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orthodoxydaily · 8 months

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Saints&Reading: Wednesday, January 17, 2024

january 4_ januaryry 14

The hymns compare the Feast of the Nativity with the coming Feast. “There shepherds saw the Child and were amazed; here the voice of the Father proclaims the only-begotten Son.”

SYNAXIS OF THE SEVENTY APOSTLES

The Synaxis of the Seventy Apostles was established by the Orthodox Church to indicate the equal honor of each of the Seventy. They were sent two by two by the Lord Jesus Christ to go before Him into the cities He would visit (Luke 10:1).

Besides the celebration of the Synaxis of the Holy Disciples, the Church celebrates the memory of each of them during the course of the year:

Saint James the Brother of the Lord (October 23); Mark the Evangelist (April 25); Luke the Evangelist (October 18); Cleopas (October 30), brother of Saint Joseph the Betrothed, and Simeon his son (April 27); Barnabas (June 11); Joses, or Joseph, named Barsabas or Justus (October 30); Thaddeus (August 21); Ananias (October 1); Protomartyr Stephen the Archdeacon (December 27); Philip the Deacon (October 11); Prochorus the Deacon (July 28); Nicanor the Deacon (July 28 and December 28); Timon the Deacon (July 28 and December 30); Parmenas the Deacon (July 28); Timothy (January 22); Titus (August 25); Philemon (November 22 and February 19); Onesimus (February 15); Epaphras and Archippus (November 22 and February 19); Silas, Silvanus, Crescens or Criscus (July 30); Crispus and Epaenetos (July 30); Andronicus (May 17 and July 30); Stachys, Amplias, Urban, Narcissus, Apelles (October 31); Aristobulus (October 31 and March 16); Herodion or Rodion (April 8 and November 10); Agabus, Rufus, Asyncritus, Phlegon (April 8 ); Hermas (November 5, November 30 and May 31); Patrobas (November 5); Hermes (April 8); Linus, Gaius, Philologus (November 5); Lucius (September 10); Jason (April 28); Sosipater (April 28 and November 10); Olympas or Olympanus (November 10 ); Tertius (October 30 and November 10 ); Erastos (November 30), Quartus (November 10 ); Euodius (September 7); Onesiphorus (September 7 and December 8); Clement (November 25); Sosthenes (December 8); Apollos (March 30 and December 8); Tychicus, Epaphroditus (December 8); Carpus (May 26); Quadratus (September 21); Mark (September 27), called John, Zeno (September 27); Aristarchus (April 15 and September 27); Pudens and Trophimus (April 15); Mark nephew of Barnabas, Artemas (October 30); Aquila (July 14); Fortunatus (June 15) and Achaicus (January 4).

With the Descent of the Holy Spirit the Seventy Apostles preached in various lands. Some accompanied the Twelve Apostles, like the holy Evangelists Mark and Luke, or Saint Paul’s companion Timothy, or Prochorus, the disciple of the holy Evangelist John the Theologian, and others. Many of them were thrown into prison for Christ, and many received the crown of martyrdom.

There are two more Apostles of the Seventy: Saint Cephas, to whom the Lord appeared after the Resurrection (1 Cor. 15:5-6), and Simeon, called Niger (Acts 13:1). They also were glorified by apostolic preaching.

There are discrepancies and errors in some lists of the Seventy Apostles. In a list attributed to Saint Dorotheus of Tyre (June 5) some names are repeated (Rodion, or Herodion, Apollos, Tychicus, Aristarchus), while others are omitted (Timothy, Titus, Epaphras, Archippus, Aquila, Olympas). Saint Demetrius of Rostov consulted the Holy Scripture, the traditions passed down by the Fathers, and the accounts of trustworthy historians when he attempted to correct the mistakes and uncertainties in the list in compiling his collection of Lives of the Saints.

The Church in particular venerates and praises the Seventy Apostles because they taught us to honor the Trinity One in Essence and Undivided.

In the ninth century Saint Joseph the Hymnographer composed the Canon for the Synaxis of the Seventy Apostles of Christ.

Source: Orthodox Church in America_OCA

1 PETER 4:1-11

1 Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. 3 For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles-when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. 4 In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you. 5 They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. 7 But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. 8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for "love will cover a multitude of sins." 9 Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. 10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

MARK 12:28-37

28 Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, "Which is the first commandment of all?" 29 Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: 'Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. 30 'And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment. 31 And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these. 32 So the scribe said to Him, "Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He. 33 And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. 34 Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." But after that no one dared question Him. 35 Then Jesus answered and said, while He taught in the temple, "How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David? 36 For David himself said by the Holy Spirit:'The LORD said to my Lord, Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool." ' 37 Therefore David himself calls Him 'Lord'; how is He then his Son? And the common people heard Him gladly.

#orthodoxy #orthodoxchristianity #easternorthodoxchurch #originofchristianity #spirituality #holyscriptures #gospel #bible #wisdom #saints

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alwaysrememberjesus · 2 years

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Helpers In Our Faith

Philippians 2:19–30. I have no one else like him, who will show genuine concern for your welfare. (v. 20)

What makes a perfect pastor? Churches searching for a pastor today will often develop a profile of the kind of person they are hoping to find. They might want someone with an advanced theology degree, a powerful style of preaching, or a history of successful church growth.

In today’s text, Paul lists the qualifications of those he considered colleagues in ministry, but his list looks a little different. He focused more on character than credentials. First, he mentions Timothy, whom Paul hoped to send to the Philippians to find out how they were doing. The two traits that marked Timothy were his concern for people and his consistency. “I have no one else like him, who will show genuine concern for your welfare,” Paul observes (v. 20). Timothy was a good choice because he was also familiar to the Philippians. He had a proven track record in ministry (v. 21).

Paul’s other representative, Epaphroditus, was also known to the Philippians because they had initially sent him to Paul with a gift to provide for Paul’s needs (v. 25). Paul uses three descriptive titles to express how much Epaphroditus, a member of the Philippian church, meant to him. The apostle calls him a brother, a fellow worker, and a soldier. Epaphroditus nearly became a casualty in the battle when he grew ill and almost died. But instead of being concerned for himself, he worried about how the Philippians would take the news (v. 26). Paul was concerned about Epaphroditus too and saw his eventual recovery as an instance of God’s mercy to them all (v. 27). Paul urged the Philippians to “honor” people like Epaphroditus. We should not take those who help us grow in our faith lightly.

