Abraham
Aaron
Moses
Israel


3. Whose mother would bring him a new robe every year when he worked in the temple? 1 Sam 2:18-19

Samuel
Jonah
Aaron

Joseph


4. What was young David doing when Samuel called for him and anointed him King? 1 Sam 16:11-13

gathering stones

Message View
Bbl Stdy #571 . . .
From: hisfootprints4us <hisfootprints4us@comcast.net>
To: Nancy <hisfootprints4us@comcast.net>
Date: Tue, May 1, 2012 3:19 pm
The goal of Bible Study is not just learning, but living

If you are saved, you will have a desire to be holy, a hunger for the Word, the inner witness of the Spirit, and a desire to share Jesus.

These are the birthmarks of the believer.



#571 1 May 12



. . . All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness . . .



2 Timothy 3:16



Grateful for . . . .



THE WORD OF GOD !


Greetings! Jesus Christ is the Word of God incarnate. The Bible is the written Word of God. Paul here states that the written Word of God is God-breathed (Greek theopneustos), from which expression and from other Scripture is derived the concept of the inspiration of the bible. Historically, the church has always agreed that the Bible is the inspired Word of God. But it has not always been in agreement as to what inspiration actually consists of. Some have assumed that inspiration came via mechanical dictation in which the writers were simply secretaries who merely recorded what they were told to write down. In this view, Scripture is verbally inspired and inerrant. Another view, which avoids mechanical dictation, holds to verbal inspiration and insists upon an inerrant Scripture but allows for the freedom of the writer to use his own style and manner while preserved from error through the superintending power of the Holy Spirit. Both views usually limit inerrancy to the original manuscripts (the autographa), recognizing that errors have crept into present-day manuscripts since God has not guaranteed infallibility in transmission. These views of inspiration are based upon what are believed to be biblically taught doctrines of inspiration derived from Scripture itself. Still others accept the Bible as inspired but do not regard its uniqueness as extending to freedom from error in all matters of science and history. Those who hold this view do not believe that the existence of minor historical and scientific errors, or minor alterations of any kind, damages the essential message of the Scriptures or destroys Christian faith.

Sometime this week, read 2 Peter 1:20-21, in fact why not now?


Be a blessing this week!



* * * * * * * * *


Something to think about: Not only is the little nation of Israel in danger, the great nation of America is in danger. There never was a time when we needed God, there never was a time when we needed to put an emphasis on the Word of God, as there is at the present moment.


This week's Trivia's: [answer's below . . ]

1. When Adam was forced by God to leave the Garden of Eden, what did God say Adam would have to do from then on?

2. Into how many rivers did the river divide that flowed out of the Garden of Eden - 2, 3, 4 or 5?
* * * * * * * * *

The Bible is a testimony of God's people

* * * * * * * * *

BIBLE MEDITATION: “Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall He not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?” Matt 6:30

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT: Do you know the reason we’re stressed? Because we think our needs are not going to be met. We say, “Oh my goodness, I’m not going to have what I need!”
Jesus tells us not to worry about what you are going to eat. And don’t worry about what you are going to wear. He’s saying only one thing is important – His righteousness. These things don’t even take significance until your deepest needs are met. You are to find your satisfaction in Him. If you don’t find your satisfaction in Him, you’re going to be stressed.

ACTION POINT: Are you stressed out about something today? Turn it over to Jesus and turn your focus to Him. Let Jesus meet your needs and transform your heart today.

from the Ministries of Love Worth Finding . . . by Adrian Rogers



* * * * * * * * *

When God says "no," it's because He has something better in store for you

* * * * * * * * *



"What In The World Is Going On?" by Dr David Jeremiah

As I share this book with you I hope together we can learn to read the signs and understand coming events. There may be times that I will need to omit

parts of the usual layout to bring to you the important teaching from this book. [printed in 2008]

Lets begin to put together pieces of the puzzle, and try to recognize the clues that God has given us to find peace in "our terrifying age," and come

to an understanding of what in the world is going on. John 14:27.. "Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid"


THE NEW AXIS OF EVIL




THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD'S PLAN . . .


The Inevitable Accomplishment of God's Purpose

To understand what is going on in the war and destruction described in Ezekiel's prophecy, we must first consider the sovereignty of God's plan. Throughout this book we have observed that even in the most devastating of times, God is still in control. In fact, He often orchestrates events to bring about His purposes. He tells us what He will do to Israel's enemies in no uncertain terms: "I will turn you around, put hooks into your jaws, and lead you out, with all you army, horses, and horsemen" (Ezek 38:4); "It will be in the latter days that I will bring you against My land" (v. 16); "and I will turn you around and lead you on, bringing you up from the far north, and bring you against the mountains of Israel" (39:2).

Passages such as these confuse many people because of the seeming implication that God leads men to be evil or to do evil things. But the Bible never says that God instills evil in the hearts of men. Some would attempt to refute this claim by pointing out that during the Exodus, the Bible explicitly says that God hardened Pharaoh's heart. It does say that, of course, but the statement speaks about the nature of Pharaoh's heart, not about God overriding man's free will. Some hearts are like clay; the sun's heat will harden them. Others are like wax; the sun will cause them to melt. It's not the sun's fault that it hardens one substance and melts the other; it all depends on the nature of the material. Pharaoh's heart was the sort that would harden when exposed to God's light. It had nothing to do with God coercing him to do evil.

The Old Testament, especially, is intended to show that God is the sovereign ruler over all. Even though men try to thwart His plan and wreak great destruction, God's purpose will always win out. When Ezekiel wrote that God will bring the enemy against His land, he was simply saying that God will bring these nations to the doom that their wickedness inevitably demands. Everyone accomplishes God's will in the end. Those who conform to His will accomplish it willingly; those who do not conform accomplish it inadvertently as an unwitting tool in His hands.


The Simplicity of God's Purpose

Secondly, let's look at the simplicity of God's purpose. As you read the following verses from Ezekiel's prophecy, you will have no difficulty picking out the defining purpose clauses:


I will bring you against My land, so that the nations may know Me, when I am hallowed in you, O Gog, before their eyes (38:16)

Thus I will magnify Myself and sanctify Myself, and I will be known in the eyes of many nations. Then they shall know that I am the LORD. (38:23)

Then they shall know that I am the LORD (39:6)

So I will make My holy name known in the midst of My people Israel, and I will not let them profane My holy name anymore. Then the nations shall know that I am the LORD (39:7)

I will set My glory among the nations; all the nations shall see My judgment which I have executed,and My hand which I have laid on them. So the house of Israel shall know that I am the LORD their God from that day forward (39:21-22)


It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out God's purpose in the cataclysmic battle of the last days. It is very clear and very simple. God intends for people to recognize Him as the Lord God of heave, whose name is holy, whose glory fills the universe, and whom men must recognize as sovereign if they are to find the peace and joy He desires for His people.




next week: The Salvation of God's People


* * * * * * * * *

When we see God is faithful in the lives of the Bible, we can trust His faithfulness in our own lives

* * * * * * * * *
A TESTIMONY TO THE JEWS

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

. . .Jesus said to him, "See that you tell no one; but go, show yourself to the priest and present the offering that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them." . . . Matt 8:4

FOLLOWING TIMES OF GREATEST blessing and triumph, our Lord often tests us to see if our faith is obedient. In the case of the cleansed leper, Jesus commanded him to fulfill the ritual requirements of the law and let the priests attest to his healing (cf. Lev. 14). This responsibility had to precede any celebrations of his newfound health or telling others about his cure.

