Radiant God

Cults- Dangerous Devotion Decoding the Past (video)

2011-12-21T16:31:00.000-05:00

I found this video on YouTube today. It was posted by someone named "The Glutes of Wrath" but it is an excellent look at cults and new religious movements.

Where the Children of God cult got the “love” thing wrong

2011-12-21T15:06:00.001-05:00

I almost choke at the thought that the Children of God cult, led by founder David Berg, got one thing wrong with their “love” doctrine. David Berg got numerous things wrong and twisted scripture until it was little more than a pedophile’s doctrine used to subvert the love of God. The Children of God cult used God’s love to obliterate the hopes and dreams of children, and sincere people seeking the deeper meaning of Christian fellowship.

Here, briefly, is what was wrong with David Berg and his “love” thing (this is besides the fact that the man was a drunk, prophelying pedophile).

God’s love is not sexual in nature. It is AGAPE love, not EROS. Agape love is a non-sexual love, while Eros love is sexual.

Agape: 1. Christianity Love as revealed in Jesus, seen as spiritual and selfless and a model for humanity.
Agape: 2. Love that is spiritual, not sexual, in its nature.

Eros: 1. the ancient Greek god of love, identified by the Romans with Cupid.
Eros: 2. a representation of this god.
Eros: 3. a winged figure of a child representing love or the power of love.
Eros: 4. (sometimes lowercase ) physical love; sexual desire. Compare agape2 (def. 2).
Eros: 5. Astronomy. An asteroid that approaches to within 14 million miles (22 1 / 2 million km) of the earth once every 44 years.

There you have it- point blank. David Berg thought that he could read the words that “God so loved” and that as Christians we are to “love one another” and could substitute agape (non-sexual love) for Eros (sexual) love.

It could even be argued that Eros is the opposite of Agape, and let us take this one step further. Eros was a Greek god, as Christians, the idea of “worshipping” at the feet of another God is blasphemy and constitutes idol worship. Seriously, Christians, we can get real deep with Eros and Agape, and it is not pretty. Eros has no place in the Christian church, and David Berg’s theology was completely out of line with Scripture.

The Bible never promotes Eros, or sexual desire within the body of Christ, but rather warns to abstain and flee lusts.

It would be nice to think that the Children of God cult is just a blemish in religious culture that no longer has any relevance, but make no mistake about it. The cult is alive and well as the Family International, and though finding anyone to state whether child sexual abuse or free love is continuing, the group still receives “messages” from their dead leader.

Yes, David Berg aka. Moses David is still running the cult from the grave.

Scary, I know- but true none-the-less and enough to keep a close watch on the group.
Agape love is the love that Jesus Christ demonstrated on the earth. He did not demonstrate Eros love. He died on the cross of Calvary, and if you are to believe the Gospel account, He died a virgin. He is awaiting a bride- the church.

Does He want to have an Eros, love relationship with the church? Absolutely not! There is nothing in Scripture that indicates that Christ’s love for the church or that God’s love for the world is sexual in nature.

This might help clear up some confusion.

True love leads to sex and intimacy.
Sex does not lead to true love.

There is a growing movement in worship circles to speak of Jesus and God’s love in terms commonly referred to as “romantic, or love language.”

We may be “In Love” with Jesus, but we are not going to have sex with Jesus. However, we are to seek the oneness, and union that intimacy of being one flesh brings. When you love your spouse with your entire heart and soul, there is a growing sense of intimacy and a longing to be with your love. The church is to have a love relationship with Christ in which they long to develop intimacy, to spend time with God, and to become one with Him. This is not accomplished through Eros.

The world patterns this perfectly.

You may have sex with anyone you please, but chances are it is not going to result in true love. Eros does not produce Agape love. In fact, Eros often results from perversion, lust of the flesh, and the like.

Agape love has nothing to do with Eros.

God is your Father and He loves you with a pure, untainted, Agape love; and He expects the body of Christ to love one another in the same manner.

Christians are to look at one another with Agape love; not love so much you are in lust and overwhelmed with Eros love.

The church is also to demonstrate Agape love to unbelievers. Not Eros love hoping that it will lead to Agape. It is not going to work. Instead, like the Children of God members who spent their time involved in “Flirty Fishing, “you’ll end up getting an STD.

Brothers and sisters in a family are to exemplify agape love. Mothers and fathers are to exemplify agape love for their children.

It is sickening to think that we live in a society where people do not understand that the love between family members is not sexual but agape, or that there is a difference between Phileo (the love of friends) and Eros.
You may love your friends but you do not have to have sex with them. The idea of “friends with benefits” is another total perversion of “phileo” and “agape” love and “eros.”

We are to desire intimacy with Christ. We are to seek oneness with Him. He is the Bridegroom and we are the Bride. Though the metaphor of marriage is often used to describe Jesus’ love for the church, it is not a license for making Jesus your boyfriend, or replacing the family system with your new magical “Jesus” lover.
The love of Christ is not to be twisted or perverted. It is agape love, not eros.

The Children of God cult thought they could use “eros” or sexual love to gain new members to their cult. They thought that if God is love and eros is love then all love is of God. This is not true. God is love- AGAPE- Eros is Sex- and people, it does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that sex and love are two very different things.

If you are a Christian reading this, I ask that you remain alert to the various forms of love: Agape, Phileo, and Eros and remain on guard to deceptive practices used within churches that are confusing the meanings of the words. God is not looking for a sex partner. He is a father who loves his children unconditionally, and without sexual desire.

Jesus is the Bridegroom and the Church is the Bride. Jesus was not looking for a sex partner. He is looking for a wife that will love him with the AGAPE love of an unconditional spouse who would die for her love.
Eros has no place in the church or in the body of Christ. If you see it, run. It is a perversion and distorts the love of God for His creation.

If you are a former member of the Children of God, please know that I am praying for you. One of the sickest doctrines ever espoused to the human race has abused your mind. There is forgiveness and healing. Abba Father loves you with a pure heart. He does not want to sexually abuse you. He loves you with AGAPE love, the unconditional love of a Father who will do anything for his child.

God does not abuse. Jesus is not a rapist. The teachings of the Children of God are some of the sickest and most depraved teachings ever to be uttered in the name of Jesus Christ.

Jesus never condoned, hinted at, or gave any indication that the love of brethren was sexual in nature. Nowhere in the Bible was the love of God to be twisted and polluted with sexual lust such as with Eros.
My heart goes out to those who were victimized by this hideous cult and the lies that came straight from Satan’s to David Berg’s mouth. My prayer is that you will find the true Agape love of God.

A heartbreakingly sad video of children and teens in the cult singing a song to David Berg as if he were the Creator of the Universe. David Berg was not only just a man, but also one that twisted Bible Scriptures and could not exercise enough understanding of the Greek language to know his entire doctrine was wrong.
Or worse, he knew and being a pedophile, promoted the lie to get access to as many victims as possible.

See a modern day video (2008) of The Family International as they organized a “free hug day” and went about hugging people. Do you think they know the difference between Agape and Eros yet?

Not sure if you can stomach it, but here is the cult leader himself talking about the “Law of Love.” Keep in mind that he is thinking of “Eros” the entire time he speaks.

David Berg’s daughter, Deborah Davis, explains “Flirty Fishing.”

Tim Tebow: Tebowing makes some uncomfortable (Photos, slideshow)

2011-12-16T17:12:00.000-05:00

December 16, 2011- Charisse Van Horn reporting

Tim Tebow’s prayer is offensive. That is to those who are not Christians and have no tolerance for Christianity in public. It is not offensive to Christians, however. Have you ever been to a restaurant and witnessed a family praying aloud over their meal? For some, this type of gratuitous prayer to God in public causes them to seethe and writhe in their seats. The same is true when Tim Tebow chooses to get down on one knee and pray or point to the sky and thank God for a win in front of watching eyes.

Anthony Bradley, associate professor of theology and ethics as the Kings College in New York City, wrote a piece in World on Campus where he essentially challenged Tim Tebow to stop professing his faith publicly. “It seems Tebow might help himself and the kingdom by getting off his knees, taking the verses off of his face, and being faithful to Christ without the public acts like all the other Christians in the NFL have done for decades.”

Click here for full article on Examiner.com

Check out the slideshow with Tim Tebow photos and photos of other athletes praying and Tebowing below.

Slideshow: Tim Tebow, athletes worldwide pray

Laura Hackett playlist (videos)

2011-12-11T01:00:00.000-05:00

Laura Hackett is a worship leader at IHOP-KC and one of my favorite worship leaders. I found a number of her videos on YouTube and put them together in a playlist. The great thing is it's more than one hour's worth of music and the videos play continuously. Laura Hackett is on Facebook and MySpace and you can check out the sites here:
Laura Hackett Facebook

Laura Hackett MySpace

Miracle in China: Mother and Infant Freed from Black Jail in the Name of Jesus

2011-12-10T20:46:00.000-05:00

All Girls Allowed reports Nie Lina's miraculous release from prison following urgent prayer

Contact: Tessa Dale, All Girls Allowed, 617-275-9176, tessa@allgirlsallosswed.org

BOSTON, Dec. 9, 2011 /Christian Newswire/ -- Intercessory prayer was the catalyst for the midnight prison release of Nie Lina, a Chinese mother who had been locked up almost 2 weeks in a black jail with her 3-month-old infant daughter and 70-year-old mother. She was arrested for peacefully petitioning the Chinese government about her land -- land that was illegally confiscated by officials without any compensation.
The prayer for her release all started on Saturday, Dec. 3rd, when hundreds of intercessors lifted up China's girls and mothers at TheCall conference in Los Angeles, CA. Leaders of the conference felt strongly that this prayer for China had made a powerful impact in the spiritual realm.

On Monday, Dec. 5th, while in prison, Nie was able to find a cellphone and contact the office of All Girls Allowed, a non-profit organization dedicated to rescuing girls and mothers in China. Before her phone was confiscated, she described the situation: for almost ten days she had received such little food that she could not nurse her infant. There were no facilities to bathe, no windows. Officials said she would be there at least 5 or 6 months, and her baby had nothing to eat. Staff at All Girls Allowed sent an urgent prayer email for her release to hundreds of other intercessors.

On Tuesday, Dec. 6th, prayer was also held in a US Congressional hearing. All Girls Allowed founder Chai Ling testified before a bipartisan commission in Congress about the status of human rights in China. At this hearing, Ling drew attention to Nie's case and ended the hearing in prayer, alongside Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ), Bob Fu (China Aid) and other Members, declaring freedom for the captives and invoking the name of Jesus to bring restoration to all of China's people.

On Wednesday, Dec. 7th, at almost midnight, Nie, her daughter and her mother were blindfolded and driven 2 hours outside of Beijing, then dropped off at a dark crossroads called Bao Ding. Prisoners are almost never released in the middle of the night, and the group is certain her release was a direct answer to prayer.

"12 midnight in China is 11am in Boston," says Chai Ling, founder of All Girls Allowed. "We were in the middle of our team prayer meeting when she was released."
This was not the first answer to prayer Nie has experienced. Last April, she was arrested for petitioning and was scheduled to undergo a forced abortion of her baby, but she was set free 2 days following an urgent prayer letter. According to reports, the Family Planning Officials "were too afraid and filled with terror to sign their names on her forced abortion order."

"In both of these situations, there was nothing left for us to do but pray," says Ling. "We hope that the hundreds of intercessors, from stay-at-home moms to Members of Congress, realize that their prayers saved lives this week."

Following her release, Nie spent the evening in a hotel and returned straightaway to petitioning in Tiananmen Square. Though she was warned that she would have faced 5-6 years in prison if her baby was a little bit older, she has lost her house and has no choice but to continue petitioning.
Chai Ling directs attention to the parable of the persistent widow in Luke chapter 18:

1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2 He said: "In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, 'Grant me justice against my adversary.'4 "For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care what people think, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually come and attack me!'"6 And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?""Our job is not done until justice has been served to Nie and her family," says Ling. "So let's keep on praying, persistently, for justice against Nie's adversary."

Click here to read Chai Ling's Congressional Testimony and prayers.

All Girls Allowed (www.allgirlsallowed.org) was founded in June 2010 with a mission to restore life, value and dignity to girls and mothers in China and to reveal the injustice of the One-Child Policy. For those interested in supporting Nie, please consider giving a financial gift today by clicking here. Simply write "Nie Lina" in the space to dedicate the gift to her.

David Guzik Resources

2011-12-10T19:26:00.006-05:00

I just stumbled upon David Guzik today and have to say how awed I am at what an incredible Bible teacher he is! There are far too many people on television with their shows and honestly, I can't get much out of them. If anyone needs to get on Christian television its David Guzik!

Fortunately, he has a ton of resources online. First is his testimony as shared on YouTube followed by links.

David Guzik on iTunes: Get your iTunes player out and listen to these free lectures and commentaries.

David Guzik on Twitter: Follow David Guzik on Twitter

David Guzik Commentaries and Lectures: Audio from David Guzik's official website Enduring World Media

Calvary Chapel Santa Barbara on Vimeo: David Guzik is the pastor of Calvary Chapel of Santa Barbara- videos on Vimeo

David Guzik Commentary on Blue Letter Bible: Commentaries by David Guzik on Blue Letter Bible

David Guzik on YouTube: YouTube search results for David Guzik

David Guzik on Sermon Index: More than 200 audio sermons by Pastor David Guzik

New Prophecy: Are Pentecostals really Montanists?

2011-12-10T16:06:00.011-05:00

The New Prophecy movement of 156 A.D. (yes, A.D.)- Are Pentecostals really Montanists? If you are a Spirit filled, Charismatic, Pentecostal Christian you may want to check this out---the Catholic church called this group of "New Prophets" heretics---though not everyone was convinced---either way---they couldn't stop these strange prophets who had female bishops and prophets who fasted, prayed, and turned away from sin preaching holiness down---they were known for their "ecstatic prophecies" Tertullian seemed to join them--- I suggest Pentecostalism did not start at Azusa---all signs point to 156 A.D. (well, if you want to get technical it started with the Holy Ghost--but we're talking church history) Pretty fascinating stuff---and look---2,000 years later the church is still calling the "new prophets" heretics...maybe the "new prophets" are really old...

If you are a Pentecostal, Crazymatic...oops..Charismatic Christian...please check this out and share your thoughts...

Quintus Florens Tertullian, c.160-c.225, church father and theologian who became a Montanist and defended the movement

Here is a monk teaching on Montanism and why the Catholic Church viewed them as heretical. This is very interesting.

*The views presented in the links and videos are not necessarily mine. They are presented for research purposes only.

Here is a great lecture on The Montanists

The Montanists called themselves "The Spiritualist"

*The views presented in the links and videos are not necessarily mine. They are presented for research purposes only.

Montanism Links

Tertullian and Montanism: Resource from the University of Oregon that looks at Montanism and Tertullian

Montanism: Guide from the University of Chicago regarding the ancient movement of Montanism

Does the New Testament teach Two Prophetic Gifts? (PDF) Dr. F. David Farnall from the Masters Seminary asks if the New Testament teaches two prophetic gifts

The Montanist Crisis: A Key to Refuting Third Wave Concepts of NT Prophecy: Associate Professor of New Testament F David Farnall from The Masters Seminary rebukes "New Prophets" with Montanist movement (PDF)

Montanism: Brief profile on Montanism from the Ecole Initiative

The New Prophecy & "New Visions": Evidence of Montanism in The Passion of Perpetua and Felicitas

Tertullian: (PDF) Written by Rex Butler of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

Montanus & Montanism: Early Church.org.uk looks at the Montanist movement

Photos of the December 10, 2011 total lunar eclipse from Tony Hake

2011-12-10T12:23:00.000-05:00

I missed the lunar eclipse and was delighted to find one of my fellow co-workers not only witnessed the event but captured what I consider to be award winning photos of the event. If you missed the December 10, 2011 total lunar eclipse, I highly recommend that you visit Tony Hake's weather column and view these photos for yourself. Tell me these are not truly amazing photos.