Serving the church can be costly. Who has God brought into your life to help you in your faith? Can you think of a way to express your appreciation of this person? Take time to send them a text, email message, card, or even a personal letter.

#devotional #god #jesus #christ #holy spirit #bible #scripture #christianity #faith #ministry #prayer #praise #worship #love #Christian #daily devotional #daily devotion #grace

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bills-bible-basics · 25 days

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APOSTLE PAUL IN ROME -- KJV (King James Version) Bible Verse List #Scriptures #BibleStudy #BibleVerses Visit https://www.billkochman.com/VerseLists/ to see more. As a matter of clarification, allow me to inform you that it is commonly believed that the Apostle Paul did not personally write all of his Epistles. Due to his poor eyesight -- which may have possibly been a result of the incident on the road to Damascus where the Lord struck down Paul, and left him blind for three days -- Paul was forced to dictate a number of his Epistles to his traveling companions. "After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome." Acts 19:21, KJV "And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome." Acts 23:11, KJV "And from thence we fetched a compass, and came to Rhegium: and after one day the south wind blew, and we came the next day to Puteoli: Where we found brethren, and were desired to tarry with them seven days: and so we went toward Rome. And from thence, when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as far as Appii forum, and The three taverns: whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage. And when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard: but Paul was suffered to dwell by himself with a soldier that kept him." Acts 28:13-16, KJV "To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ . . . So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also." Romans 1:7, 15, KJV "Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen. [To the Galatians written from Rome.]" Galatians 6:18, KJV "Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen. [To the Ephesians written from Rome, by Tychicus.]" Ephesians 6:24, KJV "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. [To the Philippians written from Rome, by Epaphroditus.]" Philippians 4:23, KJV "The salutation by the hand of me Paul. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you. Amen. [Written from Rome to Colossians by Tychicus and Onesimus.]" Colossians 4:18, KJV "But, when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me." 2 Timothy 1:17, KJV "The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. Grace be with you. Amen. [The second epistle unto Timotheus, ordained the first bishop of the church of the Ephesians, was written from Rome, when Paul was brought before Nero the second time.]" 2 Timothy 4:22, KJV "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen. [Written from Rome to Philemon, by Onesimus a servant.]" Philemon 1:25, KJV If you would like more info regarding the origin of these KJV Bible verse lists, go to https://www.billkochman.com/VerseLists/. Thank-you! https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/apostle-paul-in-rome-kjv-king-james-version-bible-verse-list/?feed_id=199220&APOSTLE%20PAUL%20IN%20ROME%20--%20KJV%20%28King%20James%20Version%29%20Bible%20Verse%20List

#All_Posts #Bible_Verse_Lists #apostle_paul #bible #bible_study #bill_kochman #bills_bible_basics #king_james_version #kjv #list #paul #rome #scripture #scriptures #topical #verse #verses

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dfroza · 3 months

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Live with His attitude in your hearts. Remember:

Today’s reading of the Scriptures from the New Testament is the 2nd chapter of the letter of Philippians:

If you find any comfort from being in the Anointed, if His love brings you some encouragement, if you experience true companionship with the Spirit, if His tenderness and mercy fill your heart; then, brothers and sisters, here is one thing that would complete my joy—come together as one in mind and spirit and purpose, sharing in the same love. Don’t let selfishness and prideful agendas take over. Embrace true humility, and lift your heads to extend love to others. Get beyond yourselves and protecting your own interests; be sincere, and secure your neighbors’ interests first.

In other words, adopt the mind-set of Jesus the Anointed. Live with His attitude in your hearts. Remember:

Though He was in the form of God,

He chose not to cling to equality with God;

But He poured Himself out to fill a vessel brand new;

a servant in form

and a man indeed.

The very likeness of humanity,

He humbled Himself,

obedient to death—

a merciless death on the cross!

So God raised Him up to the highest place

and gave Him the name above all.

So when His name is called,

every knee will bow,

in heaven, on earth, and below.

And every tongue will confess

“Jesus, the Anointed One, is Lord,”

to the glory of God our Father!

So now, my beloved, obey as you have always done, not only when I am with you, but even more so when I can’t be. Continue to work out your salvation, with great fear and trembling, because God is energizing you so that you will desire and do what always pleases Him.

Do all things without complaining or bickering with each other, so you will be found innocent and blameless; you are God’s children called to live without a single stain on your reputations among this perverted and crooked generation. Shine like stars across the land. Cling to the word of life so that on the day of judgment when the Anointed One returns I may have reason to rejoice, because it will be plain that I didn’t turn from His mission nor did I work in vain. Even if my lifeblood is to be poured out like wine as a sacrifice of your faith, I have great reason to celebrate with all of you. And for the same reason, you can be glad and celebrate with me.

I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy your way. He will visit soon so that he may report to me how you are doing. To hear all that is going on with you will truly encourage my heart. There is no one like Timothy. What sets him apart from others is his deep concern for you and your spiritual journey. This is rare, my friends, for most people only care about themselves, not about what is dear to the heart of Jesus the Anointed. You know Timothy is genuine in the Lord’s ways. He has been a faithful partner to me as we express the good news, as much as my own flesh and blood would have been. I expect to send him soon, and I will as soon as I see how things turn out here. I trust in the Lord that it won’t be very long before I can come and be with you in person.

But for now, I think it is best to send Epaphroditus home to you. He has become my dear brother in the Lord. We have worked well together and fought great battles together, and he was an encouraging minister to me in my time of need. He could not wait to see you all. He was concerned for you when he found out you knew how sick he really was. In fact, he nearly died. But once again, God was exceedingly kind and covered him with His mercy. And I, too, by His mercy, have been spared sorrow on top of sorrow.

I am so excited to be sending him back to you! I can picture the joy on your faces when he arrives; I can feel my worries falling away. Welcome him joyfully in the Lord. Esteem all spiritual leaders like Epaphroditus because he placed his life in grave danger for the work of the Anointed; he risked his life to serve me when you couldn’t.