Perhaps Jesus told the man not to tell others of this healing so that people would not merely give adulation to Him as a miracle worker. Furthermore, He would not have wanted this event to encourage any speculation that He was a political deliverer. Christ was still in His period of humiliation, and any exaltation of Him by the crowd would have been premature within the Father's plan.

However, the major reason for Jesus' command to the healed man to respect the Mosaic requirements was to testify to the crowd, particularly the Jewish leaders. He blasted their hypocrisy, superficiality, and unscriptural methods, but He did not want to communicate that He had no regard for God's law at all. When the priest declared the man healed - and the evidence would be obvious - it would allow Jesus' miracle to be verified by the Jewish establishment. That would give added weight to His credibility as Messiah, as One who "did not come to abolish but to fulfill" (Matt 5:17).



Ask YOURSELF


How would you describe your spiritual state after a season of great accomplishment or at the culmination of a long struggle that has ended in victory? Is this a time when you deliberately focus on the basics of Christian faith, or when you decide to take a break for a while?



* * * * * * * * *

Satan binds us to the past while Jesus frees us for the future

* * * * * * * * *


What Does It Mean to Be Called? . . . Charles Stanley

You’ve probably heard the phrase “the call of God,” but maybe you don’t know exactly what it means. Is the Lord still calling people, or was that something He did only in Bible times? Does He speak only to a specific few or to everyone? Although He may not use an audible voice, He’s still in the business of seeking followers.

Called to Salvation—Because sin has created a barrier between us and God, He first reaches out to establish a relationship with us by offering salvation through Christ.

Called to Sanctification—Once we have been reconciled to the Lord, He then calls us to sanctification or holiness. This means that He sets us apart for His purposes. It’s not a perfect life, but one that is bent toward righteousness and obedience. Although this is an act of God that begins at the moment of salvation and continues until our physical death, it also requires a commitment from us. If we choose not to cooperate with the Lord in this process, our growth in Christlikeness will be hindered.

Called to Service—God has chosen to carry out His work in the world through those who are saved. He has determined the tasks He wants each of us to do; our job is to serve Him by accomplishing what He’s planned for us.

How are you responding to the Lord’s various calls? Remember that someday we will all stand before Him and give an account of our lives. Habitually saying no to His voice will result in loss, but those who have lived for Him instead of themselves will be richly rewarded.


Taken from “The Call of God” by In Touch Finding Ministries * * * * * * * * *

Failure in the past does not nullify purpose in the future

* * * * * * * * *


Answers to this week's Trivia's:

1. When Adam was forced by God to leave the Garden of Eden, what did God say Adam would have to do from then on?

A. He must work for a living or to eat Gen 3:17

2. Into how many rivers did the river divide that flowed out of the Garden of Eden - 2, 3, 4 or 5?

A. 4 Gen 2:10



* * * * * * * * *

On Satan's attempt to bring us harm: God uses the ax the devil sharpens

* * * * * * * * *
favorite BIBLE VERSE: Moving on ...

The LORD says, "Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, now shall it spring forth; shall you not know it? ." Isa 43:18-19 NKJV


The people of Israel made plenty of mistakes and suffered generations of consequences. They'd been slaves in Egypt, wandered the desert for forty years, and were presently at war with Assyria.

Because of repeatedly disobeying and distancing themselves from God, they'd lived with crippling fear, enemy invasions, and back-breaking bondage off and on for centuries. Along with words of

rebuke and warning, the prophet Isaiah offered those desperate people words of hope, which summed up the heart of his message.

Through Isaiah, God promised His people He was doing something fresh and innovative. The Hebrew word for new conveys both expectancy and optimism. It describes something

"unprecedented in its wonderful character." The promise that this new thing would "spring up" meant it would happen gradually, like the germination and growth of a beautiful wildflower. Its total

fulfillment would require patience, but its eventuality was sure. As the rest of the book of Isaiah would foretell, that fulfillment would be finally realized in the victory of Jesus.

To be able to look forward with joy, the Israelites needed to let go of the past. The same is true for people today. Learning from the past is useful. Dwelling on the past is destructive. It keeps

your focus on things you can no longer change and off what God is doing right before your eyes. Follow Isaiah's advice to the Israelites. Forget what's behind you. Move freely forward toward

the good that is sprouting right beneath your feet.


Letting go of past mistakes - yours and those of others - may involve forgiveness, repentance, and reconciliation. Let Isaiah's words encourage you as you work through

emotional or relational roadblocks. *

Blessing: If a man love Me, he will keep My words: and My Father will love him Jn 14:23

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Some years ago I received this from a friend, who is not a Christian, and I couldn't help but share with you to 'show' how much the world thinks of the 'WORD' vs the TV guide:


The Word...

They lie on the table side by side

The Holy Bible and TV guide

One is well worn and cherished with pride

Not the bible, but the TV guide


One is used daily to help folks decide

No, not the Bible, but the TV guide

AS the pages are turned, what shall they see

Oh, what does it matter, turn on the TV


Then confusion reigns, they can't all agree

On what they should watch on the old TV

So they open the Book in which they confide

No, no the Bible, but the TV guide


The Word of God is seldom read

Maybe a verse as they fall into bed

Exhausted and sleepy and tired as can be

Not from reading the Bible, from watching TV


So then back to the table side by side

Lie the Holy Bible and the TV guide

No time for prayer, no time for the Word

The plan of Salvation is seldom heard


But forgiveness of sin, so full and free,

Is found in the Bible, not on TV!


* * * * * * * * *


Until next time remember, "Keep looking up!"

God loves you and yours, He really does!

Nancy ~ This is a FREE e-mailing ~

This Bible Study is sent to subscribers only according to our strict NO SP*M policy. If you appreciate the information contained in this letter,
please forward it to your friends. If you have acquired this letter from a friend and want to subscribe:

Send an e-mail with Subscribe on the subject line to: hisfootprints4us@comcast.net
If you do not want to receive these Bible Studies, please send an email with 'unsubscribe' on the subject line to hisfootprints4us@comcast.net No hard feelings

Remember:

A man may go to heaven…..

Without health, without wealth;

Without fame, without a great name;

Without learning, without earnings;

Without culture, without beauty;

Without friends and without ten thousand other things----

But he can NEVER go to Heaven without Christ.

This week's Quiz: True or False: 1 Samuel

1. Eli had 3 sons 1 Sam 1:3

true
false


2. The Lord called young Samuel four times 1 Sam 3:4-10

true
false


3. Eli's sons died during a battle with the Philistines 1 Sam 4:11

true
false


4. God struck the Israelites for looking into the Ark of the Lord 1 Sam 6:19

true
false


5. Samuel anointed both Saul and David as kings 1 Sam 10:1, 1 Sam 16:13

true
false


6. Saul was rejected as king because he slew a man 1 Sam 15:11-19

true
false


7. David took seven smooth stones to fight Goliath 1 Sam 17:40

true
false


8. Saul had 85 priests killed for assisting David 1 Sam 22:18

true
false


9. David tried to kill king Saul twice 1 Sam 26:10-11

true
false


10. Saul was shot with an arrow 1 Sam 31:3

true
false

The goal of Bible Study is not just learning, but living

If you are saved, you will have a desire to be holy, a hunger for the Word, the inner witness of the Spirit, and a desire to share Jesus.