I didn't realize he was a professional photographer!

Check out these gorgeous photos in the link below. (Note- one photo shows the moon with a brilliant glare and the first thing I thought of when I saw it was "Christmas Star." Tell me you don't see the same thing!

December 10, 2011 total lunar eclipse as seen from Denver, Colorado.

New study on hearing the voice of God

2011-12-01T17:11:00.000-05:00

I wanted to let you know that I am starting a new study on hearing the voice of God. The study uses the King James Version Bible and will examine the need for knowing God’s voice in order to find God’s will for your life. Many Christians ask the question, “What is God’s will for my life?” Yet they are unclear how to go about finding God’s will. This study will examine how to recognize and hear God’s voice, how to tell the voice of God from the voice of the enemy and self, and will look at the Bible and how God’s Word expressly states that we should expect to hear God’s voice.

The study will be on my Jesus Christ column at Examiner.

You may read the first of the study here.

Jesus Christ the Good Shepherd, do you hear his voice?

Are Jesus Christ and the Father one?

2011-11-16T16:12:00.000-05:00

It’s a question that has been asked throughout the ages and is at the heart of many doctrines such as the
trinity oneness and is the very basis for the Jehovah’s Witness cult. Are Jesus Christ and the Father one? The Jehovah’s Witnesses teach that they aren’t one and the same, but rather that the Father created Jesus a lesser being and one that was also created with a sibling- Lucifer. The teaching removes the deity of Jesus Christ and reduces his stature to that of an angel.

Oneness teaches that there is no separation between the Father and Jesus and the Jesus is the Holy Spirit. They also believe that the name of God is Jesus; which most who hold to the Trinitarian view might be more inclined to say the name of God is Jehovah or Yahweh. But what does the Bible say about Jesus Christ and the Father? Does the Bible make a distinction between Jesus, the Father, and the Holy Spirit? Even though the word “Trinity” does not appear in the Bible, there are many verses that indicate that God has three distinct persons. The verse most frequently used to indicate that Jesus and the Father are one comes from Isaiah 9: 6-7.

The New King James Version reads, “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end.

Upon the throne of David and over His Kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice. From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this.”

This verse, combined with others from the New Testament, shows that the Messianic prophecies expected Jesus to be one and the same as the Everlasting Father. Another verse that is extremely important is John 10:30 that states, “I and My Father are one.”

The determination of Jesus Christ’s place in the Godhead is of extreme importance as for those who seek to remove Him from the godhead completely reduce His nature to that of either an angelic being, or a deluded man. What do you believe about the Trinity? Do you believe that Isaiah 9 confirms that Jesus and the Father are one?

The Trinity

By Roger Olson / Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

Roger Olson and Christopher Hall's The Trinity provides beginning theology readers with a basic knowledge of God's triune nature. The authors first offer a historical overview of the doctrine of the Trinity, tracing its development from the first days of Christianity through the Middle Ages, the Reformation, and into the modern age. They then provide a comprehensive, annotated bibliography of all major books written about the Trinity for further study.

Elisabeth Hasselbeck talks Christianity, living gluten free, and Celiac Disease (video)

2011-11-16T11:34:00.001-05:00

Elisabeth Hasselbeck is making headline news for confronting HBO host Bill Maher regarding previous comments made that she felt were negatively directed towards her and women in general. Though Bill Maher didn’t apologize to her, we’re not surprised that Elisabeth didn’t back down from the contentious moment on ABC’s “The View.” She isn’t one to back down easily.

Speaking previously with the Christian Broadcasting Network, Elisabeth shared a bit about her marriage to quarterback Tim Hasselbeck, her Christian faith, and her struggle with Celiac Disease, which due to being diagnosed with she lives a gluten free lifestyle. CBN correspondent Wendy Griffith sat with Elisabeth for a one-one one interview. She asked her if why God has given her such an enormous platform to share her views and opinions upon.

Elisabeth Hasselbeck stated, “All the time, but I try to listen for that answer after. There are some days when I think for sure, there are so many other stronger Christians than me out there. I don’t claim to be someone that knows every verse in the Bible. I wish I did. I truly do. It just means I need to spend more time in those pages. I definitely feel there’s a reason. That reason is a God thing. I wouldn’t be able to do it otherwise. Early on, it was really rough, because when you’re first revealing your feelings and thoughts about these hot topics, there’s going to be a visceral response from people one way or another.”

You may see the full interview in the video player below.

Casey Anthony, Caylee, and God’s forgiveness (photos)

2011-11-16T03:13:00.000-05:00

As prosecutor, Jeff Ashton has released his new book “Imperfect Justice” an interesting discussion erupted on the Casey Anthony Latest News Facebook group. The discussion centered on Casey Anthony and God’s forgiveness. Of course, it must be stated that though Casey Anthony was acquitted on murder and child abuse charges on July 5, 2011; the discussion is on the premise that Anthony is in fact guilty of murdering her precious, two-year-old daughter, Caylee Anthony. Briefly, the question is whether there can truly be forgiveness for Casey Anthony.

The Casey Anthony case has caused such a reaction that extends far beyond the shock and dismay experienced when the twelve jurors let Casey Anthony skirt by death row and swiftly walk out the front door of the Orange County Jail. People are angry because Casey Anthony is a proven liar who never once showed concern or compassion publicly for her missing daughter, and seemed to believe that she did not owe anyone an explanation for the death of her two-year-old daughter. To call Casey Anthony callous is an understatement. Though it is true not many of us know Casey personally, the face she has presented the public since Nancy Grace first took to the airwaves to announce, “Where is little Caylee?” is one that has been of indifference to Caylee’s disappearance. Though many continue to deal with feelings of injustice there are some that beg for mercy on Casey Anthony. But does she really deserve it?

Is the body of Christ to extend mercy to those who do not repent? Are we to walk around as the hands of God freely issuing forgiveness for all sins, regardless of whether someone is holding him or herself accountable for them?

Does God blindly dish out forgiveness to all, whether they repent or not?

Absolutely not!

There is nothing in the Christian faith, Judaic faith or even the Muslim faith that states God just absolves everyone of their sin regardless of where they stand. In order to be forgiven, one must first recognize sin and wrongdoing and then confess their sins to Christ.

Can God forgive Casey Anthony? Of course, He can. Can the body of Christ forgive Casey Anthony or let us say should the Body of Christ forgive Casey Anthony?

The idea of issuing forgiveness without first seeing repentance is rather absurd and from a Christian point of view is 100% unbiblical.

Cindy Anthony appeared on the Dr. Phil show http://www.examiner.com/crime-in-tampa-bay/george-and-cindy-anthony-dr-phil-interview-videos and essentially threw Casey a “forgiveness blanket” with which she could wrap herself tightly in and cover up her crimes. George Anthony had a completely different story, as we imagine most men accused of demanding oral sex from their pre-teens would. George Anthony made it very clear that he blamed Casey Anthony for Caylee’s death and was not ready to start issuing the forgiveness card.

While I believe that God can 100% forgive the most heinous of criminals; I believe that forgiveness does not come without sincere, heartfelt repentance.

Casey Anthony has not repented for anything. She has not even so much as apologized for any wrongdoing according to her own lies. She hasn’t spoken publicly, she never said that she was sorry for failing to report Caylee missing; even when she said that Caylee had been left with Zanny the Nanny, Casey wasn’t sorry or apologetic. During the trial, when Jose Baez pointed the blame at George Anthony and stated that Caylee Anthony drowned in the swimming pool, Casey Anthony remained silent. To this day, she hasn’t promoted her own lies by saying she is sorry for not reporting the drowning, for letting the state of Florida spend hundreds of thousands of dollars searching for Caylee, or even to the scrutiny and harm her family has endured.

Casey Anthony has not repented for one thing relating to the disappearance and death of Caylee.
Forgiveness?

I don’t think so.

My Savior paid a deep price for forgiveness. It cost Him his life. He bled on the cross of Calvary so that the free gift of forgiveness would be readily available.

But we must do something in order to receive that forgiveness.

We must first repent and be sorrowful, regretful, and ready to turn away from sin.
Without repentance-, there is no forgiveness.

There is only death, judgment, and hell.

Slideshow: Casey and Caylee Anthony

Christmas 2011: Christian gift ideas for her

2011-11-16T01:33:00.003-05:00

Thanksgiving is right around the corner and many are already preparing their Christmas lists. Those searching for gifts for the Christian woman will find there are many suitable choices available. As many women aspire to the words of Proverbs 31, gifts that either use these Scriptures or are based on Proverbs 31 are always a good choice. It is also a gift that is frequently given on Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day, birthdays, anniversaries and more. Though there is nothing wrong with the Proverbs 31 gift idea, it may become a little old if it is what you have been presenting that special woman in your life year after year.

Here are some Christian gift ideas for her that will help your Christmas 2011 be a memorable event.

1. Sandy Clough Gift Collection

The Sandy Clough Gift Collection is as feminine as it is Scriptural. Featuring images of wintry cardinals in a variety of outdoor environments, you will find that many women welcome these gifts. They have a full line of Christmas gifts such as throws, pillows, and wall hangings in addition to mugs, teapots, journals, art, and gift books.

2. Christian Jewelry

Jewelry is always a popular choice and there is a vast selection of Christian
Jewelry perfect for the woman in your life. From bracelets, rings, and pendants to purity rings, and Viva beads there are numerous gifts available to choose. Though women love to receive gifts from their favorite jeweler, there are many gifts that serve double purpose by sharing inspirational words of wisdom in a fashionable and stylish manner. Before heading to your local jewelers, consider Christian or Messianic jewelry.

3. Purse Bible Covers

Women love their purses, that’s true; but Christian women also love their Bibles. Far too often, women are seen in church with a fashionable satchel or tote slung from the shoulder while carrying their Bible in the other hand. Purse Bible covers are a convenient and stylish way for Christian women to carry their Bible in style and class. Available in a plethora of colors, sizes, materials and styles, purse Bible covers make excellent Christmas gifts and are always a popular and well-received choice.

4. Anything with Scripture on it

Christian gifts bearing Scriptures are always a top choice. You might be surprised at some of the items that have Bible verses imprinted, emblazoned, or engraved on them. Ceramic bowls, music boxes, jewelry, wallets, tee-shirts, mugs, wall hangings, afghans, journals, tote bags, stationary and photo albums are just a few of the Christian gift items that feature Scripture perfect for any woman.

5. Clothing

Women love clothing and Christian gear, hats, sweatshirts, and tee shirts always make an excellent gift. Look for Christian clothing for women with Scriptures and images. Aprons are a good choice for women who love to cook and you will always find plenty of Christmas themed garments available to select from.

Blessings Among The Roses, Love Teacup & Saucer

By Sandy Lynam Clough / Cbd Gift Exclusive Product

Part of Sandy Clough's newest tea set, Blessings Among the Roses, this dainty cup and saucer is entitled "Love." It is trimmed with a cluster of grapes and gentle cabbage roses in pink and yellow and edged in a delicate lacey border on both cup and saucer. Gold trim, English curved handle, and so perfect for your next tea party! Cup measures approx. 2.75" high; saucer is 5.5" diamter.

In the Bible

2011-11-08T12:11:00.000-05:00

Website helps people read Bible each day, change habits in 21 days

Charisse Van Horn
November 08, 2011

Website helps people read Bible each day, change habits in 21 daysNEW! Christian News on Facebook. Follow on TwitterNovember 8, 2011 Houston, Texas- Research has shown it takes 21 days to change a habit and a new...

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Read the Bible in one year November 8: Ezekiel, Hebrews, Psalms and Proverbs

Charisse Van Horn
November 08, 2011

Read the Bible in one year November 8: Ezekiel, Hebrews, Psalms and ProverbsNEW! Christian News on Facebook. Follow on TwitterToday’s reading comes from Ezekiel chapters 18 and 19, Hebrews chapter 9, passages from Psalm 106 and...

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Read the Bible in one year November 7: Ezekiel, Hebrews, Psalms and Proverbs

Charisse Van Horn
November 07, 2011

Read the Bible in one year November 7: Ezekiel, Hebrews, Psalms and ProverbsNEW! Christian News on Facebook. Follow on TwitterToday’s reading comes from Ezekiel 16 and 17, Hebrew 8, Psalms 106 and a passage from Proverbs...

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Read the Bible in one year November 6: Ezekiel, Hebrews, Psalms and Proverbs

Charisse Van Horn
November 07, 2011

Read the Bible in one year November 6: Ezekiel, Hebrews, Psalms and ProverbsNEW! Christian News on Facebook. Follow on TwitterToday’s reading comes from Ezekiel 14, Hebrew 7, Psalms 106 and a passage from Proverbs 27.&nbsp...

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Bible: National Bible Week November 24-28, Thanksgiving week

Charisse Van Horn
November 05, 2011

Bible: National Bible Week November 24-28, Thanksgiving weekNEW! Christian News on Facebook. Follow on TwitterFrom November 24-November 28, 2011, the United States celebrates National Bible Week. The dates tend to change each year as the...

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Read the Bible in one year November 5: Jeremiah, Colossians, Psalm 77, Proverbs

Charisse Van Horn
November 05, 2011

One Year Bible reading November 5: Jeremiah, Colossians, Psalm, ProverbsNEW! Christian News on Facebook. Follow on TwitterToday’s reading includes Jeremiah 4:19-6:15, Colossians 1:18-2:7, Psalm 77:1-20 and Proverbs...

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Differences between Catholic and Protestant Bibles

Charisse Van Horn
October 18, 2011

Differences between Catholic and Protestant BiblesNEW! Christian News on Facebook. Follow on TwitterThe differences between Catholic and Protestant Bibles are vast and include more than being different translation. The Catholic Bible incorporates additional books not included in...

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Differences between Catholic and Protestant Bibles

Charisse Van Horn
October 18, 2011

Differences between Catholic and Protestant BiblesThe differences between Catholic and Protestant Bibles are vast and include more than being different translation. The Catholic Bible incorporates additional books not included in Protestant versions such as the King James, New International...

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Audio Bibles online: Genesis 1-25

Charisse Van Horn
October 08, 2011

Audio Bibles online: Genesis 1-25NEW! Christian News on Facebook. Follow on TwitterAudio Bibles are becoming one of the most popular ways that Christians absorb the Word of God. With limited time, a day filled with multi...

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Largest collection of Holy Land artifacts, Dead Sea Scrolls coming to New York

Charisse Van Horn
September 20, 2011

Largest collection of Holy Land artifacts, Dead Sea Scrolls coming to New YorkNEW! Christian News on Facebook. Follow on TwitterNew York City, New York September 19, 2011On September 19, 2011, the Franklin Institute and Discovery Times Square issued...

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How to study the Bible: Types and Shadows, Typology (videos)

Charisse Van Horn
August 31, 2011

How to study the Bible: Types and Shadows, Typology (videos)NEW! Christian News on Facebook. Follow on TwitterThe Bible often presents itself as a difficult book for many to comprehend. Many argue whether certain passages are allegory...

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Natural disasters, earthquakes in 2011 cause many to turn to Matthew 24 (videos)

Charisse Van Horn
August 24, 2011

Natural disasters, earthquakes in 2011 cause many to turn to Matthew 24 (videos)NEW! Christian News on Facebook. Follow on TwitterOn August 24, 2011, a powerful 5.8 magnitude earthquake (dubbed the East Coast Earthquake) was felt in...

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Audio Bible ministry, Faith Comes by Hearing, reveals more than 500 translations

Charisse Van Horn
August 23, 2011

Audio Bible ministry, Faith Comes by Hearing, reveals more than 500 translationsNEW! Christian News on Facebook. Follow on TwitterOn August 22, 2011, the audio Bible ministry, Faith Comes by Hearing, announced the addition of eight new languages making...

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Latest Christian News and Topics by Charisse Van Horn

2011-10-08T14:38:00.001-04:00

These are my latest Christian articles as posted on my Examiner site. I am taking a close look at Isaiah 53 that portrays Jesus as the "Suffering Servant."