The Letter of Philippians, Chapter 2 (The Voice)

A note from The Voice translation:

Paul describes a community where every person considers the needs of others first and does nothing from selfishness; it pulls together rather than pulls apart, and it is a body that knows its purpose and lets nothing interfere with it. It is an extended spiritual family where others line up to become part of this sacred assembly and to make it their home because they feel encouragement and know they are truly loved. So Paul urges the Philippians to strive for this radical unity and fulfill his joy by having the mind of Jesus who humbled Himself, became a servant, and suffered the death of the cross. Jesus becomes the example of humility and service, leading to the kind of unity Paul imagines.

Today’s paired reading from the First Testament is the 3rd chapter of the book of Numbers:

At that time (when the Eternal One spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai), the lineage of Aaron and Moses went like this: Aaron’s sons were Nadab (the eldest), Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar— actually, they were his sons who were anointed as priests, who were supposed to work as priests. But Nadab and Abihu perished in the presence of the Eternal when they failed to follow God’s instructions and offered profane fire at Sinai. They didn’t have any children. The other two, Eleazar and Ithamar, carried on as priests for Aaron’s lifetime.

Then the Eternal One told Moses,

Eternal One: Summon the Levi tribe, and send them to Aaron, the priest. They are to serve him and all the people in front of the tent of the congregation. They are to do the work for the tent, My sacred dwelling place. They are in charge of the tent’s furnishings. Their work in service to the congregation tent is on behalf of the people of Israel. These Levites are to be given exclusively to Aaron and Aaron’s sons. Aaron and his descendants alone are the priests. If any outsider gets involved, he will be killed.

And the Eternal One spoke later to Moses.

Eternal One: As you know, all firstborn children of each woman belong to Me. I made that clear when I killed all the Egyptian firstborn but spared Israel and its animals, setting them apart just for Me. But rather than giving all Israel’s firstborn to Me, I accept the Levites as a substitute. They will be Mine. I am the Eternal One.

God formerly gave these instructions to Moses in the wild desert area of Sinai.

Eternal One: Organize the male Levites (including infants, one month old and older) by their clans and extended families.

So Moses did just as the Eternal One told him. Levi’s three sons were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Gershon’s sons, by their clans, were Libni and Shimei. Kohath’s sons, by their clans, were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. Merari’s sons, by their clans, were Mahli and Mushi. These, remember, are specifically the Levite clans by their extended families.

So within Gershon were the Libnite and Shimeite clans. Counting just the males one month old and older, 7,500 were organized. They camped in the area behind the congregation tent on the west. Eliasaph (Lael’s son) served as head of the Gershonite extended family. Their jobs were to take care of everything related to the congregation tent, both the place of revelation and its covering, the screen for the congregation tent’s entrance, the curtains for the court surrounding the place of revelation and the altar, its entrance screen, the ropes, and anything else for the tent.

Within Kohath were the Amramite, Izharite, Hebronite, and Uzzielite clans. Counting just the males one month old and older, there were 8,600 who worked for the sacred place. They camped on the south side of the congregation tent. Uzziel’s son, Elizaphan, was their head. These Kohathites were to take care of everything associated with the chest, the table, the lampstand, the altars, and the furnishings of the sanctuary that the priests use, the screen, and anything else inside the sacred place. Priest Aaron’s son, Eleazar, was head of the Levite leaders. He was in charge of overseeing the people who took care of the sacred place.

Within Merari were the Mahlite and Mushite clans, of whom 6,200 males one month or older were organized. Abihail’s son, Zuriel, was their leader. They were instructed to camp on the northern side of the tent area, and their work was to maintain the planks of the tent, its bars, posts, and sockets; plus all the furnishings and any other wood items; as well as the posts surrounding the courtyard together with their sockets, pegs, and ropes.

Moses, Aaron, and Aaron’s sons camped in front of the congregation tent, on the east facing sunrise, where they worked according to the needs of the sanctuary and on behalf of the Israelites. If an outsider trespassed in this area, he would be killed. The total number of Levites whom Moses and Aaron organized, according to the Eternal’s command, were 22,273. These males, one month or older, Moses listed by name.

The Eternal One told Moses,

Eternal One (to Moses): As a substitute for all the Israelite firstborn children and animals (as all of them are Mine), take all the Levites and all the Levites’ animals, which shall belong to Me. But because there are 273 more Israelite firstborn children than there are Levites, you shall pay a substitute price: five shekels for each (calculated by the sanctuary weight, which is 35 pounds to the shekel), and give that money as a substitute price to Aaron and Aaron’s sons.

So Moses did all that concerning the substitute price, just as the Eternal commanded, and it amounted to 47,775 pounds of metal.

The Book of Numbers, Chapter 3 (The Voice)

A note from The Voice translation:

The Levites as a whole are given into religious service sacrificing the animals and serving in the congregation tent rather than taking all the firstborn males, as was done with the livestock. To have drawn the servants of the Lord from the entire nation would have resulted in great disruption of each of the families and tribes.

A link to my personal reading of the Scriptures for Sunday, june 30 of 2024 with a paired chapter from each Testament (the First & the New Covenant) of the Bible along with Today’s Proverbs and Psalms

A post by John Parsons:

When we "spy" out the land, all we get is a glimpse, not an ongoing vision. How we interpret that glimpse, however, is a spiritual decision. Do we foresee the promised good or does fear distort our vision? Even in the midst of an apparent wasteland, the heart of faith (לב האמונה) finds assurance and consolation, as it is written, “Grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God will stand forever” (Isa. 40:8).

But how are the metaphors that man is “like dried up grass” or a “withered flower” intended to comfort us? Do they not, on the contrary, lead us to regard life as vain and perhaps meaningless? Yes indeed. Our lives are empty and vain apart from God and His truth. If we find ourselves wincing over such images, it is perhaps time to reexamine the state of our faith: To the extent that we regard this world as our “home” we will find the transience of life to be tragic... For those who are seeking a heavenly habitation, the “City of God” and the fulfillment of the promise of Zion, the fleeting nature of this evil world is ultimately a form of consolation.