These are the birthmarks of the believer.












#570 24 April 12




















. . . All who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law.

For it is not the 'hearers' of the law who are righteous before God, but he 'doers' of the law who will be justified . . .






Romans 2:12-13






















Grateful for . . . .















THE WORD OF GOD !















(\0/) (\0/) (\0/) (\0/) (\0/) (\0/)



























Greetings! The condition of those who die without hearing of Christ presents a very serious problem. However, although nothing specific is said about those who die without hearing the gospel, it appears that Scripture assigns those who die without receiving Christ to everlasting punishment. Men are not judged for refusing to accept Christ if they have never heard of Him. They are then judged in the light of their own consciences, but as Romans here teaches us, no man really lives up tot he light of his conscience. There is no Scripture which supports the idea of a second chance for the unevangelized heathen. The belief that men without Christ are lost has always been a motive for missionary outreach.
Take the time this week to read verses 14-16. It will teach that the law of God may be defined as the revealed will of God. It is found, imperfectly, in human conscience and perfectly in the Scriptures. The moral law of God is summarized in the Ten Commandments (Ex 20:2-17; Deut 5:6-21). The judicial and ceremonial laws of the Old Testament were transitory and adapted to the needs of a particular people for a particular time. The moral law is of permanent significance for all peoples and has the greatest relevance for Christians as a guide to pleasing their heavenly Father. Even faith does not revoke this law.




Be a blessing this week!















* * * * * * * * *

Ponder this: Four things you can't recover:


The stone...........after the throw. The word........after it's said.
The occasion.....after it's missed. The time..........after it's gone.




This week's Trivia's: [answer's below . . ]



1. How long had Paul has his "thorn in the flesh" when he wrote 2 Corinthians 12?


2. How old was Moses when his mother hid him in the bulrushes .. 3 months, 5 months, 7 months or a1 year?
















* * * * * * * * *


If we can relax in what God has for us - how much better would our life be

* * * * * * * * *


BIBLE MEDITATION: “Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.” Psalm 2:6

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT: The kingdoms of this world are being moved around like checkers, but soon God is going to move His Son into King’s Row and say, “Crown Him King of kings!”

How many times have you prayed, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven”?
Do you think God’s will is being done on earth as it is in heaven? Look around at the crime, rape, murder, child abuse, and blasphemy. Do you think that’s God’s will? Of course not.

Do you think Jesus Christ would have taught us to pray a prayer that will not be answered? God is going to move Jesus into King’s Row and say, “Crown Him King!”

ACTION POINT: Read Psalm 2. What does the Psalmist tell the kings of this world to do? Pray now that God will work in the hearts of the world leaders.

from the Ministries of Love Worth Finding . . . by Adrian Rogers






* * * * * * * * *

If Christ died for us - So are we to live for Him

* * * * * * * * *







"What In The World Is Going On?" by Dr David Jeremiah


As I share this book with you I hope together we can learn to read the signs and understand coming events. There may be times that I will need to omit

parts of the usual layout to bring to you the important teaching from this book. [printed in 2008]

Lets begin to put together pieces of the puzzle, and try to recognize the clues that God has given us to find peace in "our terrifying age," and come

to an understanding of what in the world is going on. John 14:27.. "Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid"














THE NEW AXIS OF EVIL























THE INVASION OF ISRAEL . . .




The Aftermath of War

First, there will be a feast. There is strong irony in using the term feast for what will happen immediately following the destruction of Israel's enemies. It will not be a feast of victory for the rescued Israelis; it will be a feast for vultures and predators feeding on the incredible masses of bodies strewn across the battlefield. Here is how Ezekiel described the grisly banquet;




"You shall fall upon the mountains of Israel, you and all of your troops and the peoples who are with you; I will give you to birds of prey of every sort and to the beasts

of the field to be devoured. You shall fall on the open field; for I have spoken," says the Lord God . . . "And as for you, son of man, thus says the Lord God, 'Speak to

every sort of bird and to every beast of the field:




"Assemble yourselves and come;

Gather together from all sides to My sacrificial meal

Which I am sacrificing for you,

A great sacrificial meal on the mountains of Israel,

That you may eat flesh and drink blood.

You shall eat the flesh of the mighty,

Drink the blood of the princes of earth,

Of rams and lambs,

Of goats and bulls,

All of them fatlings of Bashan.

You shall eat fat till you are full,

And drink blood till you are drunk,

At My sacrificial meal

Which I am sacrificing for you.

You shall be filled at My table

With horses and riders,

With mighty men

And with all the men of war,'" says the Lord God. (Eze 39:4-5, 17-20)




This chilling prophecy uses the language of a feast - what God calls His "sacrificial feast" - to show how the intervention of God will result in a gruesome spectacle of uncountable bodies littering the landscape like debris from a tornado, creating a bountiful banquet for His guests, the birds of the air and beasts of the field.

The second event that will occur after the destruction of Israel's enemies is a great funeral. Ezekiel described it:




It will come to pass in that day that I will give Gog a burial place there in Israel,t he valley of those who pass by east of the sea; and it will obstruct travelers,

because there they will bury Gog and all his multitude. Therefore they will call it the valley of Hamon Gog. For seven months the house of Israel will be burying

them, in order to cleanse the land . . . They will set apart men regularly employed, with the help of a search party, to pass through the land and bury those

bodies remaining on the ground, in order to cleanse it. At the end of seven months they will make a search. The search party will pass through the land; and

when anyone sees a man's bone, he shall set up a marker by it, till the buriers have buried it in the Valley of Hamon God. (Eze 39:11-12, 14-16)




Here Ezekiel painted another chilling and macabre picture of the horrendous death and destruction inflicted on Israel's invaders. This war will produce so many casualties that it will take seven months to bury all the bodies. In fact, the task will be so enormous that a special detachment of soldiers will be assigned to carry it out. According to the Old Testament, an unburied corpse is a reproach to God and causes a land to be defiled (Deut 21:23). Thus the Israelis will feel compelled to clean up the bloody battlefield and bury all the dead.

The third aftermath of the war against Israel will be a great and long-burning fire. Here's how Ezekiel explained the fire and its purpose:




"Then those who dwell in the cities of Israel will go out and set on fire and burn the weapons, both the shields and bucklers, the bows and arrows,

the javelins and spears; and they will make fires with them for seven years . . . They will not take wood from the field nor cut down any from the

forests, because they will make fires with the weapons; and they will plunder those who plundered them, and pillage those who pillaged them,"

says the Lord God. (Eze 39:9-10)




This passage indicates that the arsenal of weaponry and military equipment brought against Israel by the coalition of nations will be utterly staggering. While it will take seven months to bury the bodies, which is astonishing enough, it will take seven years to burn the weapons.

Some readers of Ezekiel are troubled that the prophet described these as weapons of ancient origin, whereas a battle that is yet to occur in the future will surely employ modern weaponry and highly sophisticated military equipment - guns, tanks, planes, bombs, missiles, and possibly even nuclear weapons. But we must allow common sense to prevail in our reading o f Ezekiel. He did what all prophets have done: he spoke of the future using terms and descriptions that he and the people of his day would understand. If he had written of tanks and missiles and bombs, those living in his time would have been utterly mystified, and his message would have had no meaning to them.