Isaiah 53: Jesus Christ suffered for all mankind

Saturday, October 08, 2011 6:15 AM

Isaiah 53: Jesus Christ suffered for all mankindNEW! Christian News on Facebook. Follow on TwitterThe Jewish people were looking for a Messiah that would come in power and glory, brazenly and boldly delivering His people from the oppressor...

Isaiah 53: Jesus Christ the ‘Man of Sorrows’
Saturday, October 08, 2011 4:53 AM

Isaiah 53: Jesus Christ the ‘Man of Sorrows’NEW! Christian News on Facebook. Follow on TwitterThere may be no greater prophetic picture of the coming Messiah than Isaiah 53. The passage describes Jesus Christ as...

Jesus Christ in the Bible
Friday, September 30, 2011 12:58 AM

Jesus Christ in the BibleNEW! Christian News on Facebook. Follow on TwitterJesus Christ is mentioned in the Bible in both the Old and New Testament, however, in the Old Testament; Jesus Christ is alluded to through prophecies.&nbsp...

Mike Bickle talks ‘Jesus our Magnificent Obsession’ (videos)
Monday, August 22, 2011 10:31 PM

Mike Bickle talks ‘Jesus our Magnificent Obsession’ (videos)NEW! Christian News on Facebook. Follow on TwitterOn August 20, 2011, Mike Bickle of the International House of Prayer, spoke on the subject of encountering the magnificence...

Christine O’Donnell says masturbation, not gay marriage led to CNN walk off
Friday, August 19, 2011 3:34 PM

Christine O’Donnell says masturbation, not gay marriage led to CNN walk offNEW! Christian News on Facebook. Follow on TwitterOn August 19, 2011, Tea Party favorite Christine O’Donnell appeared on NBC’s “Today...

Sarah Palin confirms ‘Extraordinary Women Conference,’ overflow available
Friday, August 19, 2011 2:42 PM

Sarah Palin confirms ‘Extraordinary Women Conference,’ overflow availableNEW! Christian News on Facebook. Follow on TwitterOn August 18, 2011, former vice president candidate and Alaskan governor confirmed she will speak at the...

Michele Bachmann to attend Research Council Values Voters Summit
Friday, August 19, 2011 6:07 AM

Michele Bachmann to attend Research Council Values Voters SummitNEW! Christian News on Facebook. Follow on TwitterOn August 18, 2011, Republican Congresswoman and GOP presidential candidate Michele Bachmann confirmed she will attend the Family...

The 700 Club gives out free fact sheets for a healthier lifestyle in Jesus
Thursday, August 18, 2011 2:43 AM

The 700 Club gives out free fact sheets for a healthier lifestyle in JesusNEW! Jesus Christ News on Facebook. Follow on TwitterChristians shouldn’t concern themselves with only their spiritual well being but must take into account...

Christine O’Donnell on Jesus, witches in new book ‘Troublemaker,' walks off CNN
Wednesday, August 17, 2011 10:59 PM

NEW! Jesus Christ News on Facebook. Follow on TwitterOn August 15, 2011, Christine O’Donnell, the former senatorial candidate and Tea Party favorite, sat for an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity. The topic of...

Denver Broncos, Tim Tebow fan wears customized Jesus Jersey; causes stir
Tuesday, August 16, 2011 8:37 PM

Denver Broncos, Tim Tebow fan wears customized Jesus Jersey; causes stirNEW! Jesus Christ News on Facebook. Follow on TwitterPeople love Tim Tebow and since he loves Jesus Christ, many of his fans have chosen to pay homage to...

Greg Laurie says Howard Stern needs Jesus Christ (videos)
Tuesday, August 16, 2011 6:39 PM

Greg Laurie says Howard Stern needs Jesus Christ (videos)NEW! Jesus Christ News on Facebook. Follow on TwitterPopular evangelist and Pastor Greg Laurie of Harvest Crusade Ministries announced that Howard Stern needs a relationship with Jesus...

Abortion in elections 2012: Pro life or pro death- oops pro choice
Tuesday, August 16, 2011 1:10 AM

Abortion in elections 2012: Pro life or pro death- oops pro choiceNEW! Jesus Christ News on Facebook. Follow on TwitterCommentaryDid you ever wonder why pro choice people don’t call themselves pro death? It seems that...

Jesus didn’t need to talk about abortion and homosexuality; it was in the Torah
Monday, August 15, 2011 11:56 PM

Jesus didn’t need to talk about abortion and homosexuality; it was in the TorahNEW! Jesus Christ News on Facebook. Follow on TwitterOn August 15, 2011, the Hartford Advocate’s Nick Keppler wrote a piece titled...

Do people believe in sin anymore? If not, how will they be saved through Jesus
Monday, August 15, 2011 10:54 PM

Do people believe in sin anymore? If not, how will they be saved through Jesus Christ?NEW! Jesus Christ News on Facebook. Follow on TwitterOn August 14, 2011, famed evangelist Billy Graham wrote in his column on...

NFL quarterback Colt McCoy talks faith in Jesus, grace, and football (video)
Friday, August 12, 2011 1:15 AM

NFL quarterback Colt McCoy talks faith in Jesus, grace and football (video)NEW! Jesus Christ News on Facebook. Follow on TwitterOn Wednesday, August 10, 2011, NFL quarterback Colt McCoy spoke with CBN sports journalist Shawn Brown regarding his...

Viola Davis discusses church scene, prayer in new Disney movie ‘The Help’ video
Friday, August 12, 2011 12:21 AM

Viola Davis discusses church scene, prayer in new Disney movie ‘The Help’ (video)NEW! Jesus Christ News on Facebook. Follow on TwitterOn Wednesday, August 10, 2011, actress Viola Davis spoke with the 700 Club to discuss...

Darlene Zschech talks worship, intimacy and relationship with Jesus (videos)
Tuesday, August 09, 2011 2:00 AM

Darlene Zschech talks worship, intimacy and relationship with Jesus (videos)NEW! Jesus Christ News on Facebook. Follow on TwitterOn August 8, 2011, Darlene Zschech spoke with Terry Meeuwsen of “The 700 Club” and discussed worship,...

Juan Williams talks political correctness, freedom of speech and liberal agenda
Saturday, August 06, 2011 12:54 AM

Juan Williams talks political correctness, freedom of speech and liberal agendaNEW! Join the Jesus Christ News Facebook Group. Contact on TwitterOn August 5, 2011, award winning journalist Juan Williams spoke with CBN’s 700 Club regarding...

Man says he was healed while watching 700 Club during prayer by Pat Robertson
Saturday, August 06, 2011 12:05 AM

Man says he was healed while watching 700 Club during prayer by Pat RobertsonNEW! Join the Jesus Christ News Facebook Group. Contact on TwitterOn August 3, 2011, a man, Joe Cooley, was interviewed on the Christian news program &ldquo...

Pharmacist Suzy Cohen says there is a natural cure for Diabetes without drugs
Friday, August 05, 2011 11:34 PM

Pharmacist Suzy Cohen says there is a natural cure for Diabetes without drugsNEW! Join the Jesus Christ News Facebook Group. Contact on TwitterOn Wednesday, August 3, 2011, pharmacist Suzy Cohen, appeared on the Christian program “The 700...

September 18, 2011: Read the Bible in One Year

2011-09-18T11:55:00.000-04:00

Isaiah 28:14-30:11
Galatians 3:23-4:31
Psalm 62:1-12
Proverbs 23:19-21

King James Version (KJV)
Isaiah 28:14-30:11 Listen to this passage ¹⁴Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem. ¹⁵Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves: ¹⁶Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste. ¹⁷Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place. ¹⁸And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it. ¹⁹From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report. ²⁰For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it: and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it. ²¹For the LORD shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act. ²²Now therefore be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong: for I have heard from the Lord GOD of hosts a consumption, even determined upon the whole earth. ²³Give ye ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech. ²⁴Doth the plowman plow all day to sow? doth he open and break the clods of his ground? ²⁵When he hath made plain the face thereof, doth he not cast abroad the fitches, and scatter the cummin, and cast in the principal wheat and the appointed barley and the rie in their place? ²⁶For his God doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him. ²⁷For the fitches are not threshed with a threshing instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned about upon the cummin; but the fitches are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod. ²⁸Bread corn is bruised; because he will not ever be threshing it, nor break it with the wheel of his cart, nor bruise it with his horsemen. ²⁹This also cometh forth from the LORD of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working. Isaiah 29 ¹Woe to Ariel, to Ariel, the city where David dwelt! add ye year to year; let them kill sacrifices. ²Yet I will distress Ariel, and there shall be heaviness and sorrow: and it shall be unto me as Ariel. ³And I will camp against thee round about, and will lay siege against thee with a mount, and I will raise forts against thee. ⁴And thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust, and thy voice shall be, as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust. ⁵Moreover the multitude of thy strangers shall be like small dust, and the multitude of the terrible ones shall be as chaff that passeth away: yea, it shall be at an instant suddenly. ⁶Thou shalt be visited of the LORD of hosts with thunder, and with earthquake, and great noise, with storm and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire. ⁷And the multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel, even all that fight against her and her munition, and that distress her, shall be as a dream of a night vision. ⁸It shall even be as when an hungry man dreameth, and, behold, he eateth; but he awaketh, and his soul is empty: or as when a thirsty man dreameth, and, behold, he drinketh; but he awaketh, and, behold, he is faint, and his soul hath appetite: so shall the multitude of all the nations be, that fight against mount Zion. ⁹Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink. ¹⁰For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered. ¹¹And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed: ¹²And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned. ¹³Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: ¹⁴Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid. ¹⁵Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us? ¹⁶Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter's clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding? ¹⁷Is it not yet a very little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest? ¹⁸And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness. ¹⁹The meek also shall increase their joy in the LORD, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. ²⁰For the terrible one is brought to nought, and the scorner is consumed, and all that watch for iniquity are cut off: ²¹That make a man an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of nought. ²²Therefore thus saith the LORD, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob, Jacob shall not now be ashamed, neither shall his face now wax pale. ²³But when he seeth his children, the work of mine hands, in the midst of him, they shall sanctify my name, and sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and shall fear the God of Israel. ²⁴They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine. Isaiah 30 ¹Woe to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin: ²That walk to go down into Egypt, and have not asked at my mouth; to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt! ³Therefore shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame, and the trust in the shadow of Egypt your confusion. ⁴For his princes were at Zoan, and his ambassadors came to Hanes. ⁵They were all ashamed of a people that could not profit them, nor be an help nor profit, but a shame, and also a reproach. ⁶The burden of the beasts of the south: into the land of trouble and anguish, from whence come the young and old lion, the viper and fiery flying serpent, they will carry their riches upon the shoulders of young asses, and their treasures upon the bunches of camels, to a people that shall not profit them. ⁷For the Egyptians shall help in vain, and to no purpose: therefore have I cried concerning this, Their strength is to sit still. ⁸Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever: ⁹That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD: ¹⁰Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits: ¹¹Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us. King James Version (KJV) Public Domain
Galatians 3:23-4:31 Listen to this passage View commentary related to this passage ²³But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. ²⁴Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. ²⁵But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. ²⁶For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. ²⁷For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. ²⁸There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. ²⁹And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. Galatians 4 ¹Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; ²But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. ³Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: ⁴But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, ⁵To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. ⁶And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. ⁷Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. ⁸Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods. ⁹But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? ¹⁰Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. ¹¹I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain. ¹²Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; for I am as ye are: ye have not injured me at all. ¹³Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first. ¹⁴And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. ¹⁵Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me. ¹⁶Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth? ¹⁷They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them. ¹⁸But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you. ¹⁹My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you, ²⁰I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you. ²¹Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? ²²For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. ²³But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. ²⁴Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. ²⁵For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. ²⁶But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. ²⁷For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. ²⁸Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. ²⁹But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. ³⁰Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. ³¹So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free. King James Version (KJV) Public Domain
Psalm 62:1-12 Listen to this passage View commentary related to this passage Psalm 62 ¹Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation. ²He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved. ³How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? ye shall be slain all of you: as a bowing wall shall ye be, and as a tottering fence. ⁴They only consult to cast him down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah. ⁵My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. ⁶He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved. ⁷In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. ⁸Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah. ⁹Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity. ¹⁰Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them. ¹¹God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God. ¹²Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work. King James Version (KJV) Public Domain
Proverbs 23:19-21 Listen to this passage View commentary related to this passage ¹⁹Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way. ²⁰Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh: ²¹For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags. King James Version (KJV) Public Domain

Family Research Council talks homosexuality, born gay, Proposition 8 and new Broadway Play '8'

2011-09-18T01:44:00.000-04:00

Will new Broadway play "8" (based on Proposition 8) convince the public to approve gay marriage in California?

Video: Peter Sprigg discusses whehter gays and lesbians are 'born this way'

Prophetic Worship flowing from International House of Prayer (IHOP) (videos, playlist)

2011-09-17T07:18:00.002-04:00

Prophetic Worship flowing from International House of Prayer (IHOP) (videos, playlist)

I love prophetic worship, but I believe in testing the spirits- funny thing in the body of Christ- it seems that we all test the spirits and come up with different answers. Typically this is because of the filtered lens by which we “test,” and not often using the Biblical standard of the fruit of the spirit. When we test spirits we are to look at the fruit that is produced. Does the ministry, word, or prophetic message ultimately lead to faith and salvation in Jesus Christ or does it lead the sheep astray. Even this standard, seems to get blurred for many as the world falls deeper and deeper into sin and delusion.

I am a strong believer that the gifts of the Holy Spirit continue to flow today, and that the promise of the Holy Spirit is to “all those who are called, even those who are afar off” and as today’s generation is 2,000 years after Jesus Christ- we’re pretty “far off” so if that means that some prophetic worship looks a bit “far out,” I’m not going to automatically write it off.

Anyway, I can’t…I prophesied immediately after being baptized in the Holy Spirit- my body shook uncontrollably and I couldn’t stop the flow- so- I know what I know and we’ll leave it at that, shall we?

There’s a lot of controversy in the Body of Christ regarding the “strangeness” of the things of God. Why does the Holy Spirit simply seem so strange, foreign and definitely with disregard of the religious nature mans has created? I have no idea- but I know that the Holy Spirit- does move frankly, in bizarre ways. When we test the spirits we aren’t supposed to say, “How does it look?” Or use the standard of, “Does that look right to you?” No, we are to test the spirits by the fruit. The fruit is whether or not after the “move” after the “Message” after the “preaching” after the "Prophecy," are people running to the Lord or running as fast as they can in the other direction?

Does the message convict, lead to repentance, bring a human soul to a deeper understanding of their need for holiness? Does the listener weep with tears of repentance, calling out to God for deeper commitment to His purpose and calling? Do they gain victory over areas of the flesh? Are strongholds broken?

This is how I test the spirits- I look at the fruit.

Anyway, I stumbled upon an incredible prophetic worship moment captured live at the International House of Prayer (IHOP). The singer is Audra Lynn. According to her Facebook profile, she has been singing in church since she was five years old, and by the age of seven was interested in drums and percussion instruments. Her mother was a worship leader, and by the time she was 15, she had been involve with worship.

In 2003, her family moved to Kansas City, Missouri where they are part of the International House of Prayer-Kansas City. Audra Lynn began with the Night Watch (late night hours, graveyard shift) at the Prayer room. The Night Watch is from 12:00 am until 6:00 am.

Speaking about her inspiration as a worship leader she stated, “The goal behind my music is simple... I want to touch the heart of God. I follow no rules when writing my music except that they praise and glorify my Maker."

You can check out Audra Lynn’s website here Audra Lynn Music

Listen to Audra Lynn and some incredibly anointed, prophetic worship flowing from the International House of Prayer (IHOP) Kansas City in the player below.