The optimist believes this is the best of all possible worlds, and the pessimist is afraid the optimist is right.... Is your cup half empty or half full? Note that both the optimist and pessimist look at the very same phenomena, but what it is revealed is judged differently. That’s because seeing implies interpretation, filtering, differentiation, and ascribing meaning (or its absence) to what is seen. Of course habit can dull our vision and assumptions can often blind us, and it is not easy to see the “big picture” about how all the parts create the whole, but in general when we “see” something we “make sense” by identifying what it is in relation to other things in our environment.

The Spirit of the LORD says, "Do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart. And do not turn aside after empty things that cannot profit or deliver, for they are "tohu" - confusion and unreality" (1 Sam. 12:20-21).

The western mind confuses the idea of "fact" with truth. A fact is the disclosure of a correspondence between an idea and reality, but Truth (with a capital "T") encompasses how any given fact is related to the whole. Such Truth is therefore intimately connected with wisdom, and wisdom is first of all about the reverential awe of God (Psalm 110:10). It is not what we see with our eyes that is ultimately real, but what we see with our hearts.

The carnal mind is instinctively afraid of change, since it implies death and dissolution, and therefore it reasons from a continuous state of dread (whether conscious or not). Hence the "besetting sin" of the flesh is to "absolutize" the moment and to otherwise regard the finite as an end in itself. Woody Allen once quipped, "I am not afraid of death, I just don't want to be there when it happens," which is precisely the abhorrence the carnal mind expresses toward the ineluctability of change. Change represents a movement toward an otherwise unavoidable end, and therefore the carnal mind constantly seeks escape from the journey.

God is called our "Rock," a metaphor that implies that He is the immovable foundation and cornerstone of all reality. The LORD is our strong refuge in the stormy changes we all face in this world. His Presence both grounds us and sustains our way. Nonetheless we walk by faith, not by sight, and often the sojourner in this world faces testing and even tribulation. In his despair, Job once asked, "If a man dies, shall he live again? All the days of my warfare I will wait until my change comes" (Job 14:14). We want to be fully clothed with the garments of God’s righteousness that are provided to us through faith. Our groaning for complete deliverance from the affect of our sins is further evidence of the inner vision we have been given by the Holy Spirit (Psalm 17:15).

Shabbat Shalom and thank you for remembering me in your prayers, chaverim....

[ Hebrew for Christians ]

========

Job 14:14 reading:

https://hebrew4christians.com/Blessings/Blessing_Cards/job14-14b-jjp.mp3

Hebrew page:

https://hebrew4christians.com/Blessings/Blessing_Cards/job14-14b-lesson.pdf

6.28.24 • Facebook

from Today’s email by Israel365

Today’s message (Days of Praise) from the Institute for Creation Research

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christianityoriginal · 8 months

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*#truedetective #stressedout* http://ChristianityOriginal.com/Gifts Gifts of the spirit like the gift of healing were given to the first century church, not to heal church members but rather to be used as a witness to prove the gospel to unbelievers. Those who were already in the church (believers) didn’t need any further witness to the gospel. This actually explains Paul’s behavior. He exhibited extraordinary power among unbelievers and healed them – ‘God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured.’ Acts 19:11-12. But the same Paul writes to Timothy, a believer suffering from frequent illnesses – ‘Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.’ 1Tim 5:23. Elsewhere Paul says, ‘I left Trophimus sick in Miletus.’ 2Tim4:20. In another place, he comments, ‘Epaphroditus, my brother, was ill, and almost died.’ Phil 2:25-27. Indeed, *Paul never used his gift of healing among believers! He exhibited it only among unbelievers.*

#christianityoriginal

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xamblog-com · 9 months

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SOUL FRIENDS

Opening Prayer Holy Spirit, thank you for the ways you have worked in me to bring me to faith in Jesus and enable me to follow him. I look to you to increase my faith and help me follow him more closely. Read PHILIPPIANS 2:19-30 Timothy and Epaphroditus 19 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. 20 I have no one else like…

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mybeautifulchristianjourney · 1 year

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One in Christ

1 If there is any encouragement in Christ, any solace in love, any participation in the Spirit, any compassion and mercy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, with the same love, united in heart, thinking one thing. 3 Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves, 4 each looking out not for his own interests, but [also] everyone for those of others.

5 Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus,

6 Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. 7 Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, 8 he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. 9 Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Obedience and Service in the World

12 So then, my beloved, obedient as you have always been, not only when I am present but all the more now when I am absent, work out your salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For God is the one who, for his good purpose, works in you both to desire and to work. 14 Do everything without grumbling or questioning, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine like lights in the world, 16 as you hold on to the word of life, so that my boast for the day of Christ may be that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. 17 But, even if I am poured out as a libation upon the sacrificial service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with all of you. 18 In the same way you also should rejoice and share your joy with me.

Travel Plans of Paul and His Assistants

19 I hope, in the Lord Jesus, to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be heartened by hearing news of you. 20 For I have no one comparable to him for genuine interest in whatever concerns you. 21 For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know his worth, how as a child with a father he served along with me in the cause of the gospel. 23 He it is, then, whom I hope to send as soon as I see how things go with me, 24 but I am confident in the Lord that I myself will also come soon.

25 With regard to Epaphroditus, my brother and co-worker and fellow soldier, your messenger and minister in my need, I consider it necessary to send him to you. 26 For he has been longing for all of you and was distressed because you heard that he was ill. 27 He was indeed ill, close to death; but God had mercy on him, not just on him but also on me, so that I might not have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 I send him therefore with the greater eagerness, so that, on seeing him, you may rejoice again, and I may have less anxiety. 29 Welcome him then in the Lord with all joy and hold such people in esteem, 30 because for the sake of the work of Christ he came close to death, risking his life to make up for those services to me that you could not perform. — Philippians 2 | New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE) The New American Bible, Revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Cross References: Numbers 28:6-7; Deuteronomy 32:5; Isaiah 16:11; Isaiah 42:1; Isaiah 49:4; Isaiah 50:5; Isaiah 52:13; Matthew 11:29; Matthew 13:5; Mark 9:14; Luke 2:14; John 1:1; John 3:29; John 13:13-14; Acts 16:1,2 and 3; Romans 15:1; Romans 15:5; Romans 16:2; 1 Corinthians 10:24; Philippians 3:1; Philippians 4:3; Philippians 4:10; Colossians 3:12; Philemon 1:22; Hebrews 5:9; Revelation 5:3

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miajolensdevotion · 1 year

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Be A Joy Giver! Point People To Christ

WELCOME How do you spend your day in this time of enhanced community quarantine or lockdown? What are the things that you now enjoy that you did not get to enjoy before this COVID-19 pandemic happened? What are new challengess that you now have to overcome on a daily basis?