The burial of the bodies and the burning of the weapons comprise what Ezekiel calls the "cleansing of the land" from the defilement of death and destruction wrought upon it by the enemies of God's people. These massive cleanup operations in the aftermath of the war give us an eye-opening picture of the enormity of the destruction predicted in Ezekiel's end-time prophecy. As we try to comprehend these cataclysmic events, we can only shake our heads in wonder and ask, "What in the world is going on?" I believe Ezekiel helps us to answer that question as we look further into his prophecy.



next week: THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD'S PLAN . . . The Inevitable Accomplishment of God's Purpose .. and .. The Simplicity of God's Purpose





* * * * * * * * *

The Gospel is God given . . . it is not man made

* * * * * * * * *
















JESUS' TOUCH AND INSTANTANEOUS HEALING

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

. . .Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. . . Matt 8:3















THE MOSAIC LAW FORBADE the Jews from touching lepers, because they were unclean (Lev 5:3) and would expose healthy people to ceremonial and physical contamination. But Lepers, in their social ostracism, yearned for even a brief, up-close contact with another person besides a fellow leper.

Jesus could have healed this man with just a single word, but He made a point of touching him. This action was truly amazing - not in a spectacular, sensational manner, but simply because the Son of Man would lovingly reach out and reach down to touch an outcast of outcasts as no one else would.

The Lord bestowed instantaneous healing: "immediately his leprosy was cleansed." When he touched the man's defiled body, his disease simply disappeared. (Christ could have chosen to heal in stages, as He sometimes did [Mk 8:22-26; Jn 9:6-7], but there was no necessity to do so.) The picture for the eyewitnesses would have been dramatic. A bent-over, withered derelict, with skin ravaged by scaly, ugly sores, would suddenly stand up. His limbs were now perfectly normal, his face smooth and unscarred, his eyes clear and bright, and his voice strong and confident.

Modern medical science, with all its wonderful expertise and abilities to cure, can never equal the miraculous restoration Jesus provided.












Ask YOURSELF














Are there certain people you are wary of touching - either by physical embraced or even eye contact? What gives us the right of being too good or polished or educated or privileged to look lovingly into the face of another, to offer ourselves and our acceptance?













* * * * * * * * *

Does God exist to bless you or do you exist to bless Him?

* * * * * * * * *








What Did the Resurrected Body of Jesus Look Like? . . . Greg Laurie
What did the resurrected body of Jesus look like? The Bible tells us that after Jesus’ cruel torture, crucifixion, and three days in the tomb, He was recognizable, and that His followers knew who He was.

We know that He had a body of flesh and bone. Jesus told the disciples, “Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have” (Luke 24:39).

We also know that Jesus ate food. Imagine the surprise of the disciples when the risen Lord appeared to them and then said, “Have you any food here?”

What?” they must have been thinking. But they gave Jesus a piece of broiled fish and some honeycomb, and He ate it (Luke 24:41–43).

His resurrected body also could be touched and felt. When the women were returning from the empty tomb, “Behold, Jesus met them, saying, ‘Rejoice!’ So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him” (Matt 28:9).

Then, when Jesus appeared to the disciples in the Upper Room, He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing” (John 20:27).

This tells us that in His resurrected body, Jesus still wore the marks of the crucifixion. And He will wear those marks, even in eternity (Zech 12:10).

I think this is to remind us of how we got there. We will not be in heaven because of our good works. We will be there because of His shed blood, because spikes were driven through His hands and feet for us.




Taken from “A Permanent Reminder” by Harvest Ministries







* * * * * * * * *

When you hear-you act .. when you listen-you respond


* * * * * * * * *





Answers to this week's Trivia's:






















1. How long had Paul has his "thorn in the flesh" when he wrote 2 Corinthians 12?

A. 14 years 2 Cor 12


2. How old was Moses when his mother hid him in the bulrushes .. 3 months, 5 months, 7 months or a1 year?

A. 3 months Ex 2:1-2





* * * * * * * * *







Don't use your 'freedom' to cloak over your own desires

* * * * * * * * *










favorite BIBLE VERSE: Free at Last ...

Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the Truth, and the Truth shall make you free." Jn 8:31-32 NKJV




In today's post-modern society, talking about truth can be tricky. If you want to discuss a truth, feel free. However, talking about the truth is a whole other matter. Talking about the truth

would imply that what you're sharing is an absolute truth, something that is true for everyone - whether everyone personally believes it to be true or not.

That's the kind of truth Jesus was talking about to His Jewish audience in the temple treasury as recorded in the Gospel of John. The term Jesus used for truth was the same one used to

describe a legal standard, a fact that would stand up in court. This fact was broader than just the truth about who Jesus was. The Jews who were listening already believed. The truth Jesus

spoke of is the kind revealed over the course of a lifetime, as those who believed in Him choose to obey His words.

In ancient Greek, know means more than "to take a mental note of." It means that you have tested your belief experientially. By putting Jesus' teaching into practice, you can come to know

the truth about God, life, and yourself. This knowledge frees you from chains you may not even be aware are holding you back, such chains as pride, selfishness, and the temptation to do what

is contrary to Jesus' words. Let God's truth lead you to true freedom today.




God's promise of freedom is linked to putting His words to the test. Get to know His words better by reading, meditating on, and praying about at least one verse of Scripture each day.





















* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Blessing: Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you? II Cor 13:5c

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *










Until next time remember, "Keep looking up!"

God loves you and yours, He really does!
















Nancy <\\\><




~ This is a FREE e-mailing ~

This Bible Study is sent to subscribers only according to our strict NO SP*M policy. If you appreciate the information contained in this letter,
please forward it to your friends. If you have acquired this letter from a friend and want to subscribe:

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Remember:

A man may go to heaven…..

Without health, without wealth;

Without fame, without a great name;

Without learning, without earnings;

Without culture, without beauty;

Without friends and without ten thousand other things----

But he can NEVER go to Heaven without Christ.







This week's Quiz: Is It In There?

1. Is the statement "God helps those who help themselves" in the Bible?


no
yes




2. Is the saying "cast your bread upon the waters" found in Scripture? Eccl 11:1

no
yes






3. Is the truism "you reap what you sow" based on Scripture? 2 Cor 9:6

no
yes






4. Is the adage "money is the root of all evil" from the Bible? 1 Tim 6:10

no
yes






5. Is the maxim "cleanliness is next to godliness" in the Bible?


no
yes



6. Is the maxim "honesty is the best policy" based on Scripture? Lev 19:36

no
yes






7. Is the aphorism "a fool and his money are soon parted" found in Scripture?


no
yes






8. Is the proverb "It is more blessed to give than to receive" found in the Bible? Acts 20:35

no
yes





9. Is the maxim "do unto others as you'd have done to you" based on Scripture? Matt 7:12

no
yes






10. Is the adage "to err is human, to forgive divine" found in the Bible?


no
yes

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The goal of Bible Study is not just learning, but living

If you are saved, you will have a desire to be holy, a hunger for the Word, the inner witness of the Spirit, and a desire to share Jesus.

These are the birthmarks of the believer.


#569 17 April 12

I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, He takes away, and every branch that dos bear fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already made clean by the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing
John 15:1-5


Grateful for . . . .


THE WORD OF GOD !