September 17, 2011: Read the Bible in One Year

2011-09-17T05:26:00.000-04:00

Isaiah 25:1-28:13
Galatians 3:10-22
Psalm 61:1-8
Proverbs 23:17-18

King James Version (KJV)
Isaiah 25-28:13 Listen to this passage Isaiah 25 ¹O Lord, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth. ²For thou hast made of a city an heap; of a defenced city a ruin: a palace of strangers to be no city; it shall never be built. ³Therefore shall the strong people glorify thee, the city of the terrible nations shall fear thee. ⁴For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall. ⁵Thou shalt bring down the noise of strangers, as the heat in a dry place; even the heat with the shadow of a cloud: the branch of the terrible ones shall be brought low. ⁶And in this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined. ⁷And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations. ⁸He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it. ⁹And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation. ¹⁰For in this mountain shall the hand of the LORD rest, and Moab shall be trodden down under him, even as straw is trodden down for the dunghill. ¹¹And he shall spread forth his hands in the midst of them, as he that swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands to swim: and he shall bring down their pride together with the spoils of their hands. ¹²And the fortress of the high fort of thy walls shall he bring down, lay low, and bring to the ground, even to the dust. Isaiah 26 ¹In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks. ²Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in. ³Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. ⁴Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength: ⁵For he bringeth down them that dwell on high; the lofty city, he layeth it low; he layeth it low, even to the ground; he bringeth it even to the dust. ⁶The foot shall tread it down, even the feet of the poor, and the steps of the needy. ⁷The way of the just is uprightness: thou, most upright, dost weigh the path of the just. ⁸Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee. ⁹With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. ¹⁰Let favour be shewed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the LORD. ¹¹LORD, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not see: but they shall see, and be ashamed for their envy at the people; yea, the fire of thine enemies shall devour them. ¹²LORD, thou wilt ordain peace for us: for thou also hast wrought all our works in us. ¹³O LORD our God, other lords beside thee have had dominion over us: but by thee only will we make mention of thy name. ¹⁴They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise: therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish. ¹⁵Thou hast increased the nation, O LORD, thou hast increased the nation: thou art glorified: thou hadst removed it far unto all the ends of the earth. ¹⁶LORD, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them. ¹⁷Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain, and crieth out in her pangs; so have we been in thy sight, O LORD. ¹⁸We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen. ¹⁹Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead. ²⁰Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. ²¹For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain. Isaiah 27 ¹In that day the LORD with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea. ²In that day sing ye unto her, A vineyard of red wine. ³I the LORD do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day. ⁴Fury is not in me: who would set the briers and thorns against me in battle? I would go through them, I would burn them together. ⁵Or let him take hold of my strength, that he may make peace with me; and he shall make peace with me. ⁶He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root: Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit. ⁷Hath he smitten him, as he smote those that smote him? or is he slain according to the slaughter of them that are slain by him? ⁸In measure, when it shooteth forth, thou wilt debate with it: he stayeth his rough wind in the day of the east wind. ⁹By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged; and this is all the fruit to take away his sin; when he maketh all the stones of the altar as chalkstones that are beaten in sunder, the groves and images shall not stand up. ¹⁰Yet the defenced city shall be desolate, and the habitation forsaken, and left like a wilderness: there shall the calf feed, and there shall he lie down, and consume the branches thereof. ¹¹When the boughs thereof are withered, they shall be broken off: the women come, and set them on fire: for it is a people of no understanding: therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them, and he that formed them will shew them no favour. ¹²And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall beat off from the channel of the river unto the stream of Egypt, and ye shall be gathered one by one, O ye children of Israel. ¹³And it shall come to pass in that day, that the great trumpet shall be blown, and they shall come which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt, and shall worship the LORD in the holy mount at Jerusalem. Isaiah 28 ¹Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, which are on the head of the fat valleys of them that are overcome with wine! ²Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one, which as a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with the hand. ³The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden under feet: ⁴And the glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley, shall be a fading flower, and as the hasty fruit before the summer; which when he that looketh upon it seeth, while it is yet in his hand he eateth it up. ⁵In that day shall the LORD of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people, ⁶And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate. ⁷But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment. ⁸For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean. ⁹Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. ¹⁰For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: ¹¹For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. ¹²To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear. ¹³But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken. King James Version (KJV) Public Domain
Galatians 3:10-22 Listen to this passage View commentary related to this passage ¹⁰For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. ¹¹But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. ¹²And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them. ¹³Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: ¹⁴That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. ¹⁵Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto. ¹⁶Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. ¹⁷And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. ¹⁸For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise. ¹⁹Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. ²⁰Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one. ²¹Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. ²²But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. King James Version (KJV) Public Domain
Psalm 61:1-8 Listen to this passage View commentary related to this passage Psalm 61 ¹Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. ²From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. ³For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy. ⁴I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah. ⁵For thou, O God, hast heard my vows: thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy name. ⁶Thou wilt prolong the king's life: and his years as many generations. ⁷He shall abide before God for ever: O prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him. ⁸So will I sing praise unto thy name for ever, that I may daily perform my vows. King James Version (KJV) Public Domain
Proverbs 23:17-18 Listen to this passage View commentary related to this passage ¹⁷Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long. ¹⁸For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off. King James Version (KJV) Public Domain

September 16, 2011: Read the Bible in One Year

2011-09-16T00:50:00.000-04:00

Isaiah 22:1-24:23
Galatians 2:17-3:9
Psalm 60:1-12
Proverbs 23:15-16

King James Version (KJV)
Isaiah 22-24:23 Listen to this passage Isaiah 22 ¹The burden of the valley of vision. What aileth thee now, that thou art wholly gone up to the housetops? ²Thou that art full of stirs, a tumultuous city, joyous city: thy slain men are not slain with the sword, nor dead in battle. ³All thy rulers are fled together, they are bound by the archers: all that are found in thee are bound together, which have fled from far. ⁴Therefore said I, Look away from me; I will weep bitterly, labour not to comfort me, because of the spoiling of the daughter of my people. ⁵For it is a day of trouble, and of treading down, and of perplexity by the Lord GOD of hosts in the valley of vision, breaking down the walls, and of crying to the mountains. ⁶And Elam bare the quiver with chariots of men and horsemen, and Kir uncovered the shield. ⁷And it shall come to pass, that thy choicest valleys shall be full of chariots, and the horsemen shall set themselves in array at the gate. ⁸And he discovered the covering of Judah, and thou didst look in that day to the armour of the house of the forest. ⁹Ye have seen also the breaches of the city of David, that they are many: and ye gathered together the waters of the lower pool. ¹⁰And ye have numbered the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses have ye broken down to fortify the wall. ¹¹Ye made also a ditch between the two walls for the water of the old pool: but ye have not looked unto the maker thereof, neither had respect unto him that fashioned it long ago. ¹²And in that day did the Lord GOD of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth: ¹³And behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen, and killing sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine: let us eat and drink; for to morrow we shall die. ¹⁴And it was revealed in mine ears by the LORD of hosts, Surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till ye die, saith the Lord GOD of hosts. ¹⁵Thus saith the Lord GOD of hosts, Go, get thee unto this treasurer, even unto Shebna, which is over the house, and say, ¹⁶What hast thou here? and whom hast thou here, that thou hast hewed thee out a sepulchre here, as he that heweth him out a sepulchre on high, and that graveth an habitation for himself in a rock? ¹⁷Behold, the LORD will carry thee away with a mighty captivity, and will surely cover thee. ¹⁸He will surely violently turn and toss thee like a ball into a large country: there shalt thou die, and there the chariots of thy glory shall be the shame of thy lord's house. ¹⁹And I will drive thee from thy station, and from thy state shall he pull thee down. ²⁰And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah: ²¹And I will clothe him with thy robe, and strengthen him with thy girdle, and I will commit thy government into his hand: and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah. ²²And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open. ²³And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place; and he shall be for a glorious throne to his father's house. ²⁴And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his father's house, the offspring and the issue, all vessels of small quantity, from the vessels of cups, even to all the vessels of flagons. ²⁵In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, shall the nail that is fastened in the sure place be removed, and be cut down, and fall; and the burden that was upon it shall be cut off: for the LORD hath spoken it. Isaiah 23 ¹The burden of Tyre. Howl, ye ships of Tarshish; for it is laid waste, so that there is no house, no entering in: from the land of Chittim it is revealed to them. ²Be still, ye inhabitants of the isle; thou whom the merchants of Zidon, that pass over the sea, have replenished. ³And by great waters the seed of Sihor, the harvest of the river, is her revenue; and she is a mart of nations. ⁴Be thou ashamed, O Zidon: for the sea hath spoken, even the strength of the sea, saying, I travail not, nor bring forth children, neither do I nourish up young men, nor bring up virgins. ⁵As at the report concerning Egypt, so shall they be sorely pained at the report of Tyre. ⁶Pass ye over to Tarshish; howl, ye inhabitants of the isle. ⁷Is this your joyous city, whose antiquity is of ancient days? her own feet shall carry her afar off to sojourn. ⁸Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning city, whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honourable of the earth? ⁹The LORD of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth. ¹⁰Pass through thy land as a river, O daughter of Tarshish: there is no more strength. ¹¹He stretched out his hand over the sea, he shook the kingdoms: the LORD hath given a commandment against the merchant city, to destroy the strong holds thereof. ¹²And he said, Thou shalt no more rejoice, O thou oppressed virgin, daughter of Zidon: arise, pass over to Chittim; there also shalt thou have no rest. ¹³Behold the land of the Chaldeans; this people was not, till the Assyrian founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness: they set up the towers thereof, they raised up the palaces thereof; and he brought it to ruin. ¹⁴Howl, ye ships of Tarshish: for your strength is laid waste. ¹⁵And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king: after the end of seventy years shall Tyre sing as an harlot. ¹⁶Take an harp, go about the city, thou harlot that hast been forgotten; make sweet melody, sing many songs, that thou mayest be remembered. ¹⁷And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, that the LORD will visit Tyre, and she shall turn to her hire, and shall commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth. ¹⁸And her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the LORD: it shall not be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise shall be for them that dwell before the LORD, to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing. Isaiah 24 ¹Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof. ²And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the taker of usury, so with the giver of usury to him. ³The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the LORD hath spoken this word. ⁴The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish. ⁵The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. ⁶Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left. ⁷The new wine mourneth, the vine languisheth, all the merryhearted do sigh. ⁸The mirth of tabrets ceaseth, the noise of them that rejoice endeth, the joy of the harp ceaseth. ⁹They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it. ¹⁰The city of confusion is broken down: every house is shut up, that no man may come in. ¹¹There is a crying for wine in the streets; all joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone. ¹²In the city is left desolation, and the gate is smitten with destruction. ¹³When thus it shall be in the midst of the land among the people, there shall be as the shaking of an olive tree, and as the gleaning grapes when the vintage is done. ¹⁴They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing for the majesty of the LORD, they shall cry aloud from the sea. ¹⁵Wherefore glorify ye the LORD in the fires, even the name of the LORD God of Israel in the isles of the sea. ¹⁶From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs, even glory to the righteous. But I said, My leanness, my leanness, woe unto me! the treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously; yea, the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously. ¹⁷Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth. ¹⁸And it shall come to pass, that he who fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth do shake. ¹⁹The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly. ²⁰The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again. ²¹And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth. ²²And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited. ²³Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously. King James Version (KJV) Public Domain
Galatians 2:17-3:9 Listen to this passage View commentary related to this passage ¹⁷But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. ¹⁸For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. ¹⁹For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. ²⁰I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. ²¹I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. Galatians 3 ¹O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? ²This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? ³Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? ⁴Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain. ⁵He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? ⁶Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. ⁷Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. ⁸And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. ⁹So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. King James Version (KJV) Public Domain
Psalm 60:1-12 Listen to this passage View commentary related to this passage Psalm 60 ¹O God, thou hast cast us off, thou hast scattered us, thou hast been displeased; O turn thyself to us again. ²Thou hast made the earth to tremble; thou hast broken it: heal the breaches thereof; for it shaketh. ³Thou hast shewed thy people hard things: thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment. ⁴Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah. ⁵That thy beloved may be delivered; save with thy right hand, and hear me. ⁶God hath spoken in his holiness; I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth. ⁷Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the strength of mine head; Judah is my lawgiver; ⁸Moab is my washpot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe: Philistia, triumph thou because of me. ⁹Who will bring me into the strong city? who will lead me into Edom? ¹⁰Wilt not thou, O God, which hadst cast us off? and thou, O God, which didst not go out with our armies? ¹¹Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man. ¹²Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies. King James Version (KJV) Public Domain
Proverbs 23:15-16 Listen to this passage View commentary related to this passage ¹⁵My son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine. ¹⁶Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things. King James Version (KJV) Public Domain

Fox television case goes back to U.S. Supreme Court for indecency ban

2011-09-16T00:36:00.000-04:00

Two Christian organizations have filed Amicus Briefs with the U.S. Supreme Court regarding the case "FCC vs. Fox Television Stations." The case focuses on offensive language and the current indecency ban in place that prohibits profanity and vulgarity being displayed on media networks during hours that children are viewing television. Multiple networks have stated the ban violates freedom of speech.

NRB, ACLJ file Amicus Briefs for ‘FCC v. FOX Television Stations' (pdf)

Video: Fox Television v. Federal Communications Commission 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals 2006; Read Amicus Briefs filed by the ACLJ and NRB

Jerry Buelle "Teacher suspended for Facebook comments against gay marriage" reinstated

2011-09-15T23:40:00.000-04:00

Jerry Buell, the former Florida "Teacher of the Year" who was suspended after posting an anti-gay message on his personal Facebook page has been reinstated.

Liberty Counsel represents teacher suspended for Facebook anti gay post (videos)

Videos: Paula White preaches after Zachery Tims death and funeral; first church service

2011-09-15T21:58:00.001-04:00

On August 21, 2011, Tampa, Florida pastor Paula White delivered the first sermon at New Destiny Christian Church after Zachery Tims' death was announced and memorialized. Tims' funeral and interment were held on August 20, 2011, just one day prior to White speaking in the church. You may see the full videos of that sermon where she speaks to the congregation and assures them they are not alone in this time of grief in the video player below.

Tims' cause of death remains unknown but he wasn't without his fair share of scandal. Early reports indicate his death may have been linked to drug use but at this point an autopsy was inconclusive and toxicology testing is currently underway. The results of those tests are expected within the next several weeks.

Read the article:

NDCC shares videos of Paula White preaching service after Zachery Tims’ death

Video: Paula White preaches first sermon after announcement of Zachery Tims death on August 21, 2011: NDCC shares videos

NRB accepting 2012 Media Awards submissions until September 16, 2011

2011-09-15T21:36:00.000-04:00

Are you a member of the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB)? If so, you have one day left in order to submit your nominees for the 2012 Annual Media Awards. These prestigious awards celebrate the creme de la creme in Christian broadcasting and cover a wide array of areas.

NRB accepting 2012 Media Awards submissions until September 16, 2011

Video: National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) Convention video footage from the

Pat Robertson controversy after divorce and Alzheimer’s comments (full videos)

2011-09-15T19:11:00.001-04:00

Pat Robertson under fire for comments made on the 700 Club show regarding divorce and Alzheimer's patients. Were Pat Robertson's comments taken out of context? Did you see his full video? Some videos going around the internet don't contain the full video where Robertson said twice that he isn't an expert in ethics-

Do you think Robertson is being unfairly judged for the comments, or are you not even willing to listen to what he said before making judgment like many in the media? Seems pretty clear that he wasn't trying to advocate everyone running out and divorcing their Alzheimer's spouse- he was talking about someone who is already seeing another woman...

What do you think? Check out the link below...