WORD Philippians 2:19-30 Timothy and Epaphroditus 19 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. 20 For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare.21 For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know Timothy's[a] proven worth, how as a son[b] with a father he has served with me in the gospel. 23 I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me, 24 and I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also.

25 I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need, 26 for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill.27 Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious.29 So receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men, 30 for he nearly died[c] for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me.

The kill joy that we are going to deal with today is called selfishness. The truth is when we are selfish we actually not only steal other people’s joy but eventually our own joy will be diminished. Rather, we can become persons of real joy & when we overflow with joy, we deliver it into the lives of other people. Part of our duty & privilege as followers of Jesus is to be joy givers. We should show that joy to other people so that in so doing we can point people to our Lord & Saviour, Jesus Christ. We arrive at this picture of the book of Philippians where Paul is under house arrest in Rome & he talks about two amazing men; Timothy & Epaphroditus; who served him in his time of greatest need. Even though they were facing challenging times & difficult circumstances themselves, they had the joy of Jesus. They became givers of joy not only to the people to the apostle Paul but to many other people. Let us see what Paul has to say about these two men:

TIMOTHY

We know a lot about Timothy from the Bible. The name means “one who honors God” He is a natives of Lystra in the province of Galatia. His father was Greek & his mother was a Jew. He had a Christian mother & grandmother. It was Paul who led him to Christ.

1 Corinthians 4:17

17 That is why I sent[a] you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ,[b]as I teach them everywhere in every church.

1 Timothy 1:2 2 To Timothy, my true child in the faith:

Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 Timothy 1:18

18 This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare,

2 Timothy 1:2 2 To Timothy, my beloved child:

Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

He had a tremendous exposure to Paul’s ministries & thus was considered to be Paul’s disciple or mentee. But just like you & me, he was far from perfect. Timothy, despite his relative youth, had his own share of physical challenges.

1 Timothy 5:23

23 (No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.)

As a young minister, he also had moments of needing encouragement & so Paul wrote him in

2 Timothy 1:7 7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

words of encouragement. In

Philippians 2:19 Timothy and Epaphroditus 19 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you.

Paul was addressing the believers in the church of Philippi & he was thinking of sending Timothy to update & encourage them & when he returns to Rome, report to Paul on what is going on with the Philippian believers. They did not have our kind of technology, so Timothy could not just email Paul from Philippi or do a groupchat with the Philippian believers to ask how they were doing! Messages had to be delivered personally through people like Timothy who was willing to travel long distances & do wha he was asked to do & here we see that Timothy was a faithful & reliable messenger. Paul also referred to Timothy as a kindred spirit or equal soul & someone who is genuinely concerned for the Philippians as he was.

Philippians 2:20 20 For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare.

When people were busy doing their own thing & looking after their own interests.

Philippians 2:21 21 For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.

Timothy showed to be of proven worth.

Philippians 2:22 22 But you know Timothy's[a] proven worth, how as a son[b] with a father he has served with me in the gospel.

He has been tested repeatedly, vigorously & approved in the end. He has served with Paul in pointing people to Jesus. Paul was going to send Timothy as soon as he possible while being honest enough to say that he also needed Timothy’s assistance.

Philippians 2:23-24

23 I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me,24 and I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also.

That was how precious Timothy was, not only to the people at Philippi, but to Paul himself while he was in prison. Timothy brought joy to his father in the faith.

EPAPHRODITUS In contrast to Timothy, we know almost nothing about Epaphroditus. All we know is that he was sent by the church in Philippi with their financial blessing to Paul while he was in prison. Epaphroditus means “favored by Aphrodite” so he could easily have been a lovely & charming Gentile; there is no detail of his conversion given; we “meet” him here already a committed follower of Jesus. It does not matter whether you have an extensive background known by many like Timothy’s or not that many know of your family or your background like Epaphroditus. God can use anyone trustworthy in His service. Let us dig in on how apostle Paul described Epaphroditus in

Philippians 2:25 25 I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need,

Brother “from the same womb” not literal blood brothers but brothers in Christ; He was a true follower of Jesus

Follow worker “synergy”; Paul & Epaphroditus were so likeminded. They are of one heart in doing Christ’s work, same goal, same motivation & same Lord

Fellow soldier; they are in unison as they advance the work of Jesus Christ here on earth

Messenger; apostlr or “sent one”, sent by the church to minister to Paul. As a messenger, he did not mind the journey from Philippi to Rome which is about 700-800 miles taking 2 months to make a one way trip

Minister; He was a “public servant” who was so devoted to his calling that he will discharge his duties even at his own expense

Paul mentions again Epaphroditus in

Philippians 4:18 18 I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God.

Everything that was sent for Paul was received in full. Whatever was entrusted to Epaphroditus, he simply passed on to others & he passed on joy. He was indeed a joy giver

Philippians 2:28-29 28 I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious. 29 So receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men,

It was him who filled in the gap for what was deficient in the Philippian believers’ service to Paul because of their physical distance, for we can say that Paul was in an extreme “lockdown” in prison!

Philippians 2:30 30 for he nearly died[a] for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me.

Epaphroditus exhibited selfless service even to the point of death.

Philippians 2:27 27 Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.

He was such a blessing & joy to Paul. How is your joy today? How are you passing on the joy entrusted to you by the Holy Spirit? If you know Jesus as your Lord & Saviour, you can know his joy. Jesus has the only genuine joy in the universe. He is the original joy giver & when we give our lives to Him, we will experience that joy ourselves. Jesus said your joy can be made full meaning it will be filled in capacity & when it does, you can now glorify God as you overflow joy to others in these trying times.