Greetings! As I have done in the past, I checked with my trusty Funk and Wagnalls Dictionary for the word abide. It says, 1) To continue in a place; remain. 2) To look for; wait for. 3) To endure; put up with. 4) To behave in accordance with; adhere to, as a promise or rule. 5) To accept the consequences of; submit to.
Fruit-bearing is the normal product of regeneration. To be fruitless is abnormal and suggests the possibility of a spurious (false) conversion experience. Christ's statement that fruitless branches shall be removed is in line with James' statement that faith without works is a dead faith (Jas 2:26) At the same time Christ also makes it clear that fruit is not the final purpose of the believer's life, but rather a joyous and loving fellowship with God himself. Nevertheless God purges the fruit-bearing Christian (painful though it may be) so that he becomes more fruitful.
'in other words': Through this extended metaphor of the vine and branches; Jesus set forth the basis of Christian living. Jesus used the imagery of agricultural life at the time. He specifically identified Himself as the "true vine" and the Father as the "vinedresser" or caretaker of the vine. The vine has two types of branches: 1) branches that bear fruit, and 2) branches that do not. The branches that bear fruit are genuine believers. The branches that do not bear fruit are those who profess to believe, but their lack of fruit indicates genuine salvation has never taken place and they have no life from the vine.




Be a blessing this week!

* * * * * * * * *

Something to think about:

The teaching of Christ won't save you - it is His death, burial, and resurrection. He died a substitutionary, redemptive, vicarious death upon the cross for the sins of the world.




This week's Trivia's: [answer's below . . ]



1. Who led the first act of dancing recorded in the Bible?


2. To whom was Jesus speaking the earliest time He is recorded as saying: "Mine hour is not yet come * * * * * * * * *


Heavenly investment creates joy in the body of Christ

* * * * * * * * *


BIBLE MEDITATION: “O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him.” Psalm 34:8

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT: The Lord Jesus Christ gives us beatitudes—attitudes that ought to be. They are not platitudes. They are attitudes that deal with Christian character.

Your reputation is what others think about you, but character is what God knows about you.
The beatitudes do not say, “Blessed are what you have,” or “Blessed are what you do,” but “Blessed are what you are.” Most of the people in the world are doing what?
They are seeking happiness. If you seek happiness you’ll never find it. But if you get right with God, blessedness will find you.

ACTION POINT: Have you been finding your self-worth in what you have or what you do? Confess it before the Lord and meditate on the attitudes you ought to have in Matthew 5:3-11.

from the Ministries of Love Worth Finding . . . by Adrian Rogers

* * * * * * * * *

If the tomb is not empty, the cradle makes no difference

* * * * * * * * *

What In The World Is Going On?" by Dr David Jeremiah


As I share this book with you I hope together we can learn to read the signs and understand coming events. There may be times that I will need to omit

parts of the usual layout to bring to you the important teaching from this book. [printed in 2008]

Lets begin to put together pieces of the puzzle, and try to recognize the clues that God has given us to find peace in "our terrifying age," and come

to an understanding of what in the world is going on. John 14:27.. "Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid THE NEW AXIS OF EVIL
THE INVASION OF ISRAEL . . .




The Arsenal of Weapons

When God goes to war, He uses weapons unique to Him -- weapons that render the arsenals of men as ineffective as a water pistol against a nuclear bomb. God will save His people Israel by employing four of these weapons simultaneously. First, He will rout the armies of Israel's attackers with massive convulsions in the earth. As Ezekiel explains:




"For in My jealousy and in the fire of My wrath I have spoken: 'Surely in that day there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel, so that the fish of the sea,

the birds of the heavens, the beasts of the field, all creeping things that creep on the earth, and all men who are on the face of the earth shall shake at My presence.

The mountains shall be thrown down, the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.'" (38:19-20)




God will follow these convulsions of the earth with His second weapon, which will be to create such confusion among the attacking troops that they will panic and begin killing one another: "'I will call for a sword against Gog throughout all My mountains,' says the Lord God. 'Every man's sword shall be against his brother'" (Eze 38:21). In the seventh and eight chapters of Judges, we see a similar event reported. We are told that 135,000 Midianites had gathered against Israel. Gideon and his little band of three hundred men, under the direction of God and through the power of God, threw the enemy into total confusion, and the Lord set every man's sword against his brother. As a result , 120,000 Midianite soldiers died, largely by what today we would call "friendly fire."

In Ezekiel we can see how God's first two weapons work together in a one-two punch. A sudden earthquake in the mountains of Israel would certainly panic an army. With the ground moving like sea waves, the upheaval of the earth generating dense clouds of dust, it would be impossible for warriors to distinguish an enemy from an ally, and in their blind terror they would kill anything that moved.

The third divine weapon will be the contagion of disease: "And I will bring him to judgment with pestilence and bloodshed," asserts the Lord (38:22a). He will infect the invading troops with some debilitating disease that will render them incapable of carrying out an effective attack. God will follow this contagion with His fourth and final weapon: calamities from the sky. "I will rain down on him, on his troops, and on the many peoples who are with him, flooding rain, great hailstones, fir, and brimstone" (v. 22b)

We find the prototype for this strategy in God's judgment upon Sodom and Gomorrah, where the two decadent cities were forever buried under the briny water of the Dead Sea by a storm of fire and brimstone. One man has written: "Every force of nature is a servant of the Living God, and in a moment can be made a soldier, armed tot he teeth. Men are slowly discovering that God's forces stored in nature are mightier than the brawn of the human arm." When God goes to war, no army on earth can stand against His formidable arsenal. The armies that come against Israel in the last days will learn that truth the hard way.




next week: The Aftermath of War





* * * * * * * * *

There can be no real peace without the divine peace of God

* * * * * * * * *


JESUS AND THE LEPER, PART 2

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

. . .When Jesus came down from the mountain, large crowds followed Him. And a leper came to Him and bowed down before Him, and said, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." . .

Matt 8:1-2

SEVERAL MORE STRIKING FEATURES marked the leper who came to Jesus. The man came expectantly but not demandingly, therefore he approached the Lord with humility. It's clear he wanted to be healed, but he did not explicitly ask Jesus for this miraculous favor. That was almost too much for the leper to presume, hence his statement, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." What a contrast tot he attitude of those in some religious circles today who boastfully claim divine healing as if God should automatically grant it.

The leprous man also came in sincere faith -- one that displays the firm conviction that God is able to work on our behalf, but yet a conviction accompanied by submission to His sovereign will. He knew that although Jesus was able to instantly cure his leprosy, He was not obligated. The man's faith was much like that of Daniel's friends who told the king, "If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up" (Dan 3:17-18). In the same way, the leper would also accept whatever outcome Jesus provided.












Ask YOURSELF
Expectantly but not demandingly." How would this posture change the way you're currently praying over a pressing matter -- not by discounting faith and being guilty of doubt and double-mindedness, but by boldly placing yourself and others under Christ's capable safekeeping?

* * * * * * * * *

When you pray: you get heavenly perspective on earthly problems

* * * * * * * * *
Could Jesus Have Survived the Crucifixion? . . . Greg Laurie
The swoon theory is one of Satan's oldest lies concerning the Resurrection. This theory proposes that Jesus did not rise from the dead, because He never really died. Instead, Jesus went into a deep coma or "swoon" from the severe pain and trauma of the Crucifixion. Then, in the cool atmosphere of the tomb, Christ revived, somehow escaped the strips of cloths that were wrapped tightly upon Him, and then appeared to His disciples.