Pat Robertson controversy after divorce and Alzheimer’s comments (full videos)

Video: Pat Robertson on Alzheimer's and Divorce (Bring it On, the 700 Club September 13, 2011

September 15, 2011: Daily Bible Reading Online

2011-09-15T03:16:00.001-04:00

Isaiah 19:1-21:17
Galatians 2:1-16
Psalm 59:1-17
Proverbs 23:13-14

King James Version (KJV)
Isaiah 19-21:17 Listen to this passage Isaiah 19 ¹The burden of Egypt. Behold, the LORD rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt: and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it. ²And I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians: and they shall fight every one against his brother, and every one against his neighbour; city against city, and kingdom against kingdom. ³And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof; and I will destroy the counsel thereof: and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards. ⁴And the Egyptians will I give over into the hand of a cruel lord; and a fierce king shall rule over them, saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts. ⁵And the waters shall fail from the sea, and the river shall be wasted and dried up. ⁶And they shall turn the rivers far away; and the brooks of defence shall be emptied and dried up: the reeds and flags shall wither. ⁷The paper reeds by the brooks, by the mouth of the brooks, and every thing sown by the brooks, shall wither, be driven away, and be no more. ⁸The fishers also shall mourn, and all they that cast angle into the brooks shall lament, and they that spread nets upon the waters shall languish. ⁹Moreover they that work in fine flax, and they that weave networks, shall be confounded. ¹⁰And they shall be broken in the purposes thereof, all that make sluices and ponds for fish. ¹¹Surely the princes of Zoan are fools, the counsel of the wise counsellors of Pharaoh is become brutish: how say ye unto Pharaoh, I am the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings? ¹²Where are they? where are thy wise men? and let them tell thee now, and let them know what the LORD of hosts hath purposed upon Egypt. ¹³The princes of Zoan are become fools, the princes of Noph are deceived; they have also seduced Egypt, even they that are the stay of the tribes thereof. ¹⁴The LORD hath mingled a perverse spirit in the midst thereof: and they have caused Egypt to err in every work thereof, as a drunken man staggereth in his vomit. ¹⁵Neither shall there be any work for Egypt, which the head or tail, branch or rush, may do. ¹⁶In that day shall Egypt be like unto women: and it shall be afraid and fear because of the shaking of the hand of the LORD of hosts, which he shaketh over it. ¹⁷And the land of Judah shall be a terror unto Egypt, every one that maketh mention thereof shall be afraid in himself, because of the counsel of the LORD of hosts, which he hath determined against it. ¹⁸In that day shall five cities in the land of Egypt speak the language of Canaan, and swear to the LORD of hosts; one shall be called, The city of destruction. ¹⁹In that day shall there be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to the LORD. ²⁰And it shall be for a sign and for a witness unto the LORD of hosts in the land of Egypt: for they shall cry unto the LORD because of the oppressors, and he shall send them a saviour, and a great one, and he shall deliver them. ²¹And the LORD shall be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know the LORD in that day, and shall do sacrifice and oblation; yea, they shall vow a vow unto the LORD, and perform it. ²²And the LORD shall smite Egypt: he shall smite and heal it: and they shall return even to the LORD, and he shall be intreated of them, and shall heal them. ²³In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians. ²⁴In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land: ²⁵Whom the LORD of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance. Isaiah 20 ¹In the year that Tartan came unto Ashdod, (when Sargon the king of Assyria sent him,) and fought against Ashdod, and took it; ²At the same time spake the LORD by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, Go and loose the sackcloth from off thy loins, and put off thy shoe from thy foot. And he did so, walking naked and barefoot. ³And the LORD said, Like as my servant Isaiah hath walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and wonder upon Egypt and upon Ethiopia; ⁴So shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptians prisoners, and the Ethiopians captives, young and old, naked and barefoot, even with their buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt. ⁵And they shall be afraid and ashamed of Ethiopia their expectation, and of Egypt their glory. ⁶And the inhabitant of this isle shall say in that day, Behold, such is our expectation, whither we flee for help to be delivered from the king of Assyria: and how shall we escape? Isaiah 21 ¹The burden of the desert of the sea. As whirlwinds in the south pass through; so it cometh from the desert, from a terrible land. ²A grievous vision is declared unto me; the treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth. Go up, O Elam: besiege, O Media; all the sighing thereof have I made to cease. ³Therefore are my loins filled with pain: pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman that travaileth: I was bowed down at the hearing of it; I was dismayed at the seeing of it. ⁴My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear unto me. ⁵Prepare the table, watch in the watchtower, eat, drink: arise, ye princes, and anoint the shield. ⁶For thus hath the LORD said unto me, Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth. ⁷And he saw a chariot with a couple of horsemen, a chariot of asses, and a chariot of camels; and he hearkened diligently with much heed: ⁸And he cried, A lion: My lord, I stand continually upon the watchtower in the daytime, and I am set in my ward whole nights: ⁹And, behold, here cometh a chariot of men, with a couple of horsemen. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground. ¹⁰O my threshing, and the corn of my floor: that which I have heard of the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, have I declared unto you. ¹¹The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night? ¹²The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will enquire, enquire ye: return, come. ¹³The burden upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye travelling companies of Dedanim. ¹⁴The inhabitants of the land of Tema brought water to him that was thirsty, they prevented with their bread him that fled. ¹⁵For they fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war. ¹⁶For thus hath the LORD said unto me, Within a year, according to the years of an hireling, and all the glory of Kedar shall fail: ¹⁷And the residue of the number of archers, the mighty men of the children of Kedar, shall be diminished: for the LORD God of Israel hath spoken it. King James Version (KJV) Public Domain
Galatians 2:1-16 Listen to this passage View commentary related to this passage Galatians 2 ¹Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also. ²And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain. ³But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised: ⁴And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: ⁵To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you. ⁶But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man's person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me: ⁷But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter; ⁸(For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:) ⁹And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision. ¹⁰Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do. ¹¹But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. ¹²For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. ¹³And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. ¹⁴But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? ¹⁵We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, ¹⁶Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. King James Version (KJV) Public Domain
Psalm 59:1-17 Listen to this passage View commentary related to this passage Psalm 59 ¹Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God: defend me from them that rise up against me. ²Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me from bloody men. ³For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul: the mighty are gathered against me; not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O LORD. ⁴They run and prepare themselves without my fault: awake to help me, and behold. ⁵Thou therefore, O LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel, awake to visit all the heathen: be not merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah. ⁶They return at evening: they make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city. ⁷Behold, they belch out with their mouth: swords are in their lips: for who, say they, doth hear? ⁸But thou, O LORD, shalt laugh at them; thou shalt have all the heathen in derision. ⁹Because of his strength will I wait upon thee: for God is my defence. ¹⁰The God of my mercy shall prevent me: God shall let me see my desire upon mine enemies. ¹¹Slay them not, lest my people forget: scatter them by thy power; and bring them down, O Lord our shield. ¹²For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips let them even be taken in their pride: and for cursing and lying which they speak. ¹³Consume them in wrath, consume them, that they may not be: and let them know that God ruleth in Jacob unto the ends of the earth. Selah. ¹⁴And at evening let them return; and let them make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city. ¹⁵Let them wander up and down for meat, and grudge if they be not satisfied. ¹⁶But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble. ¹⁷Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing: for God is my defence, and the God of my mercy. King James Version (KJV) Public Domain
Proverbs 23:13-14 Listen to this passage View commentary related to this passage ¹³Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. ¹⁴Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell. King James Version (KJV) Public Domain

September 14, 2011: Read the Bible online

2011-09-14T12:26:00.000-04:00

Isaiah 15:1-18:7
Galatians 1:1-24
Psalm 58:1-11
Proverbs 23:12

King James Version (KJV)
Isaiah 15-18:7 Listen to this passage Isaiah 15 ¹The burden of Moab. Because in the night Ar of Moab is laid waste, and brought to silence; because in the night Kir of Moab is laid waste, and brought to silence; ²He is gone up to Bajith, and to Dibon, the high places, to weep: Moab shall howl over Nebo, and over Medeba: on all their heads shall be baldness, and every beard cut off. ³In their streets they shall gird themselves with sackcloth: on the tops of their houses, and in their streets, every one shall howl, weeping abundantly. ⁴And Heshbon shall cry, and Elealeh: their voice shall be heard even unto Jahaz: therefore the armed soldiers of Moab shall cry out; his life shall be grievous unto him. ⁵My heart shall cry out for Moab; his fugitives shall flee unto Zoar, an heifer of three years old: for by the mounting up of Luhith with weeping shall they go it up; for in the way of Horonaim they shall raise up a cry of destruction. ⁶For the waters of Nimrim shall be desolate: for the hay is withered away, the grass faileth, there is no green thing. ⁷Therefore the abundance they have gotten, and that which they have laid up, shall they carry away to the brook of the willows. ⁸For the cry is gone round about the borders of Moab; the howling thereof unto Eglaim, and the howling thereof unto Beerelim. ⁹For the waters of Dimon shall be full of blood: for I will bring more upon Dimon, lions upon him that escapeth of Moab, and upon the remnant of the land. Isaiah 16 ¹Send ye the lamb to the ruler of the land from Sela to the wilderness, unto the mount of the daughter of Zion. ²For it shall be, that, as a wandering bird cast out of the nest, so the daughters of Moab shall be at the fords of Arnon. ³Take counsel, execute judgment; make thy shadow as the night in the midst of the noonday; hide the outcasts; bewray not him that wandereth. ⁴Let mine outcasts dwell with thee, Moab; be thou a covert to them from the face of the spoiler: for the extortioner is at an end, the spoiler ceaseth, the oppressors are consumed out of the land. ⁵And in mercy shall the throne be established: and he shall sit upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David, judging, and seeking judgment, and hasting righteousness. ⁶We have heard of the pride of Moab; he is very proud: even of his haughtiness, and his pride, and his wrath: but his lies shall not be so. ⁷Therefore shall Moab howl for Moab, every one shall howl: for the foundations of Kirhareseth shall ye mourn; surely they are stricken. ⁸For the fields of Heshbon languish, and the vine of Sibmah: the lords of the heathen have broken down the principal plants thereof, they are come even unto Jazer, they wandered through the wilderness: her branches are stretched out, they are gone over the sea. ⁹Therefore I will bewail with the weeping of Jazer the vine of Sibmah: I will water thee with my tears, O Heshbon, and Elealeh: for the shouting for thy summer fruits and for thy harvest is fallen. ¹⁰And gladness is taken away, and joy out of the plentiful field; and in the vineyards there shall be no singing, neither shall there be shouting: the treaders shall tread out no wine in their presses; I have made their vintage shouting to cease. ¹¹Wherefore my bowels shall sound like an harp for Moab, and mine inward parts for Kirharesh. ¹²And it shall come to pass, when it is seen that Moab is weary on the high place, that he shall come to his sanctuary to pray; but he shall not prevail. ¹³This is the word that the LORD hath spoken concerning Moab since that time. ¹⁴But now the LORD hath spoken, saying, Within three years, as the years of an hireling, and the glory of Moab shall be contemned, with all that great multitude; and the remnant shall be very small and feeble. Isaiah 17 ¹The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap. ²The cities of Aroer are forsaken: they shall be for flocks, which shall lie down, and none shall make them afraid. ³The fortress also shall cease from Ephraim, and the kingdom from Damascus, and the remnant of Syria: they shall be as the glory of the children of Israel, saith the LORD of hosts. ⁴And in that day it shall come to pass, that the glory of Jacob shall be made thin, and the fatness of his flesh shall wax lean. ⁵And it shall be as when the harvestman gathereth the corn, and reapeth the ears with his arm; and it shall be as he that gathereth ears in the valley of Rephaim. ⁶Yet gleaning grapes shall be left in it, as the shaking of an olive tree, two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough, four or five in the outmost fruitful branches thereof, saith the LORD God of Israel. ⁷At that day shall a man look to his Maker, and his eyes shall have respect to the Holy One of Israel. ⁸And he shall not look to the altars, the work of his hands, neither shall respect that which his fingers have made, either the groves, or the images. ⁹In that day shall his strong cities be as a forsaken bough, and an uppermost branch, which they left because of the children of Israel: and there shall be desolation. ¹⁰Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation, and hast not been mindful of the rock of thy strength, therefore shalt thou plant pleasant plants, and shalt set it with strange slips: ¹¹In the day shalt thou make thy plant to grow, and in the morning shalt thou make thy seed to flourish: but the harvest shall be a heap in the day of grief and of desperate sorrow. ¹²Woe to the multitude of many people, which make a noise like the noise of the seas; and to the rushing of nations, that make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters! ¹³The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters: but God shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like a rolling thing before the whirlwind. ¹⁴And behold at eveningtide trouble; and before the morning he is not. This is the portion of them that spoil us, and the lot of them that rob us. Isaiah 18 ¹Woe to the land shadowing with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia: ²That sendeth ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of bulrushes upon the waters, saying, Go, ye swift messengers, to a nation scattered and peeled, to a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden down, whose land the rivers have spoiled! ³All ye inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on the earth, see ye, when he lifteth up an ensign on the mountains; and when he bloweth a trumpet, hear ye. ⁴For so the LORD said unto me, I will take my rest, and I will consider in my dwelling place like a clear heat upon herbs, and like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest. ⁵For afore the harvest, when the bud is perfect, and the sour grape is ripening in the flower, he shall both cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks, and take away and cut down the branches. ⁶They shall be left together unto the fowls of the mountains, and to the beasts of the earth: and the fowls shall summer upon them, and all the beasts of the earth shall winter upon them. ⁷In that time shall the present be brought unto the LORD of hosts of a people scattered and peeled, and from a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden under foot, whose land the rivers have spoiled, to the place of the name of the LORD of hosts, the mount Zion. King James Version (KJV) Public Domain
Galatians 1:1-24 Listen to this passage View commentary related to this passage Galatians 1 ¹Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;) ²And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia: ³Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, ⁴Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: ⁵To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. ⁶I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: ⁷Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. ⁸But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. ⁹As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. ¹⁰For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. ¹¹But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. ¹²For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. ¹³For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: ¹⁴And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. ¹⁵But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, ¹⁶To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: ¹⁷Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus. ¹⁸Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days. ¹⁹But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother. ²⁰Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not. ²¹Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia; ²²And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ: ²³But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed. ²⁴And they glorified God in me. King James Version (KJV) Public Domain
Psalm 58:1-11 Listen to this passage View commentary related to this passage Psalm 58 ¹Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men? ²Yea, in heart ye work wickedness; ye weigh the violence of your hands in the earth. ³The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies. ⁴Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear; ⁵Which will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming never so wisely. ⁶Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth: break out the great teeth of the young lions, O LORD. ⁷Let them melt away as waters which run continually: when he bendeth his bow to shoot his arrows, let them be as cut in pieces. ⁸As a snail which melteth, let every one of them pass away: like the untimely birth of a woman, that they may not see the sun. ⁹Before your pots can feel the thorns, he shall take them away as with a whirlwind, both living, and in his wrath. ¹⁰The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked. ¹¹So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth. King James Version (KJV) Public Domain
Proverbs 23:12 Listen to this passage View commentary related to this passage ¹²Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge. King James Version (KJV) Public Domain

Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) hosts ‘Seven Days Ablaze’ with live broadcasts (video link)

2011-09-14T12:15:00.001-04:00

Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) hosts ‘Seven Days Ablaze’ with live broadcasts (video link)

NEW! Christian News on Facebook. Follow on Twitter

The Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) is hosting “Seven Days Ablaze” and has live streaming broadcasts from the event. Beginning on September 8, 2011 the last day will on September 15, 2011. On September 14, 2011, Jonathan Falwell will preach. The broadcast is a time of prayer, praise, worship and teaching in order for refreshing. Past events have been archived and are available for viewing. Speakers include Retired Lieutenant General William “Jerry” Boykin, Pat Robertson (CBN founder and chairman), Lisa Bevere, Terry Meeuwsen, Jonathan Falwell and Reverend Sam Childers.

Click the link here CBN Seven Days Ablaze in order to view the live stream as well as past sessions.

Additionally, CBN is giving away a free prayer resource, however you must register (free) in order to download from CBN.com.