John 15:11 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

DISCUSSION QUESTION: (DONT INCLUDE HERE YOUR PAST EXPERIENCE BECAUSE WE ARE NOW AT THE PRESENT 2020, POST THIS IN YOUR WATTPAD)

How has this global pandemic impacted your joy? Have you been a joy giver or a joy taker lately? Mia answer: This global pandemic impacted my joy by spending more time with God; I have been joy giver to others lately Kathy answer:

What are some remarkable traits of Timothy & Epaphroditus that are worth emulating? Mia answer: I am more of Timothy of being far from perfect & sometimes I need an encouragement as well to my leaders Kathy answer:

What can we do to be a joy givers to other people & point them to Jesus especially in these extraordinary times? Mia answer: I can do to be a joy giver to other people is to invite them to our zoom dgroup & point them to Jesus especially in these extraordinary times is directing them to Christ Kathy answer:

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madewithonerib · 1 year

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Philippians 2:12-13 | ¹² Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence but now even more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation with fear & trembling. ¹³ For it is GOD who works in you to will & to act on behalf of HIS good purpose.

Charles John Ellicott, Theologian [1749-1905] | Philippians 2:12-30

5. Exhortation & Commendation

[1] EXHORTATION TO WORK OUT THEIR SALVATION through the in working of GOD, & so to be lights in the world, & the glory of the Apostle, even in the hour of martyrdom [v.12-18]

[2] PAUL’S INTENTION TO SEND TIMOTHY, AND HOPE TO COME HIMSELF SHORTLY [v.19-24]

[3] PRESENT MISSION OF EPAPHRODITUS, now recovered from his late sickness, & strong commendation of his zeal [v.25-30]

[12-18] By the word “wherefore” Paul connects this exhortation with the great passage above.

For the main idea is here of the presence of GOD in them, working glory thru a condition of humiliation, on condition of their fellow-working with HIM; so they shall appear as the “sons of GOD” & as “lights in the world.”

In all this there is clearly the imperfect but true like -ness of the indwelling of GODhead in our LORD’s humanity, exalting it thru the two-fold humiliation to the unspeakable glory.

[12] As ye have always obeyed—It is notable this Epistle is the only one which contains no direct rebuke.

The Philippian Church has the glory of having “always obeyed,” not [like Galatian Church] “as in HIS presence only, but now much more in HIS absence.”

This “obedience” was to the will of GOD as set forth by HIM; in referring to it, there is an allusion to the “obedience” of CHRIST [v.8]; hence their obedience includes also that willingness to suffer which HE HIMSELF has shown.

[Philippians 1:29-30]

To this, perhaps, there is a further allusion in the “fear & trembling” spoken of below.

[See 2 Corinthians 7:15; Ephesians 6:5]

Work out your own salvation—To “work out” is to carry out to completion what is begun [per Ephesians 6:13]

This is the function of man, as fellow-worker with GOD first in HIS OWN soul, & then among HIS brethren.

GOD is the “beginner & perfecter” of every “good work” [see Philippians 1:6]; man’s co-operation is secondary & intermediate.

#Philippians 2:12 #Philippians 2 #obedience #obey #obedient unto death #suffering

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yortalnahtanoj · 2 years

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2 Philippians 2:19

19But I hope, [n]in the Lord Jesus, to send Timothy to you shortly, so that I also may be encouraged when I learn of your condition. 20For I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare. 21For they all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus. 22But you know of his proven character, that he served with me in the furtherance of the gospel like a child serving his father. 23Therefore I hope to send him immediately, as soon as I see how things go with me; 24and I trust in the Lord that I myself will also be coming shortly. 25But I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your [o]messenger and minister to my need, 26because he was longing [p]for you all and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. 27For indeed he was sick to the point of death, but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow. 28Therefore I have sent him all the more eagerly, so that when you see him again you may rejoice and I may be less concerned about you.29Receive him then in the Lord with all joy, and hold people like him in high regard, 30because he came close to death [q]for the work of Christ, risking his life to compensate [r]for your absence in your service to me.

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bills-bible-basics · 1 year

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APOSTLE PAUL IN ROME -- KJV (King James Version) Bible Verse List KJV Bible verse list compiled by #BillKochman for #BillsBibleBasics. Topic: "Apostle Paul in Rome". Visit https://www.billkochman.com/VerseLists/ to see all my lists. As a matter of clarification, allow me to inform you that it is commonly believed that the Apostle Paul did not personally write all of his Epistles. Due to his poor eyesight -- which may have possibly been a result of the incident on the road to Damascus where the Lord struck down Paul, and left him blind for three days -- Paul was forced to dictate a number of his Epistles to his traveling companions. "After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome." Acts 19:21, KJV "And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome." Acts 23:11, KJV "And from thence we fetched a compass, and came to Rhegium: and after one day the south wind blew, and we came the next day to Puteoli: Where we found brethren, and were desired to tarry with them seven days: and so we went toward Rome. And from thence, when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as far as Appii forum, and The three taverns: whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage. And when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard: but Paul was suffered to dwell by himself with a soldier that kept him." Acts 28:13-16, KJV "To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ . . . So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also." Romans 1:7, 15, KJV "Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen. [To the Galatians written from Rome.]" Galatians 6:18, KJV "Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen. [To the Ephesians written from Rome, by Tychicus.]" Ephesians 6:24, KJV "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. [To the Philippians written from Rome, by Epaphroditus.]" Philippians 4:23, KJV "The salutation by the hand of me Paul. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you. Amen. [Written from Rome to Colossians by Tychicus and Onesimus.]" Colossians 4:18, KJV "But, when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me." 2 Timothy 1:17, KJV "The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. Grace be with you. Amen. [The second epistle unto Timotheus, ordained the first bishop of the church of the Ephesians, was written from Rome, when Paul was brought before Nero the second time.]" 2 Timothy 4:22, KJV "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen. [Written from Rome to Philemon, by Onesimus a servant.]" Philemon 1:25, KJV If you would like more info regarding the origin of these KJV Bible verse lists, go to https://www.billkochman.com/VerseLists/. Thank-you! https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/apostle-paul-in-rome-kjv-king-james-version-bible-verse-list/?feed_id=91785&_unique_id=6529474634691&APOSTLE%20PAUL%20IN%20ROME%20--%20KJV%20%28King%20James%20Version%29%20Bible%20Verse%20List

#All_Posts #KJV_Bible_Verse_Lists #apostle_paul #bible #bible_study #bill_kochman #bills_bible_basics #king_james_version #kjv #list #paul #rome #scripture #scriptures #topical #verse #verses

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dfroza · 1 year

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“Shine like stars across the land.”