The swoon theory flies in the face of the facts. You see, the Roman guards were experts at execution and would be put to death if they allowed a condemned man, like Christ, to escape death. The guards were certain Jesus was dead, because when they thrust a spear into His side, it brought forth blood and water. This was their final proof of His death because this occurs when the heart stops beating.

Some time ago I read a local advice column that featured a reader's question about the Resurrection. The reader asked, "Dear Uticus, Our preacher said that Jesus swooned on the cross and then His disciples nursed Him to health. What do you think? Signed, Bewildered." Uticus responded, "Dear Bewildered, Beat your preacher with a cat-o'-nine-tails thirty-nine times. Nail him to a cross. Hang him in the sun for six hours. Run a spear through his side, embalm him, and put him in an airless tomb for thirty-six hours and see what happens. Sincerely, Uticus."

Uticus' response points to the ridiculousness of the swoon theory. Amazingly enough, people still subscribe to this theory. Not because it's plausible. Not because it's logical, but because it's something to hang their doubt on. The truth of the matter is that Jesus Christ has risen!




Taken from "A Case for the Resurrection (Part 2)" by Harvest Ministries







* * * * * * * * *

If Easter had not happened, Christmas would have no meaning


* * * * * * * * *





Answers to this week's Trivia's:

1. Who led the first act of dancing recorded in the Bible?

A. Miriam Exo 15:20


2. To whom was Jesus speaking the earliest time He is recorded as saying: "Mine hour is not yet come."?

A. Mary, His mother Jn 2:4




* * * * * * * * *







If your an ungrateful person - you will experience lack of joy

* * * * * * * * *










favorite BIBLE VERSE: Battle Plan ...

Submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you James 4:7 NKJV




The devil is referred to by many names throughout the Bible -- accuser, tempter, deceiver, slanderer, enemy, Satan. One thing the Bible never calls him is a mythical creature. He is as real as God himself. There's no point in resisting someone who isn't there.

You need to know more, however, than that Satan exists. You need to know exactly what to do to defeat Satan. On the same day you aligned yourself with God, you gained this adversary, which is what the word Satan literally means. Satan has no personal interest in you. His only aim is to hurt God. One way he tries to do that is by trying to hurt he ones whom God loves. Satan is only a prideful, fallen angel. He isn't all-knowing or all-powerful. Yet he can still wreak havoc, causing you to doubt God's love or tempting you to go down the wrong road.

But you can stop Satan in his tracks. First, submit to God. In the original language, submit is a military command that means "to get into your proper rank." That's accomplished by humbly putting every aspect of your life under God's loving authority. Only then are you prepared to defeat the devil. Resist is also a military command that means "to stand bravely against." Stand against your adversary by recalling biblical truths. Strengthen your resolve through prayer. Turn your back on anything that entices you to turn away from God. Satan will flee from the battle before it has even begun.




Satan has no future. Jesus assured Satan's ultimate defeat by dying on the cross. The potential skirmishes that James alludes to are nothing more than diversionary tactics from an opponent who is destined to lose.


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Blessing: Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise Thee Ps 63:3

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *



A cute chuckle for this week: no pun intended

A woman has twins and gives them up for adoption. One of them goes to Spain, they name him 'Juan'; the other went to a family in Egypt and is named 'Ahmal.' Years later, Juan sends a picture of himself to his birth mother. Upon receiving the picture, she tells her husband that she wishes she also had a picture of Ahmal. Her husband responds, 'They're twins! If you've seen Juan, you've seen Ahmal.'

Until next time remember, "Keep looking up!
God loves you and yours, He really does!
Nancy ~ This is a FREE e-mailing ~

This Bible Study is sent to subscribers only according to our strict NO SP*M policy. If you appreciate the information contained in this letter,
please forward it to your friends. If you have acquired this letter from a friend and want to subscribe:

Send an e-mail with Subscribe on the subject line to: hisfootprints4us@comcast.netIf you do not want to receive these Bible Studies, please send an email with 'unsubscribe' on the subject line to hisfootprints4us@comcast.net No hard feelings


Remember:

A man may go to heaven…..

Without health, without wealth;

Without fame, without a great name;

Without learning, without earnings;

Without culture, without beauty;

Without friends and without ten thousand other things----

But he can NEVER go to Heaven without Christ.
This week's Quiz: Beatitudes

1. Where was Jesus when he delivered the Beatitudes? Matt 5:1

in a boat
in the temple
on a mountain
in a cave

2. Jesus taught Blessed are the poor in spirit, for ______; Matt 5:3

theirs is the kingdom of heaven
theirs is the kingdom of man
theirs is the wealth of God
they shall receive abundant grace

3. Jesus said "Blessed are those who mourn, for _______.; Matt 5:4

God shall wipe away every tear from their eye
they shall soon rejoice
they shall be comforted
they shall see God

4.Blessed are the meek, for _______; Matt 5:5

they shall inherit eternal life
they shall inherit the earth
they shall be exalted
they are the children of God

5. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for _______. Matt 5:6

they shall be redeemed
God will guard their steps
they shall find it
they shall be filled
6. "Blessed are the merciful, for _______." Matt 5:7

they shall see God
they shall obtain mercy
they shall be comforted
they shall be called sons of God

7. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for _______." Matt 5:8

they shall see God

they shall receive mercy
theirs is the kingdom of heaven
they shall inherit the earth
8. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for _______." Matt 5:9

they shall be called sons of God
they shall see God
they shall receive the keys to the Kingdom
they shall receive their reward in heaven

9. "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for _______." Matt 5:10

they shall obtain mercy
theirs is the kingdom of heaven
they shall see God
they shall inherit the earth
10. "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for my sake, for _______." Matt 5:11-12

great is your reward in heaven
you shall receive mercy
you shall inherit eternal life
great is your name in the kingdom of heaven



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Bbl Stdy #568 . . .
From: hisfootprints4us@comcast.net
To: Nancy hisfootprints4us@comcast.net
Date: Tue, Apr 10, 2012 5:42 pm
The goal of Bible Study is not just learning, but living

If you are saved, you will have a desire to be holy, a hunger for the Word, the inner witness of the Spirit, and a desire to share Jesus.

These are the birthmarks of the believer.
#568 10 April 12
. . . Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,

even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. . . .
Ephesians 1:3-4
Grateful for . . . .