9/11 video: Vice President Joe Biden honors those on Flight 93 (photos)

2011-09-14T10:04:00.000-04:00

On September 11, 2011, the tenth anniversary of the attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, Vice President Joe Biden joined former presidents George Bush, Bill Clinton and the family members of those who perished in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. In the videos below you may see Vice President Joe Biden as he delivered remarks on September 10, 2011 followed by the dedication of the Flight 93 memorial that took place on 9/11.

You may read Joe Biden's full remarks in the transcript below the videos and links to photos from other 9/11 memorial events.

Oh, and in case you were wondering- prayer was allowed!

September 11th (9/11) Photos, Slideshows and Videos

Slideshow: President Obama holds 9/11 Memorial Service at Pentagon (photos, videos)

Slideshow: Vice President Joe Biden leads Ground Zero 9/11 Memorial Service with poem 'The Builder'

Slideshow: Michelle Obama delivers 9/11 speech in Pennsylvania (speech transcript, photos, video)

Slideshow: Michelle Obama, Laura Bush in Shanksville, Pa for 9/11 (speech transcript, photos, video)

Slideshow: Former president George Bush releases statement on 9/11 (photos from September 11, 2001)

Photos from Ground Zero on September 11, 2001 (just the slideshow)

Slideshow: September 11th nine years later, scenes from the reflecting pool (911 photos, videos)

Slideshow: 911 memorial service in Zuccotti Park New York City (2010) (photos, videos)

911 Slideshow: Memorial services honored those who perished on Sept. 11, 2001 (photos from 2009 with video ‘Inside 911’)

Just the Slideshow: Photos: Remembering those who perished on September 11, 2001

2009 Memorial Service live from Ground Zero: September 11 is Patriot Day (photos)

2009 Slideshow: President Obama and Michelle Obama remember those lost on September 11, 2001

Remarks by Vice President Joseph Biden at Dedication of Flight 93 Memorial

Shanksville, Pennsylvania

2:25 P.M. EDT
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Ladies and gentlemen, my fellow Americans, I’m honored to be standing here today, standing with two former Presidents.

President Clinton, as he said, the passengers on Flight 93 knew that our common humanity is what united us most. Well, Mr. President, the same can be said of you. You spent your time as President, and the years since, deeply committed to embracing and strengthening our common humanity. (Applause.) And, Mr. President, we all thank you for what you’ve done and what you continue to do.

Let me also recognize a man responsible for bringing our country together at a time when it could have been torn apart, for making it clear that America could not be brought to her knees, and helping us stand tall and strike back -- President George W. Bush. (Applause.) In the darkest hour of our generation, your voice and leadership, Mr. President, helped us find our way. And for that, you deserve our gratitude for a long, long time. (Applause.)

And I say now to the families that are gathered here today, I know what it’s like to receive that call out of the blue, like a bolt out of the blue. And I know this is a bittersweet moment for you. And I want to tell you, you have a lot more courage than I had. You have a lot more courage just by being here today, because I know, and many others know, how hard it is to relive these moments, because it brings everything back in stark, stark relief and stark detail.

But I also know, like your loved ones, what you probably don’t know, that you are literally an inspiration to the thousands of people across this country who right now are feeling the loss of an intense tragedy that they’re suffering. They know, looking at you, watching you on television today, that there’s hope to be found after tragedy, that there’s rebirth in the face of death. You, in a sense, are as courageous as your family members were. And we owe you all for being here today, just the act of being here. (Applause.)

We’re here today to remember and honor 40 men and women who gave their lives so others could live theirs -- decent, honorable women and men who never imagined 10 years ago tomorrow that when they said goodbye to their children, when they kissed their loved ones goodbye and walked through that door, that they were doing it for the very last time.

They didn’t know the horror that awaited them, but they confronted unimaginable fear and terror with a courage that has been summoned only by the truest and the rarest of American heroes -- 40 names etched on each of those panels on the wall, the Wall of Names. But, more than that, their names are going to be, as President Bush said, etched forever into American history. They join an incredibly elite list of women and men, and a long history filled with ordinary Americans doing extraordinary things -- men and women of undaunted courage, uncommon resolve, and a stubborn perseverance in the face of unfathomable challenge.
We teach our children that these are qualities ingrained into our national character as Americans. And I believe they are. They animate our national identity. And I believe they will continue to define America, because of the example of the men and women who we pay tribute today, the passengers and the crew of Flight 93.

None of them asked for what happened. They didn’t go on that plane -- they didn’t board that plane to fight a war. But when they heard the news, when they found out what happened in New York, they knew that they were going through, it was something more than a hijacking. They knew it was the opening shot in a new war.

And so, they acted. They acted as citizen patriots have acted since the beginning of our country. They stood up and they stood their ground. They thought, like Captain Parker said at Lexington, and I quote him, “If they mean to have a war, let it begin here.”

As many times as I recall, and all of you who are not family members like me, have recalled this incident time and again over the last 10 years, I never fail to be astonished, literally astonished by the courage they demonstrated.

And so, we stand where it began. We think of them. We think of our nation. We think of our history and we think of the future. And we think of it, because of them, with a confidence knowing that ordinary citizens will continue to stare down fear, overwhelm evil, and bring forth hope from what seems to be none. And although it will continue to amaze us and inspire us when it happens, it should not surprise us. For that heroism is who we are. And that courage lies deepest and beats loudest in the heart of this nation.
We know that these 40 men and women were more than ordinary Americans to all of you sitting in front of me. They were more than passengers and crews. They were already heroes. They were already heroes to you.

They were the father that tucked you in bed at night. They were the wife who knew your fears before you even expressed them. They were the brother who lifted you up. They were the daughter who made you laugh. They were the son who made you proud. They are irreplaceable. I know that. We know that.
And we know, and I know, that no memorial -- no words, no acts -- can fill the void that they left in your hearts. My prayer for you is that 10 years later, their memory is able to bring a smile to your lips before it brings a tear to your eye. And I hope you take comfort in knowing that a grateful nation understands that your loved ones gave their lives in pursuit of the noblest of earthly goals: defending their country, defending their families, sacrificing their lives so we could live ours. Those of us who were in Washington that day, without knowing it for sure at the time, now know we owe them an overwhelming special, personal debt of gratitude.

The collective spirit of your mother, your father, your brother, your husband, your wife, your sister, your best friend -- that spirit lives on not only in you, but in your country. It lives on in the Cross of Steel made from the World Trade Center beams, placed on a Pentagon-shaped platform that rests proudly outside the Shanksville Volunteer Fire Department. (Applause.) That Cross of Steel is an enduring symbol of the steel and the spine of this region, and the spine of this country.

And it definitely lives on in a new generation of warriors -- the 9/11 Generation, inspired by what happened here, 2.8 million young Americans since 9/11, that 9/11 generation, have joined the United States Armed Forces -- thousands giving their lives and tens of thousands being wounded to finish the war that began right here.

Maya Angelou wrote, and I quote, “History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived. However, if faced with courage, need not be lived again.”

Ladies and gentlemen -- we are not here to unlive history. We are here to honor those whose courage made history and is going to inspire generations of Americans to come.

So, I say to you, even as we struggle with this tragedy, even as we grapple with the profound loss and devastating grief, we can look up at the heavens and think of these heroes and know, know with certitude that there is not a single, solitary tragedy that America cannot overcome. There is not a single moment of hardship that cannot be transformed into one of national strength. The seeds of doubt, planted by those who wish to harm us, will instead grow into flowering meadows like this one where we stand in today, for they cannot defeat the American spirit. We know this with certainty. We know it with certainty, because it’s the history of the journey of this country at every stage of our history. (Applause.)

As President Clinton knows, my mother used to say, “Courage lies in every heart.” And she would go on to say, “And the expectation is that, Joey, one day it will be summoned.” “Courage lies in every heart, and one day it will be summoned.” On September 11, 2001, at 9:57 a.m., it was summoned and 40 incredible men and women answered the call. They gave their lives and, in doing so, gave this country a new life.
We owe them. We owe you a debt we can never repay. Thank you all. Thank you, family members. And may God bless you. And may God protect our troops. (Applause.)

September 13, 2011: Read the Bible in One Year

2011-09-13T11:10:00.000-04:00

Isaiah 12:1-14:32
2 Corinthians 13:1-14
Psalm 57:1-11
Proverbs 23:9-11

King James Version (KJV)
Isaiah 12-14:32 Listen to this passage Isaiah 12 ¹And in that day thou shalt say, O LORD, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me. ²Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. ³Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. ⁴And in that day shall ye say, Praise the LORD, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted. ⁵Sing unto the LORD; for he hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth. ⁶Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee. Isaiah 13 ¹The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see. ²Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles. ³I have commanded my sanctified ones, I have also called my mighty ones for mine anger, even them that rejoice in my highness. ⁴The noise of a multitude in the mountains, like as of a great people; a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together: the LORD of hosts mustereth the host of the battle. ⁵They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the LORD, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land. ⁶Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty. ⁷Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man's heart shall melt: ⁸And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames. ⁹Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. ¹⁰For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine. ¹¹And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible. ¹²I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir. ¹³Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger. ¹⁴And it shall be as the chased roe, and as a sheep that no man taketh up: they shall every man turn to his own people, and flee every one into his own land. ¹⁵Every one that is found shall be thrust through; and every one that is joined unto them shall fall by the sword. ¹⁶Their children also shall be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses shall be spoiled, and their wives ravished. ¹⁷Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, which shall not regard silver; and as for gold, they shall not delight in it. ¹⁸Their bows also shall dash the young men to pieces; and they shall have no pity on the fruit of the womb; their eyes shall not spare children. ¹⁹And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees' excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. ²⁰It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there. ²¹But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there. ²²And the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate houses, and dragons in their pleasant palaces: and her time is near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged. Isaiah 14 ¹For the LORD will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land: and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob. ²And the people shall take them, and bring them to their place: and the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of the LORD for servants and handmaids: and they shall take them captives, whose captives they were; and they shall rule over their oppressors. ³And it shall come to pass in the day that the LORD shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve, ⁴That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased! ⁵The LORD hath broken the staff of the wicked, and the sceptre of the rulers. ⁶He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth. ⁷The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing. ⁸Yea, the fir trees rejoice at thee, and the cedars of Lebanon, saying, Since thou art laid down, no feller is come up against us. ⁹Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations. ¹⁰All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us? ¹¹Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee. ¹²How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! ¹³For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: ¹⁴I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. ¹⁵Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. ¹⁶They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; ¹⁷That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners? ¹⁸All the kings of the nations, even all of them, lie in glory, every one in his own house. ¹⁹But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch, and as the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcase trodden under feet. ²⁰Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed thy land, and slain thy people: the seed of evildoers shall never be renowned. ²¹Prepare slaughter for his children for the iniquity of their fathers; that they do not rise, nor possess the land, nor fill the face of the world with cities. ²²For I will rise up against them, saith the LORD of hosts, and cut off from Babylon the name, and remnant, and son, and nephew, saith the LORD. ²³I will also make it a possession for the bittern, and pools of water: and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction, saith the LORD of hosts. ²⁴The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand: ²⁵That I will break the Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountains tread him under foot: then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders. ²⁶This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth: and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations. ²⁷For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back? ²⁸In the year that king Ahaz died was this burden. ²⁹Rejoice not thou, whole Palestina, because the rod of him that smote thee is broken: for out of the serpent's root shall come forth a cockatrice, and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent. ³⁰And the firstborn of the poor shall feed, and the needy shall lie down in safety: and I will kill thy root with famine, and he shall slay thy remnant. ³¹Howl, O gate; cry, O city; thou, whole Palestina, art dissolved: for there shall come from the north a smoke, and none shall be alone in his appointed times. ³²What shall one then answer the messengers of the nation? That the LORD hath founded Zion, and the poor of his people shall trust in it. King James Version (KJV) Public Domain
2 Corinthians 13:1-14 Listen to this passage View commentary related to this passage 2 Corinthians 13 ¹This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established. ²I told you before, and foretell you, as if I were present, the second time; and being absent now I write to them which heretofore have sinned, and to all other, that, if I come again, I will not spare: ³Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which to you-ward is not weak, but is mighty in you. ⁴For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you. ⁵Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? ⁶But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates. ⁷Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates. ⁸For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. ⁹For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection. ¹⁰Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification, and not to destruction. ¹¹Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you. ¹²Greet one another with an holy kiss. ¹³All the saints salute you. ¹⁴The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. King James Version (KJV) Public Domain
Psalm 57:1-11 Listen to this passage View commentary related to this passage Psalm 57 ¹Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast. ²I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me. ³He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth. ⁴My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword. ⁵Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; let thy glory be above all the earth. ⁶They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down: they have digged a pit before me, into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves. Selah. ⁷My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise. ⁸Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early. ⁹I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: I will sing unto thee among the nations. ¹⁰For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds. ¹¹Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: let thy glory be above all the earth. King James Version (KJV) Public Domain
Proverbs 23:9-11 Listen to this passage View commentary related to this passage ⁹Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words. ¹⁰Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless: ¹¹For their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with thee. King James Version (KJV) Public Domain

September 12, 2011: Read the Bible in One Year

2011-09-12T13:29:00.000-04:00

Isaiah 10:1-11:16
2 Corinthians 12:11-21
Psalm 56:1-13
Proverbs 23:6-8

King James Version (KJV)
Isaiah 10-11:16 Listen to this passage Isaiah 10 ¹Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed; ²To turn aside the needy from judgment, and to take away the right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless! ³And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from far? to whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye leave your glory? ⁴Without me they shall bow down under the prisoners, and they shall fall under the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. ⁵O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation. ⁶I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. ⁷Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few. ⁸For he saith, Are not my princes altogether kings? ⁹Is not Calno as Carchemish? is not Hamath as Arpad? is not Samaria as Damascus? ¹⁰As my hand hath found the kingdoms of the idols, and whose graven images did excel them of Jerusalem and of Samaria; ¹¹Shall I not, as I have done unto Samaria and her idols, so do to Jerusalem and her idols? ¹²Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks. ¹³For he saith, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I am prudent: and I have removed the bounds of the people, and have robbed their treasures, and I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man: ¹⁴And my hand hath found as a nest the riches of the people: and as one gathereth eggs that are left, have I gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped. ¹⁵Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith? or shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it? as if the rod should shake itself against them that lift it up, or as if the staff should lift up itself, as if it were no wood. ¹⁶Therefore shall the Lord, the Lord of hosts, send among his fat ones leanness; and under his glory he shall kindle a burning like the burning of a fire. ¹⁷And the light of Israel shall be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame: and it shall burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day; ¹⁸And shall consume the glory of his forest, and of his fruitful field, both soul and body: and they shall be as when a standard-bearer fainteth. ¹⁹And the rest of the trees of his forest shall be few, that a child may write them. ²⁰And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again stay upon him that smote them; but shall stay upon the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. ²¹The remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God. ²²For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant of them shall return: the consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness. ²³For the Lord GOD of hosts shall make a consumption, even determined, in the midst of all the land. ²⁴Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD of hosts, O my people that dwellest in Zion, be not afraid of the Assyrian: he shall smite thee with a rod, and shall lift up his staff against thee, after the manner of Egypt. ²⁵For yet a very little while, and the indignation shall cease, and mine anger in their destruction. ²⁶And the LORD of hosts shall stir up a scourge for him according to the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb: and as his rod was upon the sea, so shall he lift it up after the manner of Egypt. ²⁷And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing. ²⁸He is come to Aiath, he is passed to Migron; at Michmash he hath laid up his carriages: ²⁹They are gone over the passage: they have taken up their lodging at Geba; Ramah is afraid; Gibeah of Saul is fled. ³⁰Lift up thy voice, O daughter of Gallim: cause it to be heard unto Laish, O poor Anathoth. ³¹Madmenah is removed; the inhabitants of Gebim gather themselves to flee. ³²As yet shall he remain at Nob that day: he shall shake his hand against the mount of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem. ³³Behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, shall lop the bough with terror: and the high ones of stature shall be hewn down, and the haughty shall be humbled. ³⁴And he shall cut down the thickets of the forest with iron, and Lebanon shall fall by a mighty one. Isaiah 11 ¹And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: ²And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; ³And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: ⁴But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth: with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. ⁵And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. ⁶The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. ⁷And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. ⁸And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den. ⁹They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. ¹⁰And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious. ¹¹And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. ¹²And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. ¹³The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim. ¹⁴But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the west; they shall spoil them of the east together: they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab; and the children of Ammon shall obey them. ¹⁵And the LORD shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over dryshod. ¹⁶And there shall be an highway for the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria; like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt. King James Version (KJV) Public Domain
2 Corinthians 12:11-21 Listen to this passage View commentary related to this passage ¹¹I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing. ¹²Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds. ¹³For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches, except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong. ¹⁴Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. ¹⁵And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved. ¹⁶But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile. ¹⁷Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you? ¹⁸I desired Titus, and with him I sent a brother. Did Titus make a gain of you? walked we not in the same spirit? walked we not in the same steps? ¹⁹Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you? we speak before God in Christ: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying. ²⁰For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults: ²¹And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed. King James Version (KJV) Public Domain
Psalm 56:1-13 Listen to this passage View commentary related to this passage Psalm 56 ¹Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth me. ²Mine enemies would daily swallow me up: for they be many that fight against me, O thou most High. ³What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. ⁴In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me. ⁵Every day they wrest my words: all their thoughts are against me for evil. ⁶They gather themselves together, they hide themselves, they mark my steps, when they wait for my soul. ⁷Shall they escape by iniquity? in thine anger cast down the people, O God. ⁸Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book? ⁹When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me. ¹⁰In God will I praise his word: in the LORD will I praise his word. ¹¹In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me. ¹²Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render praises unto thee. ¹³For thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living? King James Version (KJV) Public Domain
Proverbs 23:6-8 Listen to this passage View commentary related to this passage ⁶Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats: ⁷For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee. ⁸The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words. King James Version (KJV) Public Domain