Today’s reading of the Scriptures from the New Testament is the 2nd chapter of the letter of Philippians:

In other words, adopt the mind-set of Jesus the Anointed. Live with His attitude in your hearts. Remember:

Though He was in the form of God,

He chose not to cling to equality with God;

But He poured Himself out to fill a vessel brand new;

a servant in form

and a man indeed.

The very likeness of humanity,

He humbled Himself,

obedient to death—

a merciless death on the cross!

So God raised Him up to the highest place

and gave Him the name above all.

So when His name is called,

every knee will bow,

in heaven, on earth, and below.

And every tongue will confess

“Jesus, the Anointed One, is Lord,”

to the glory of God our Father!

The Letter of Philippians, Chapter 2 (The Voice)

A note from The Voice translation:

Today’s paired chapter of the Testaments is the 44th chapter of the book of Jeremiah:

This is the message that came to Jeremiah concerning the Judeans living in the northern Egyptian cities of Migdol, Tahpanhes, Memphis, and the southern region of Pathros.

Jeremiah: This is what the Eternal, Commander of heavenly armies and God of Israel, has to say: “You saw what happened to Jerusalem and the towns of Judah when the people disobeyed Me. I brought disaster upon them because of their wickedness, and now the cities are in ruins and no one dares to live there. The people infuriated Me when they burned incense and worshiped other so-called gods that neither they nor you nor any of your ancestors ever knew. Time after time I would send My servants, the prophets, saying, ‘Oh, stop doing these disgusting things. You know I hate them!’ Still they refused to listen and ignored what I had to say; they refused to abandon their wicked ways and kept burning incense to other gods. Therefore, My hot anger was poured out; it raged and burned its way through the towns and villages of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem. That is why they are a desolate wasteland today.”

And now the Eternal God, Commander of heavenly armies and God of Israel, asks: “Why are you doing this to yourselves again? Why are you bringing further disaster upon yourselves and all your people? For there will be no man or woman, no infant or child who will survive this onslaught and return to Judah from this place. Why do you stir up My anger with your handmade idols and the incense you burn to the gods here in the land of Egypt where you are determined to live? You will destroy yourselves and become objects of scorn and cursing to the nations of the earth. Have you forgotten the evil committed by your ancestors, the kings of Judah and their wives? What about the evil that you and your wives committed throughout the land of Judah and on every street in Jerusalem? To this day, I’ve seen no evidence of sorrow or regret for what has been done by My people. They have shown no reverence for Me, nor have they obeyed My law and the decrees I set before them and their ancestors.”

Therefore, the Eternal, Commander of heavenly armies and God of Israel, now declares: “Look! I have decided to destroy you and bring disaster on all of Judah. I will wipe out the remnant of Judah who were so determined to make a new start and settle in Egypt despite My command, and I will finish it there. They will all die in Egypt, from the least to the greatest, either from war or famine. I will make them a horror, a disgrace, an object of scorn and cursing. I will punish those living in Egypt with war, famine, and disease, just as I punished unfaithful Jerusalem. None of those who made it out of Judah alive and fled to Egypt will survive. None of them will escape what is coming. None of them—except for a few fugitives—will ever return to the land of Judah for which they long.

All the men who were aware that their wives had been burning incense to other gods gathered in a large crowd, along with the women. They had come from the northern cities of Egypt and the region of Pathros to the south to speak with Jeremiah.

People: We will not listen to you or the message you claim comes from the Eternal! We are going to stand by our own word: we will burn incense and pour out our drink offerings to the queen of heaven just as we have always done—just as our ancestors, our kings, and our officials did in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. Back then we had plenty to eat, and no harm came to us. But ever since we stopped burning incense to the queen of heaven and pouring out our drink offerings to her, we’ve not had enough of anything. Besides that, we are being finished off by war and famine.

Women (to Jeremiah): Do you think our husbands didn’t know and approve of the fact that we were burning incense to the queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her? How could we have baked bread marked with her image and poured out offerings to her and our husbands know nothing of this?

Then Jeremiah addressed all these men and women who responded so rebelliously.

Jeremiah: Do you think while you and your ancestors, your kings and officials, and all the rest of the people were burning incense in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem that the Eternal knew nothing of this? Did you think He would forget or that it would somehow slip His mind? Today, your land is an object of cursing, a horror, a lifeless ruin because the Eternal could no longer stand your wickedness and the detestable things you did. Take a good look at the disaster that has come upon you. It happened because you burned incense to other gods and sinned against the Eternal. It happened because you refused to obey His voice or follow His law and His decrees, because you ignored His warnings.

(to the entire assembly) Hear the word of the Eternal! You people of Judah who live in Egypt, the Eternal, Commander of heavenly armies and God of Israel, has a message for you: “You and your wives have shown where your true devotion lies with both your words and your actions! You say, ‘We will keep our vows to the queen of heaven; we will continue to burn incense and pour out drink offerings to her.’ Well I say, ‘Go ahead. Keep your vows! Do exactly what you promised!’” But hear what the Eternal now says to the Judeans now living in Egypt: “I swear by My great name that no man or woman of Judah now living in Egypt will ever again invoke My name or begin an oath with the words ‘As the Eternal Lord lives!’ because I will watch over their lives to bring harm, not good. All the Judeans living in Egypt will suffer from war and famine until all have died. There will be only a few who survive and return to Judah from Egypt. All the remnant of Judah who were so determined to live in Egypt will finally know whose word can be trusted—theirs or Mine. Here is a sign for you so that you will know I am going to punish you in Egypt. This way you can be sure that My threats against you are not idle—they will come true. And this will be your sign: watch as I hand over Pharaoh Hophra, king of Egypt, to his enemies who want to kill him, just as I handed over Zedekiah, king of Judah, to his enemy, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon.