THE WORD OF GOD !
Greetings! In the heavenly places (or heavenlies) is the realm in which Christ now reigns by virtue of His Resurrection from the dead (1:20), which He shares with those who through God's grace have been raised with Christ from their trespasses (2:5, 6). In this realm believers enjoy every spiritual blessing, and here the Christian warfare is waged against the spiritual forces of evil (6:12). Here God's manifold wisdom is made known through the church to these spiritual principalities and powers (3:10).
Election (ie: 'He chose us') is a sovereign outworking of God's power to effect that which is pleasing to Him according to His righteous and holy will. The New Testament uses the term elect (eklektoi) to include a variety of meanings. Thus every believer is elected or chosen:
1. to good works Eph 2:10
2. to conformity to the image of Christ Rom 8:29
3. to eternal glory Rom 9:23
4. to adoption as a son Eph 1:5

But the aspect of election which has given rise to dispute relates to salvation itself. It has been argued that if only those who are elected are saved, then the death of Christ was really intended only for them (limited atonement). Others insist that a bona fide offer to all men everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30) involves a divine intention for Christ's atonement to save all mankind (unlimited atonement). Scripture teaches purpose (Rom 9:11; Eph 1:11) and that it is according to His foreknowledge (Rom 8:29; 1 Pet 1:2). But nowhere does the Bible make explicit what it is in God's foreknowledge that determines His elective choice. At all events, the Scriptures appear to teach clearly enough that men are free agents with moral responsibility, while at the same time God is sovereign and works out all things according to His own good pleasure.
Be a blessing this week!
* * * * * * * * *
This week's Trivia's: [answer's below . . ]

1. Why did Pilate put a big rock in front of the tomb of Jesus?

2. Who wrote the following: "All things work together for good to them that love God;?

* * * * * * * * *

He was killed as a criminal and He will return as the resurrected judge

* * * * * * * * *

BIBLE MEDITATION: “For with Thee is the fountain of life: in Thy light shall we see light.” Psalm 36:9

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT: Jesus had a life that the grave could not keep. While He carried your sins to the grave and left them there, Jesus came out of that grave living, risen, and victorious!
When Jesus rose, you rose with Him. Christians are not just nice people, they are new creatures. We have the same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead. We have come out of the grave of the old life. Our old master has no more hold on us. The old debt has no more penalty that we have to pay.

When Jesus came out of that grave, we came out with Him and we have been raised to walk in newness of life.

ACTION POINT: Are you walking around in the grave clothes of your old life? Shed them, my friend! Jesus came to give you new life! Believe that you are now a new creation in Christ! 0

from the Ministries of Love Worth Finding . . . by Adrian Rogers



* * * * * * * * *

If a church isn't supernatural, it's superficial

* * * * * * * * *
What In The World Is Going On? by Dr David Jeremiah

As I share this book with you I hope together we can learn to read the signs and understand coming events. There may be times that I will need to omit

parts of the usual layout to bring to you the important teaching from this book. [printed in 2008]

Lets begin to put together pieces of the puzzle, and try to recognize the clues that God has given us to find peace in our terrifying age, and come

to an understanding of what in the world is going on. John 14:27.. "Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid"


THE NEW AXIS OF EVIL

THE INVASION OF ISRAEL . . .


The Purpose of the Invasion

The nations in the battle of Gog and Magog will come down on the nation of Israel, pursuing three primary goals. The first goal will be to seize her land. As Ezekiel puts it, "to stretch out your hand against the waste places which are again inhabited" (Ezek 38:12). The second goal of the invaders will be to steal Israel's wealth: "To take plunder and take booty, to stretch out your hand . . . against a people gathered from the nations, who have acquired livestock and goods, who dwell in the midst of the land . . . to carry away silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods, to take great plunder" (vv 12-13).

And there is plenty of wealth to be plundered in modern Israel, as we can see by the following quote from a recent article in the Jerusalem Post: "Despite a population of only slightly more than 7 million people . . . Israel is now home to more than 7,200 millionaires . . . Of the 500 wealthiest people in the world, six are now Israeli, and all told, Israel's rich had assets in 2007 of more than 35 billion dollars . . . Israel's GDP is almost double that of any other Middle East country."

Success and wealth in the high-tech industry has replaced earlier agricultural kibbutzim and started her on "the extraordinary road . . . from the socialist experiment of defiant European Jews to the high-tech revolution that has created a Silicon Valley in the middle East, second only to the United States in start-ups. In 2007, venture capitalists invested 1.76 billion dollars in start-up companies in developing "advanced telecom equipment" in Israel's "Silicon Wadi."

According to one prosperity index, Israel exported goods and services of more than $70 billion last year, including $34.2 billion from the technology sector alone. "Israel is the highest-ranking Middle Eastern country in the index." In 2007, she had a per capita gross domestic product index of $28,800, which compared favorably with the much larger European Union at $32,900. Any way you measure it, Israel has become prosperous, and despite a recent recession and military conflict, her economy has continued to grow.

Finally, the invading nations have as their ultimate goal the wholesale slaughter of Israel's people: "I will go to a peaceful people, who dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates . . . to stretch out your hand . . . against a people gathered from the nations . . . You will come up against My people Israel like a cloud, to cover the land" (vv. 11-12, 16). The historical accumulated hatred for the Jews will drive these armies forward with the assurance that this time, the people of Israel will not escape death.


The Particulars of the Invasion

"You will ascend, coming like a storm, covering the land like a cloud, you and all your troops and many peoples with you . . . Then you will come from your place out of the far north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great company and a mighty army. You will come up against My people Israel like a cloud, to cover the land." (Ezek 38:9, 15-16)

In these passages Ezekiel tells us that the coalition of massive armies will gather from all the attacking nations and assemble on the mountains of Israel. One writer helps us understand the strategy of invading from these mountains:


The mountains of Israel are mainly located on the country's northern borders with modern-day Syria, Lebanon, and northern Jordan (notably the strategically

important Golan Heights). Since the Russian-Iranian coalition is described by the prophet as coming primarily from the north, it is reasonable to conclude

that Syria and Lebanon are participants in the coalition. Jordan maybe as well, though this is not entirely clear.


Now that we have set the stage for the invasion of the assembled armies against Israel by identifying the place, the timing, the purpose, and some of the particulars, let's look next at what will happen when this invasion actually begins.


The Intervention of God [was able to add this]

When the massive Russian-Islamic armies assemble on the northern mountains of Israel, ready to come against that tiny country, it will appear to be the most grossly mismatched contest in military history. The Israelis will be so outnumbered that there will be no human way they can win this war. Only intervention by God himself could possibly save them. And that is exactly what will happen. As Ezekiel tells us "'And it will come to pass at the same time, when Gog comes against the land of Israel,' says the Lord God, 'that My fury will show in My face. For in My jealousy, and in the fire of My wrath I have spoken'" (Ezek 38:18-19a)

How will God accomplish this miraculous feat? What will be the results of His intervention? These are questions we can answer by continuing to explore Ezekiel's prophecy, and the answers will enable us to understand how today's events will play out to fulfill God's purposes in the near future.


next week: The Arsenal of Weapons


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If there is no resurrection, there is no place prepared for us

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JESUS AND THE LEPER, PART 1

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. . .When Jesus came down from the mountain, large crowds followed Him. And a leper came to Him and bowed down before Him, and said, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." . .

Matt 8:1-2



LEPROSY WAS A MOST FEARED AND contagious disease in the ancient world. Spongy, tumor-like swellings grew on the face and body, and eventually leprosy affected the internal organs and bones.

In ancient Israel lepers were vivid object lessons regarding sin. Like leprosy, sin infects the entire person and is ugly, corrupting -- incurable without extraordinary means.

Several things stand out about the leper who came to Jesus for healing. First, he came to Him with confidence. He obviously sensed Jesus' love and tenderness and somehow knew the Lord did not mind associating with him. The leper's primary concern was his tremendous need and Christ's all-sufficient ability and willingness to meet it.

Second, the leprous man approached Jesus with reverence. His boldness in calling out to Jesus and coming near derived not from presumption but from humble adoration. The word rendered "bowed down" means to prostrate oneself and is also translated "worship" in the New Testament. (Acts 7:43; Rev 4:10). The leper's attitude suggests he addressed Jesus as Lord, not simply as "sir" but in recognition of His deity. He knew that as God's Son, Jesus could heal his horrible disease.