September 11, 2011: Read the Bible in One Year

2011-09-11T16:59:00.000-04:00

Isaiah 8:1-9:21
2 Corinthians 12:1-10
Psalm 55:1-23
Proverbs 23:4-5

King James Version (KJV)
Isaiah 8-9:21 Listen to this passage Isaiah 8 ¹Moreover the LORD said unto me, Take thee a great roll, and write in it with a man's pen concerning Mahershalalhashbaz. ²And I took unto me faithful witnesses to record, Uriah the priest, and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah. ³And I went unto the prophetess; and she conceived, and bare a son. Then said the LORD to me, Call his name Mahershalalhashbaz. ⁴For before the child shall have knowledge to cry, My father, and my mother, the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria shall be taken away before the king of Assyria. ⁵The LORD spake also unto me again, saying, ⁶Forasmuch as this people refuseth the waters of Shiloah that go softly, and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliah's son; ⁷Now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river, strong and many, even the king of Assyria, and all his glory: and he shall come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks: ⁸And he shall pass through Judah; he shall overflow and go over, he shall reach even to the neck; and the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel. ⁹Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries: gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces. ¹⁰Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for God is with us. ¹¹For the LORD spake thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying, ¹²Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid. ¹³Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. ¹⁴And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. ¹⁵And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken. ¹⁶Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples. ¹⁷And I will wait upon the LORD, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him. ¹⁸Behold, I and the children whom the LORD hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion. ¹⁹And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead? ²⁰To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. ²¹And they shall pass through it, hardly bestead and hungry: and it shall come to pass, that when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and curse their king and their God, and look upward. ²²And they shall look unto the earth; and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish; and they shall be driven to darkness. Isaiah 9 ¹Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations. ²The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. ³Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. ⁴For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian. ⁵For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire. ⁶For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. ⁷Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. ⁸The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel. ⁹And all the people shall know, even Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria, that say in the pride and stoutness of heart, ¹⁰The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones: the sycomores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars. ¹¹Therefore the LORD shall set up the adversaries of Rezin against him, and join his enemies together; ¹²The Syrians before, and the Philistines behind; and they shall devour Israel with open mouth. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. ¹³For the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the LORD of hosts. ¹⁴Therefore the LORD will cut off from Israel head and tail, branch and rush, in one day. ¹⁵The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail. ¹⁶For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed. ¹⁷Therefore the LORD shall have no joy in their young men, neither shall have mercy on their fatherless and widows: for every one is an hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth speaketh folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. ¹⁸For wickedness burneth as the fire: it shall devour the briers and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest, and they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke. ¹⁹Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts is the land darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire: no man shall spare his brother. ²⁰And he shall snatch on the right hand, and be hungry; and he shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be satisfied: they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm: ²¹Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh: and they together shall be against Judah. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. King James Version (KJV) Public Domain
2 Corinthians 12:1-10 Listen to this passage View commentary related to this passage 2 Corinthians 12 ¹It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. ²I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. ³And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) ⁴How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. ⁵Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. ⁶For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. ⁷And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. ⁸For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. ⁹And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. ¹⁰Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. King James Version (KJV) Public Domain
Psalm 55:1-23 Listen to this passage View commentary related to this passage Psalm 55 ¹Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication. ²Attend unto me, and hear me: I mourn in my complaint, and make a noise; ³Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they hate me. ⁴My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are fallen upon me. ⁵Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me. ⁶And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest. ⁷Lo, then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness. Selah. ⁸I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest. ⁹Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues: for I have seen violence and strife in the city. ¹⁰Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof: mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it. ¹¹Wickedness is in the midst thereof: deceit and guile depart not from her streets. ¹²For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him: ¹³But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance. ¹⁴We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company. ¹⁵Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them. ¹⁶As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me. ¹⁷Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice. ¹⁸He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for there were many with me. ¹⁹God shall hear, and afflict them, even he that abideth of old. Selah. Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God. ²⁰He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him: he hath broken his covenant. ²¹The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords. ²²Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. ²³But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee. King James Version (KJV) Public Domain
Proverbs 23:4-5 Listen to this passage View commentary related to this passage ⁴Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom. ⁵Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven. King James Version (KJV) Public Domain

September 10, 2011: Read the Bible in One Year

2011-09-10T11:55:00.002-04:00

Isaiah 6:1-7:25
2 Corinthians 11:16-33
Psalm 54:1-7
Proverbs 23:1-3

King James Version (KJV)
Isaiah 6-7:25 Listen to this passage Isaiah 6 ¹In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the LORD sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. ²Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. ³And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. ⁴And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. ⁵Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. ⁶Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: ⁷And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. ⁸Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me. ⁹And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. ¹⁰Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed. ¹¹Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate, ¹²And the LORD have removed men far away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land. ¹³But yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall return, and shall be eaten: as a teil tree, and as an oak, whose substance is in them, when they cast their leaves: so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof. Isaiah 7 ¹And it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up toward Jerusalem to war against it, but could not prevail against it. ²And it was told the house of David, saying, Syria is confederate with Ephraim. And his heart was moved, and the heart of his people, as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind. ³Then said the LORD unto Isaiah, Go forth now to meet Ahaz, thou, and Shearjashub thy son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller's field; ⁴And say unto him, Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither be fainthearted for the two tails of these smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Rezin with Syria, and of the son of Remaliah. ⁵Because Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah, have taken evil counsel against thee, saying, ⁶Let us go up against Judah, and vex it, and let us make a breach therein for us, and set a king in the midst of it, even the son of Tabeal: ⁷Thus saith the Lord GOD, It shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass. ⁸For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin; and within threescore and five years shall Ephraim be broken, that it be not a people. ⁹And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is Remaliah's son. If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established. ¹⁰Moreover the LORD spake again unto Ahaz, saying, ¹¹Ask thee a sign of the LORD thy God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above. ¹²But Ahaz said, I will not ask, neither will I tempt the LORD. ¹³And he said, Hear ye now, O house of David; Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also? ¹⁴Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. ¹⁵Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good. ¹⁶For before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings. ¹⁷The LORD shall bring upon thee, and upon thy people, and upon thy father's house, days that have not come, from the day that Ephraim departed from Judah; even the king of Assyria. ¹⁸And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall hiss for the fly that is in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt, and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria. ¹⁹And they shall come, and shall rest all of them in the desolate valleys, and in the holes of the rocks, and upon all thorns, and upon all bushes. ²⁰In the same day shall the Lord shave with a razor that is hired, namely, by them beyond the river, by the king of Assyria, the head, and the hair of the feet: and it shall also consume the beard. ²¹And it shall come to pass in that day, that a man shall nourish a young cow, and two sheep; ²²And it shall come to pass, for the abundance of milk that they shall give he shall eat butter: for butter and honey shall every one eat that is left in the land. ²³And it shall come to pass in that day, that every place shall be, where there were a thousand vines at a thousand silverlings, it shall even be for briers and thorns. ²⁴With arrows and with bows shall men come thither; because all the land shall become briers and thorns. ²⁵And on all hills that shall be digged with the mattock, there shall not come thither the fear of briers and thorns: but it shall be for the sending forth of oxen, and for the treading of lesser cattle. King James Version (KJV) Public Domain
2 Corinthians 11:16-33 Listen to this passage View commentary related to this passage ¹⁶I say again, let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little. ¹⁷That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting. ¹⁸Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also. ¹⁹For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise. ²⁰For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face. ²¹I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had been weak. Howbeit whereinsoever any is bold, (I speak foolishly,) I am bold also. ²²Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I. ²³Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. ²⁴Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. ²⁵Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; ²⁶In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; ²⁷In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. ²⁸Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. ²⁹Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? ³⁰If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities. ³¹The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not. ³²In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me: ³³And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands. King James Version (KJV) Public Domain
Psalm 54:1-7 Listen to this passage View commentary related to this passage Psalm 54 ¹Save me, O God, by thy name, and judge me by thy strength. ²Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth. ³For strangers are risen up against me, and oppressors seek after my soul: they have not set God before them. Selah. ⁴Behold, God is mine helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul. ⁵He shall reward evil unto mine enemies: cut them off in thy truth. ⁶I will freely sacrifice unto thee: I will praise thy name, O LORD; for it is good. ⁷For he hath delivered me out of all trouble: and mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies. King James Version (KJV) Public Domain
Proverbs 23:1-3 Listen to this passage View commentary related to this passage Proverbs 23 ¹When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee: ²And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite. ³Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat. King James Version (KJV) Public Domain

September 9, 2011: Read the Bible in One Year

2011-09-09T06:29:00.000-04:00

Isaiah 3:1-5:30
2 Corinthians 11:1-15
Psalm 53:1-6

King James Version (KJV)
Isaiah 3-5:30 Listen to this passage Isaiah 3 ¹For, behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water. ²The mighty man, and the man of war, the judge, and the prophet, and the prudent, and the ancient, ³The captain of fifty, and the honourable man, and the counsellor, and the cunning artificer, and the eloquent orator. ⁴And I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them. ⁵And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbour: the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honourable. ⁶When a man shall take hold of his brother of the house of his father, saying, Thou hast clothing, be thou our ruler, and let this ruin be under thy hand: ⁷In that day shall he swear, saying, I will not be an healer; for in my house is neither bread nor clothing: make me not a ruler of the people. ⁸For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen: because their tongue and their doings are against the LORD, to provoke the eyes of his glory. ⁹The shew of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves. ¹⁰Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. ¹¹Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him. ¹²As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths. ¹³The LORD standeth up to plead, and standeth to judge the people. ¹⁴The LORD will enter into judgment with the ancients of his people, and the princes thereof: for ye have eaten up the vineyard; the spoil of the poor is in your houses. ¹⁵What mean ye that ye beat my people to pieces, and grind the faces of the poor? saith the Lord GOD of hosts. ¹⁶Moreover the LORD saith, Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet: ¹⁷Therefore the LORD will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and the LORD will discover their secret parts. ¹⁸In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of their tinkling ornaments about their feet, and their cauls, and their round tires like the moon, ¹⁹The chains, and the bracelets, and the mufflers, ²⁰The bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs, and the headbands, and the tablets, and the earrings, ²¹The rings, and nose jewels, ²²The changeable suits of apparel, and the mantles, and the wimples, and the crisping pins, ²³The glasses, and the fine linen, and the hoods, and the vails. ²⁴And it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet smell there shall be stink; and instead of a girdle a rent; and instead of well set hair baldness; and instead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth; and burning instead of beauty. ²⁵Thy men shall fall by the sword, and thy mighty in the war. ²⁶And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she being desolate shall sit upon the ground. Isaiah 4 ¹And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach. ²In that day shall the branch of the LORD be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel. ³And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem: ⁴When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning. ⁵And the LORD will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence. ⁶And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the day time from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain. Isaiah 5 ¹Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: ²And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. ³And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. ⁴What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? ⁵And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down: ⁶And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. ⁷For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry. ⁸Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth! ⁹In mine ears said the LORD of hosts, Of a truth many houses shall be desolate, even great and fair, without inhabitant. ¹⁰Yea, ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath, and the seed of an homer shall yield an ephah. ¹¹Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them! ¹²And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts: but they regard not the work of the LORD, neither consider the operation of his hands. ¹³Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge: and their honourable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst. ¹⁴Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it. ¹⁵And the mean man shall be brought down, and the mighty man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled: ¹⁶But the LORD of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness. ¹⁷Then shall the lambs feed after their manner, and the waste places of the fat ones shall strangers eat. ¹⁸Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope: ¹⁹That say, Let him make speed, and hasten his work, that we may see it: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it! ²⁰Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! ²¹Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! ²²Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink: ²³Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him! ²⁴Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. ²⁵Therefore is the anger of the LORD kindled against his people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and hath smitten them: and the hills did tremble, and their carcases were torn in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. ²⁶And he will lift up an ensign to the nations from far, and will hiss unto them from the end of the earth: and, behold, they shall come with speed swiftly: ²⁷None shall be weary nor stumble among them; none shall slumber nor sleep; neither shall the girdle of their loins be loosed, nor the latchet of their shoes be broken: ²⁸Whose arrows are sharp, and all their bows bent, their horses' hoofs shall be counted like flint, and their wheels like a whirlwind: ²⁹Their roaring shall be like a lion, they shall roar like young lions: yea, they shall roar, and lay hold of the prey, and shall carry it away safe, and none shall deliver it. ³⁰And in that day they shall roar against them like the roaring of the sea: and if one look unto the land, behold darkness and sorrow, and the light is darkened in the heavens thereof. King James Version (KJV) Public Domain
2 Corinthians 11:1-15 Listen to this passage View commentary related to this passage 2 Corinthians 11 ¹Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me. ²For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. ³But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. ⁴For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him. ⁵For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles. ⁶But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been throughly made manifest among you in all things. ⁷Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely? ⁸I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service. ⁹And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself. ¹⁰As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia. ¹¹Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth. ¹²But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we. ¹³For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. ¹⁴And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. ¹⁵Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. King James Version (KJV) Public Domain
Psalm 53:1-6 Listen to this passage View commentary related to this passage Psalm 53 ¹The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good. ²God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God. ³Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. ⁴Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread: they have not called upon God. ⁵There were they in great fear, where no fear was: for God hath scattered the bones of him that encampeth against thee: thou hast put them to shame, because God hath despised them. ⁶Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! When God bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad. King James Version (KJV) Public Domain
Proverbs 22:28-29 Listen to this passage View commentary related to this passage ²⁸Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set. ²⁹Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men. King James Version (KJV) Public Domain

Proverbs 22:28-29

September 8, 2011: Read the Bible in One Year

2011-09-08T02:30:00.000-04:00

September 8, 2011: Read the Bible in One Year

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Isaiah 1:1-2:22
2 Corinthians 10:1-18
Psalm 52:1-9
Proverbs 22:26-27