The Book of Jeremiah, Chapter 44 (The Voice)

A note from The Voice translation:

Some time has now passed since the Judeans who were not deported to Babylon fled to Egypt in a kind of self-imposed exile. Their reason for leaving Judah and settling in Egypt is fear—fear of reprisal from Nebuchadnezzar for the assassination of Gedaliah. Against the protests of Jeremiah, the people settle down in Egypt. Ironically, as they escape the wrath of the dreaded Babylonian king, they foolishly ignore the wrath of God that follows their complete disregard of His prophet. Jeremiah now delivers what will be his last recorded message to these faithless Judeans who have settled in Egypt.

A link to my personal reading of the Scriptures for Saturday, October 14 of 2023 with a paired chapter from each Testament of the Bible along with Today’s Proverbs and Psalms

A post by John Parsons about where our trust lies:

We are in shock and horror over what has happened in Israel last Shabbat on Simchat Torah. Everyone is asking what to do? The answer is to remember the truth and to affirm that God is intimately in control. The answer is to pray. We must believe, yet we must not let hatred consume our hearts. We are in exile in this world. Come quickly, Lord Yeshua!

====

God’s children are people of truth, people who trust in the LORD God of Israel (John 18:37). We share our hope with the great tzaddikim of the ages as we walk through the “valley of the shadow of death” that is this world. We believe in God’s mercy and love given in the Messiah; we believe in the resurrection of Yeshua from the dead and hold fast to the promise of an unimaginably wonderful blessing reserved for us in the world to come. Meanwhile we walk by faith, further believing that no prayer we utter ever goes unanswered. We trust in our heavenly Father’s care as we pour out our hearts to him for the healing of those who are still lost and in despair... We remember that time is short and soon we will see our great King panim el-panim (פּנים אל־פּנים), “face to face.”

At any given moment of the day, then, regardless of our present circumstances, we can turn to the secret reality of the Divine Presence and come “boldly before the Throne of Grace” (Heb. 4:16). As Yeshua said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven...” (Matt. 13:11). The Spirit of God always says, “Come, my people, enter your chambers, and shut your doors behind you” (Isa. 26:20). In the secret places of our heart - our “prayer closet” - we appeal to the Hidden Presence to be manifest in the midst of every circumstance of our lives. Our Heavenly Father sees in secret; he knows the groaning of our hearts (Matt. 6:6; 2 Cor. 5:4; Rom. 8:22-23).

Therefore may we never be ashamed; may we never grow bitter; may our sorrows lead us me’chayil el-chayil (מחיל אל־חיל), “from strength to strength”; and may the days of our sojourn yield to us greater wisdom, deeper compassion, and finally glorious reception into the accepting arms of our great God and Savior. By faith let us draw near and call upon the Name of the LORD. Amen.

[ Hebrew for Christians]

========

Isaiah 40:29 reading:

https://hebrew4christians.com/Blessings/Blessing_Cards/isa40-29-jjp.mp3

Hebrew page:

https://hebrew4christians.com/Blessings/Blessing_Cards/isa40-29-lesson.pdf

10.12.23 • Facebook

from yesterday’s email by Israel 365:

Whenever we seek to convey an emotion, we turn to the Psalms. Whether overwhelmed by joy or burdened by despair, there’s always a psalm that mirrors our sentiments. We often wonder about the circumstances King David might have been facing when penning a particular verse. Yet, somehow the passages of the Psalms always seem to echo our current situation. As the sages said, David composed the Psalms in a manner relevant to his own life, to all of Israel, and to all generations.

Today’s message (Days of Praise) from the Institute for Creation Research

October 14, 2023

Keep On Keeping On

“But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” (Jude 1:20-21)

Jude, the half-brother of Jesus, gave his “beloved” readers an essential list of four timeless habit-building patterns expressed in four parallel Greek participles—building, praying, keeping, and looking.

Building. Personal edification (“building yourselves up”) comes from growing in the knowledge of “your most holy faith.” The faith “once delivered unto the saints” (v. 3) also includes the teachings of the apostles that were added to the Old Testament and gospels.

Praying. Believers pray in God’s Spirit. One exposition of Jude 1:20 described it as “praying out of hearts and souls that are indwelt, illuminated, and filled with the Holy Spirit” (George Lawrence Lawlor, Translation and Exposition of the Epistle of Jude).

Keeping. Preserving oneself “in God’s love” (v. 21) means being nurtured by keeping occupied in obedience with God’s love.

Looking. We patiently wait (Greek prosdechomenoi) for the blessed hope of the return of Christ for His church. We will then enjoy never-ending eternal life in God’s presence (v. 21).

Jude concluded his epistle by reminding us it’s the Lord Jesus Christ who ultimately “keeps” His child. “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen” (vv. 24-25). CCM

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carolap53 · 2 years

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Philippians 2Imitating Christ’s Humility

2 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!

9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Do Everything Without Grumbling

12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

14 Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky 16 as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. 17 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18 So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.

Timothy and Epaphroditus

19 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. 20 I have no one else like him, who will show genuine concern for your welfare. 21 For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel. 23 I hope, therefore, to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. 24 And I am confident in the Lord that I myself will come soon.

25 But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs. 26 For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill. 27 Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. 28 Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety. 29 So then, welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor people like him, 30 because he almost died for the work of Christ. He risked his life to make up for the help you yourselves could not give me.

New International Version

(NIV)

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mybeautifulchristianjourney · 2 years

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One in Christ

5 Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus,

Obedience and Service in the World

Travel Plans of Paul and His Assistants

#imitating Christ #humility #complaining #Timothy #Epaphrodtius #Philippians 2 #The Epistle of Philippians #New Testament #NABRE #New American Bible Revised Edition #Confraternity of Christian Doctrine Inc.

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