Ironically, this man is a striking contrast to the Jewish leaders. They were always clean and lavishly attired, but inwardly were corrupt and unbelieving. The man with leprosy, on the other hand, was outwardly repulsive in appearance, but inwardly he was worshipful and full of sincere faith.



Ask YOURSELF


Noting the analogy between sin and leprosy, imagine if sin's effects actually did show themselves on our faces and skin. How would this affect our behavior and obedience? What does that tell us about the deceitfulness of sin and how to counteract it?



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The church is not a museum for saints; its a hospital for sinners

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Question of the week: Is the Resurrection a Myth? . . . Hank Hanegraaff

How can we know beyond any doubt that Jesus really rose from the dead - that this singular event is not some queer predilection on the part of the Christian but is rather faith founded on irrefutable fact?

As Christians, we must be prepared to demonstrate that Christ's resurrection was an event that occurred in time and space - that it was, in reality, historicaland not mythological (cf. 2 Peter 1:16). The importance of this event cannot be minimized, for Jesus Himself proclaimed that His resurrection would prove His power over death, and thus His deity (John 2:18-22). Not only that, but Christ's resurrection is the very heart of the gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).

When I first began examining the evidences for Christianity, I discovered that belief in the Resurrection does not constitute a blind leap into a dark chasm but rather a step into the light. Indeed, the evidence for Christ's resurrection is so overwhelming that no one can examine it with an open mind desiring to knowthe truth without becoming convinced of its truth.

Of the many evidences available, none is more compelling than the fact that the resurrected Christ appeared to over five hundred individuals at a single time (1 Corinthians 15:6). Christ appeared to numerous other individuals as well, providing "many convincing proofs" of His resurrection (Acts 1:3). Christ in His resurrection body was even touched on two occasions (Matthew 28:9; John 20:17), and challenged the disciples (Luke 24:39) and Thomas (John 20:27) to feel His wounds.

For those who continue to harbor doubts about the veracity of the biblical evidence, one need only point to Dr. Simon Greenleaf, the greatest authority on legal evidences in the 19th century. It is noteworthy that after examining the evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ, Greenleaf suggested that any cross-examination of the eyewitness testimonies recorded in Scripture would result in "an undoubting conviction of their integrity, ability, and truth."


Taken from "Jesus' Resurrection: Miracle or Myth? by Christian Research Institute



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His Resurrection is the guarantee of our destiny

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Answers to this week's Trivia's:

1. Why did Pilate put a big rock in front of the tomb of Jesus?

A. Because he thought the disciples might steal Jesus' body Matt 27:64

2. Who wrote the following: "All things work together for good to them that love God"?

A. Paul Rom 8:28



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The Holy Spirit is not given for your enjoyment but for your employment

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favorite BIBLE VERSE: Empty Tombs ...

If Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you and still in your sins! 1 Cor 15:17 NKJV


The moment Jesus rose from the dead, everything changed. How God related to people in the Old Testament (by speaking to the whole nation through prophets) gave way to the New (by speaking to people individually through His Spirit). God forgave the sins of those who chose to follow Him. Death was defeated. Eternal life was certain. There was absolute proof Jesus was who He said He was, God and Savior.

The apostle Paul's words to the Corinthian church removes the option of believing the Bible is a collection of morality myths. It does not allow for Jesus to be regarded as a prophet or a good teacher. Either Jesus rose from the dead, proving He was who He said He was and that He did what He said He would do, or your faith is useless. Paul, the writer of 1 and 2 Corinthians, goes on to say that if Jesus did not rise from the dead, then Christians are to be pitied as the most miserable people on earth because they have based their faith, their hope, and their life purpose on a lie.

History says otherwise, however. More than five hundred witnesses saw Jesus alive after He died on the cross The bodies of other great religious leaders, such as Buddha and Mohammed, remain dead in their graves. Only Jesus lives beyond the grave. This important verse is a subtle reminder that because of Jesus, one day you will too.


Though Jesus' death paid the price for people's transgressions, Jesus' resurrection is evidence of God's acceptance of that payment. Let Paul's words help keep you grounded in the historical facts that support your faith.



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Blessing: Thomas answered and said unto Him, My Lord and my God John 20:28

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A good chuckle for you this week... some may have received this in their email box, but there are those who have not: [I understand this to be a true fact..]

A FLORIDA COURT SETS
ATHEIST HOLY DAY

In Florida , an atheist created a case against Easter and Passover Holy days. He hired an attorney to bring a discrimination case against Christians and Jews and observances of their holy days The argument was that it was unfair that atheists had no such recognized days.

The case was brought before a judge. After listening to the passionate presentation by the lawyer, the judge banged his gavel declaring, "Case dismissed!"

The lawyer immediately stood and objecting to the ruling saying,
"Your honor, How can you possibly dismiss this case? The Christians have Christmas, Easter and others.
The Jews have Passover, Yom Kippur and Hanukkah, yet my client and all other atheists have no such holidays..."
The judge leaned forward in his chair saying, "But you do. Your client, counselor, is woefully ignorant."
The lawyer said," Your Honor, we are unaware of any special observance or holiday for atheists."
The judge said, "The calendar says April 1st is April Fool's Day. Psalm 14:1 states, 'The fool says in his heart, there is no God.' Thus, it is the opinion of this court, that, if your client says there is no God, then he is a fool. Therefore,
April 1st is his day.

Court is adjourned..."

You gotta love a Judge that knows his scripture!



Until next time remember, "Keep looking up!"

God loves you and yours, He really does!



Nancy

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A man may go to heaven…..

Without health, without wealth;

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Without friends and without ten thousand other things----

But he can NEVER go to Heaven without Christ.



This week's Quiz: Wars in the Bible

1. Israel had victory over the Amalekites in battle as long as Moses did what? Exo 17:8-13

Led them in battle
Fasted and prayed
Held the rod of God aloft
Struck the ground with his staff


2. After losing a battle against the Philistines, what happened to King Saul? 1 Sam 31:4

He was killed by an archer
He was slain by David
He fell on his sword
He was slain by his armorbearer


3. King Ahab died in battle against Syria by being what? 1 Ki 22:34

Shot by an archer
Run over by his own chariot
Run through with a sword
Betrayed by his troops


4. Sennacherib's Assyrian army was almost totally destroyed by which of the following? 2 Ki 19:35

Hezekiah's army
The angel of the Lord
Fire from heaven
An earthquake


5. The sun stood still while Joshua's army destroyed what people? Josh 10:12-13

The Amalekites
The Amorites
The Philistines
The Hittites


6. The final battle on earth will end when Satan brings Gog and Magog against Jerusalem and they are destroyed by what? Rev 20:7-9

The saints
Holy angels
Fire from heaven
The army of God


7. When Israel lost in battle to the Philistines, what was captured? 1 Sam 4:10-11

The Ark of the Covenant
The golden calf
The rod of Moses
The temple


8. What Philistine champion was the army of Israel terrified of? 1 Sam 17:23-24

Golgotha
Jezreel
Absolom
Goliath


9. What army fled in the night because they heard the sound of army chariots and horses? 2 Ki 7:6-7

Egyptians
Hittities
Syrians
Israelites


10. What army turned on itself when Gideon and 300 men blew trumpets and broke empty pitchers? Judges 7:15-22

Moabites
Midianites
Assyrians
Syrians