King James Version (KJV)
Isaiah 1-2:22 Listen to this passage Isaiah 1 ¹The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. ²Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. ³The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider. ⁴Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward. ⁵Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. ⁶From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment. ⁷Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers. ⁸And the daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city. ⁹Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah. ¹⁰Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah. ¹¹To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. ¹²When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? ¹³Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. ¹⁴Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. ¹⁵And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. ¹⁶Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; ¹⁷Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. ¹⁸Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. ¹⁹If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: ²⁰But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. ²¹How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers. ²²Thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixed with water: ²³Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them. ²⁴Therefore saith the LORD, the LORD of hosts, the mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies: ²⁵And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin: ²⁶And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city. ²⁷Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness. ²⁸And the destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the LORD shall be consumed. ²⁹For they shall be ashamed of the oaks which ye have desired, and ye shall be confounded for the gardens that ye have chosen. ³⁰For ye shall be as an oak whose leaf fadeth, and as a garden that hath no water. ³¹And the strong shall be as tow, and the maker of it as a spark, and they shall both burn together, and none shall quench them. Isaiah 2 ¹The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. ²And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. ³And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. ⁴And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. ⁵O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the LORD. ⁶Therefore thou hast forsaken thy people the house of Jacob, because they be replenished from the east, and are soothsayers like the Philistines, and they please themselves in the children of strangers. ⁷Their land also is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures; their land is also full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots: ⁸Their land also is full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made: ⁹And the mean man boweth down, and the great man humbleth himself: therefore forgive them not. ¹⁰Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty. ¹¹The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day. ¹²For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low: ¹³And upon all the cedars of Lebanon, that are high and lifted up, and upon all the oaks of Bashan, ¹⁴And upon all the high mountains, and upon all the hills that are lifted up, ¹⁵And upon every high tower, and upon every fenced wall, ¹⁶And upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all pleasant pictures. ¹⁷And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low: and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day. ¹⁸And the idols he shall utterly abolish. ¹⁹And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth. ²⁰In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats; ²¹To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth. ²²Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of ? King James Version (KJV) Public Domain
2 Corinthians 10:1-18 Listen to this passage View commentary related to this passage 2 Corinthians 10 ¹Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you: ²But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. ³For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: ⁴(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) ⁵Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; ⁶And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled. ⁷Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? if any man trust to himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ's, even so are we Christ's. ⁸For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed: ⁹That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters. ¹⁰For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible. ¹¹Let such an one think this, that, such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, such will we be also in deed when we are present. ¹²For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. ¹³But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you. ¹⁴For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ: ¹⁵Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men's labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly, ¹⁶To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man's line of things made ready to our hand. ¹⁷But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. ¹⁸For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth. King James Version (KJV) Public Domain
Psalm 52:1-9 Listen to this passage View commentary related to this passage Psalm 52 ¹Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth continually. ²The tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully. ³Thou lovest evil more than good; and lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah. ⁴Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue. ⁵God shall likewise destroy thee for ever, he shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place, and root thee out of the land of the living. Selah. ⁶The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him: ⁷Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness. ⁸But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever. ⁹I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name; for it is good before thy saints. King James Version (KJV) Public Domain
Proverbs 22:26-27 Listen to this passage View commentary related to this passage ²⁶Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts. ²⁷If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee? King James Version (KJV) Public Domain

September 7, 2011: Read the Bible in One Year

2011-09-07T17:59:00.000-04:00

September 7, 2011: Read the Bible in One Year

Song of Solomon 5:1-8:14
2 Corinthians 9:1-15
Psalm 51:1-19
Proverbs 22:24-25

King James Version (KJV)
Song of Solomon 5-8:14 Listen to this passage Song of Solomon 5 ¹I am come into my garden, my sister, my spouse: I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk: eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved. ²I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night. ³I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them? ⁴My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him. ⁵I rose up to open to my beloved; and my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock. ⁶I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone: my soul failed when he spake: I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer. ⁷The watchmen that went about the city found me, they smote me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me. ⁸I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if ye find my beloved, that ye tell him, that I am sick of love. ⁹What is thy beloved more than another beloved, O thou fairest among women? what is thy beloved more than another beloved, that thou dost so charge us? ¹⁰My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand. ¹¹His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are bushy, and black as a raven. ¹²His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk, and fitly set. ¹³His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers: his lips like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh. ¹⁴His hands are as gold rings set with the beryl: his belly is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires. ¹⁵His legs are as pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold: his countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars. ¹⁶His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem. Song of Solomon 6 ¹Whither is thy beloved gone, O thou fairest among women? whither is thy beloved turned aside? that we may seek him with thee. ²My beloved is gone down into his garden, to the beds of spices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies. ³I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine: he feedeth among the lilies. ⁴Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners. ⁵Turn away thine eyes from me, for they have overcome me: thy hair is as a flock of goats that appear from Gilead. ⁶Thy teeth are as a flock of sheep which go up from the washing, whereof every one beareth twins, and there is not one barren among them. ⁷As a piece of a pomegranate are thy temples within thy locks. ⁸There are threescore queens, and fourscore concubines, and virgins without number. ⁹My dove, my undefiled is but one; she is the only one of her mother, she is the choice one of her that bare her. The daughters saw her, and blessed her; yea, the queens and the concubines, and they praised her. ¹⁰Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners? ¹¹I went down into the garden of nuts to see the fruits of the valley, and to see whether the vine flourished and the pomegranates budded. ¹²Or ever I was aware, my soul made me like the chariots of Amminadib. ¹³Return, return, O Shulamite; return, return, that we may look upon thee. What will ye see in the Shulamite? As it were the company of two armies. Song of Solomon 7 ¹How beautiful are thy feet with shoes, O prince's daughter! the joints of thy thighs are like jewels, the work of the hands of a cunning workman. ²Thy navel is like a round goblet, which wanteth not liquor: thy belly is like an heap of wheat set about with lilies. ³Thy two breasts are like two young roes that are twins. ⁴Thy neck is as a tower of ivory; thine eyes like the fishpools in Heshbon, by the gate of Bathrabbim: thy nose is as the tower of Lebanon which looketh toward Damascus. ⁵Thine head upon thee is like Carmel, and the hair of thine head like purple; the king is held in the galleries. ⁶How fair and how pleasant art thou, O love, for delights! ⁷This thy stature is like to a palm tree, and thy breasts to clusters of grapes. ⁸I said, I will go up to the palm tree, I will take hold of the boughs thereof: now also thy breasts shall be as clusters of the vine, and the smell of thy nose like apples; ⁹And the roof of thy mouth like the best wine for my beloved, that goeth down sweetly, causing the lips of those that are asleep to speak. ¹⁰I am my beloved's, and his desire is toward me. ¹¹Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the field; let us lodge in the villages. ¹²Let us get up early to the vineyards; let us see if the vine flourish, whether the tender grape appear, and the pomegranates bud forth: there will I give thee my loves. ¹³The mandrakes give a smell, and at our gates are all manner of pleasant fruits, new and old, which I have laid up for thee, O my beloved. Song of Solomon 8 ¹O that thou wert as my brother, that sucked the breasts of my mother! when I should find thee without, I would kiss thee; yea, I should not be despised. ²I would lead thee, and bring thee into my mother's house, who would instruct me: I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine of the juice of my pomegranate. ³His left hand should be under my head, and his right hand should embrace me. ⁴I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, until he please. ⁵Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? I raised thee up under the apple tree: there thy mother brought thee forth: there she brought thee forth that bare thee. ⁶Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame. ⁷Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned. ⁸We have a little sister, and she hath no breasts: what shall we do for our sister in the day when she shall be spoken for? ⁹If she be a wall, we will build upon her a palace of silver: and if she be a door, we will inclose her with boards of cedar. ¹⁰I am a wall, and my breasts like towers: then was I in his eyes as one that found favour. ¹¹Solomon had a vineyard at Baalhamon; he let out the vineyard unto keepers; every one for the fruit thereof was to bring a thousand pieces of silver. ¹²My vineyard, which is mine, is before me: thou, O Solomon, must have a thousand, and those that keep the fruit thereof two hundred. ¹³Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions hearken to thy voice: cause me to hear it. ¹⁴Make haste, my beloved, and be thou like to a roe or to a young hart upon the mountains of spices. King James Version (KJV) Public Domain
2 Corinthians 9:1-15 Listen to this passage View commentary related to this passage 2 Corinthians 9 ¹For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you: ²For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many. ³Yet have I sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this behalf; that, as I said, ye may be ready: ⁴Lest haply if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting. ⁵Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness. ⁶But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. ⁷Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. ⁸And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: ⁹(As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever. ¹⁰Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;) ¹¹Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God. ¹²For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God; ¹³Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men; ¹⁴And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you. ¹⁵Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. King James Version (KJV) Public Domain
Psalm 51:1-19 Listen to this passage View commentary related to this passage Psalm 51 ¹Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. ²Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. ³For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. ⁴Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. ⁵Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. ⁶Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. ⁷Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. ⁸Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. ⁹Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. ¹⁰Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. ¹¹Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. ¹²Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. ¹³Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. ¹⁴Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. ¹⁵O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. ¹⁶For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. ¹⁷The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. ¹⁸Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem. ¹⁹Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar. King James Version (KJV) Public Domain
Proverbs 22:24-25 Listen to this passage View commentary related to this passage ²⁴Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: ²⁵Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul. King James Version (KJV) Public Domain

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Slideshow: Tim Tebow, athletes worldwide pray

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New Prophecy: Are Pentecostals really Montanists?

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New study on hearing the voice of God

Are Jesus Christ and the Father one?

Elisabeth Hasselbeck talks Christianity, living gluten free, and Celiac Disease (video)

Casey Anthony, Caylee, and God’s forgiveness (photos)

Slideshow: Casey and Caylee Anthony

Christmas 2011: Christian gift ideas for her

In the Bible

Latest Christian News and Topics by Charisse Van Horn

Isaiah 53: Jesus Christ the ‘Man of Sorrows’Saturday, October 08, 2011 4:53 AM

Jesus Christ in the BibleFriday, September 30, 2011 12:58 AM

Mike Bickle talks ‘Jesus our Magnificent Obsession’ (videos)Monday, August 22, 2011 10:31 PM

Christine O’Donnell says masturbation, not gay marriage led to CNN walk offFriday, August 19, 2011 3:34 PM

Sarah Palin confirms ‘Extraordinary Women Conference,’ overflow availableFriday, August 19, 2011 2:42 PM

Michele Bachmann to attend Research Council Values Voters SummitFriday, August 19, 2011 6:07 AM

The 700 Club gives out free fact sheets for a healthier lifestyle in JesusThursday, August 18, 2011 2:43 AM

Christine O’Donnell on Jesus, witches in new book ‘Troublemaker,' walks off CNNWednesday, August 17, 2011 10:59 PM

Denver Broncos, Tim Tebow fan wears customized Jesus Jersey; causes stirTuesday, August 16, 2011 8:37 PM

Greg Laurie says Howard Stern needs Jesus Christ (videos)Tuesday, August 16, 2011 6:39 PM

Abortion in elections 2012: Pro life or pro death- oops pro choiceTuesday, August 16, 2011 1:10 AM

Jesus didn’t need to talk about abortion and homosexuality; it was in the TorahMonday, August 15, 2011 11:56 PM

Do people believe in sin anymore? If not, how will they be saved through JesusMonday, August 15, 2011 10:54 PM

NFL quarterback Colt McCoy talks faith in Jesus, grace, and football (video)Friday, August 12, 2011 1:15 AM

Viola Davis discusses church scene, prayer in new Disney movie ‘The Help’ videoFriday, August 12, 2011 12:21 AM

Darlene Zschech talks worship, intimacy and relationship with Jesus (videos)Tuesday, August 09, 2011 2:00 AM

Juan Williams talks political correctness, freedom of speech and liberal agendaSaturday, August 06, 2011 12:54 AM

Man says he was healed while watching 700 Club during prayer by Pat RobertsonSaturday, August 06, 2011 12:05 AM

Pharmacist Suzy Cohen says there is a natural cure for Diabetes without drugsFriday, August 05, 2011 11:34 PM

September 18, 2011: Read the Bible in One Year

Isaiah 29

Isaiah 30

Galatians 4

Psalm 62

Family Research Council talks homosexuality, born gay, Proposition 8 and new Broadway Play '8'

Video: Peter Sprigg discusses whehter gays and lesbians are 'born this way'

Prophetic Worship flowing from International House of Prayer (IHOP) (videos, playlist)

September 17, 2011: Read the Bible in One Year

Isaiah 25

Isaiah 26

Isaiah 27

Isaiah 28

Psalm 61

September 16, 2011: Read the Bible in One Year

Isaiah 22

Isaiah 23

Isaiah 24

Galatians 3

Psalm 60

Fox television case goes back to U.S. Supreme Court for indecency ban

Video: Fox Television v. Federal Communications Commission 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals 2006; Read Amicus Briefs filed by the ACLJ and NRB

Jerry Buelle "Teacher suspended for Facebook comments against gay marriage" reinstated

Videos: Paula White preaches after Zachery Tims death and funeral; first church service

Video: Paula White preaches first sermon after announcement of Zachery Tims death on August 21, 2011: NDCC shares videos

NRB accepting 2012 Media Awards submissions until September 16, 2011

Video: National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) Convention video footage from the

Pat Robertson controversy after divorce and Alzheimer’s comments (full videos)

Video: Pat Robertson on Alzheimer's and Divorce (Bring it On, the 700 Club September 13, 2011

September 15, 2011: Daily Bible Reading Online

Isaiah 19

Isaiah 20

Isaiah 21

Galatians 2

Psalm 59

September 14, 2011: Read the Bible online

Isaiah 15

Isaiah 16

Isaiah 17

Isaiah 18

Galatians 1

Psalm 58

Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) hosts ‘Seven Days Ablaze’ with live broadcasts (video link)

Isaiah 53: Jesus Christ the ‘Man of Sorrows’
Saturday, October 08, 2011 4:53 AM

Jesus Christ in the Bible
Friday, September 30, 2011 12:58 AM

Mike Bickle talks ‘Jesus our Magnificent Obsession’ (videos)
Monday, August 22, 2011 10:31 PM

Christine O’Donnell says masturbation, not gay marriage led to CNN walk off
Friday, August 19, 2011 3:34 PM

Sarah Palin confirms ‘Extraordinary Women Conference,’ overflow available
Friday, August 19, 2011 2:42 PM

Michele Bachmann to attend Research Council Values Voters Summit
Friday, August 19, 2011 6:07 AM

The 700 Club gives out free fact sheets for a healthier lifestyle in Jesus
Thursday, August 18, 2011 2:43 AM

Christine O’Donnell on Jesus, witches in new book ‘Troublemaker,' walks off CNN
Wednesday, August 17, 2011 10:59 PM

Denver Broncos, Tim Tebow fan wears customized Jesus Jersey; causes stir
Tuesday, August 16, 2011 8:37 PM

Greg Laurie says Howard Stern needs Jesus Christ (videos)
Tuesday, August 16, 2011 6:39 PM

Abortion in elections 2012: Pro life or pro death- oops pro choice
Tuesday, August 16, 2011 1:10 AM

Jesus didn’t need to talk about abortion and homosexuality; it was in the Torah
Monday, August 15, 2011 11:56 PM

Do people believe in sin anymore? If not, how will they be saved through Jesus
Monday, August 15, 2011 10:54 PM

NFL quarterback Colt McCoy talks faith in Jesus, grace, and football (video)
Friday, August 12, 2011 1:15 AM

Viola Davis discusses church scene, prayer in new Disney movie ‘The Help’ video
Friday, August 12, 2011 12:21 AM

Darlene Zschech talks worship, intimacy and relationship with Jesus (videos)
Tuesday, August 09, 2011 2:00 AM

Juan Williams talks political correctness, freedom of speech and liberal agenda
Saturday, August 06, 2011 12:54 AM

Man says he was healed while watching 700 Club during prayer by Pat Robertson
Saturday, August 06, 2011 12:05 AM

Pharmacist Suzy Cohen says there is a natural cure for Diabetes without drugs
Friday, August 05, 2011 11:34 PM