July 14, 2016

Plus and minus are cancelled out in Christ by Gary Rose


I had a rough night last night; my ear was bothering me again and I was up WAY TOO LATE. So, its no wonder that I am a bit groggy today and the words just seem to be coming to me a bit slower than normal. And then I found Charlie Brown and this delightful message. Cheered me right up!!!  

Summary: You can't change the past, but you can appreciate the present.

That sounds nice, but I like the apostle Paul's way of putting it better...

Philippians, Chapter 3 (WEB)
If anyone else thinks to put confidence in the flesh, I can do so more:  5 ⌞circumcised on the eighth day⌟, from the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born from Hebrews, according to the law a Pharisee,  6 according to zeal persecuting the church, according to the righteousness in the law being blameless.  7 But whatever things were gain to me, these things I have considered loss because of Christ. (emp. added GDR) 8 ⌞More than that⌟I even consider all things to be loss because of the surpassing greatness of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for the sake of whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and consider them dung, in order that I may gain Christ  9 and may be found in him, not having my righteousness which is from the law, but which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God on the basis of faith,  10 so that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death,  11 if somehow I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.  12 Not that I have already received this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on if indeed I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ. 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself to have laid hold of it. But I do one thing, forgetting the things behind and straining toward the things ahead,  14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 

The DEVIL reminds you of your past and encourages you to dwell on negativity. CHRIST gives you a future and genuine life, now!!! With Jesus in your life you are never, ever, truly alone. You always have encouragement because of what Jesus did (and will continue to do) for you. 

As I am so fond of saying: Every day above ground is a good day (even the bad ones) and every day way above ground (with Christ in heaven) will be a great one!!!

Philippians, Chapter 4 (WEB)
4 Rejoice in the Lord always! Again I will say, “Rejoice!”  5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.  6 In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.  7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.

Well, that about sums it up!!!

Your friend,
Gary

Bible Reading July 14 by Gary Rose


Bible Reading July 14 (WEB)

July 14
1 Chronicles 4-6

1Ch 4:1 The sons of Judah: Perez, Hezron, and Carmi, and Hur, and Shobal.
1Ch 4:2 Reaiah the son of Shobal became the father of Jahath; and Jahath became the father of Ahumai and Lahad. These are the families of the Zorathites.
1Ch 4:3 These were the sons of the father of Etam: Jezreel, and Ishma, and Idbash; and the name of their sister was Hazzelelponi;
1Ch 4:4 and Penuel the father of Gedor, and Ezer the father of Hushah. These are the sons of Hur, the firstborn of Ephrathah, the father of Bethlehem.
1Ch 4:5 Ashhur the father of Tekoa had two wives, Helah and Naarah.
1Ch 4:6 Naarah bore him Ahuzzam, and Hepher, and Temeni, and Haahashtari. These were the sons of Naarah.
1Ch 4:7 The sons of Helah were Zereth, Izhar, and Ethnan.
1Ch 4:8 Hakkoz became the father of Anub, and Zobebah, and the families of Aharhel the son of Harum.
1Ch 4:9 Jabez was more honorable than his brothers: and his mother named him Jabez, saying, Because I bore him with sorrow.
1Ch 4:10 Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that you would bless me indeed, and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from evil, that it not be to my sorrow! God granted him that which he requested.
1Ch 4:11 Chelub the brother of Shuhah became the father of Mehir, who was the father of Eshton.
1Ch 4:12 Eshton became the father of Beth Rapha, and Paseah, and Tehinnah the father of Ir Nahash. These are the men of Recah.
1Ch 4:13 The sons of Kenaz: Othniel, and Seraiah. The sons of Othniel: Hathath.
1Ch 4:14 Meonothai became the father of Ophrah: and Seraiah became the father of Joab the father of Ge Harashim; for they were craftsmen.
1Ch 4:15 The sons of Caleb the son of Jephunneh: Iru, Elah, and Naam; and the sons of Elah; and Kenaz.
1Ch 4:16 The sons of Jehallelel: Ziph, and Ziphah, Tiria, and Asarel.
1Ch 4:17 The sons of Ezrah: Jether, and Mered, and Epher, and Jalon; and she bore Miriam, and Shammai, and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa.
1Ch 4:18 His wife the Jewess bore Jered the father of Gedor, and Heber the father of Soco, and Jekuthiel the father of Zanoah. These are the sons of Bithiah the daughter of Pharaoh, whom Mered took.
1Ch 4:19 The sons of the wife of Hodiah, the sister of Naham, were the father of Keilah the Garmite, and Eshtemoa the Maacathite.
1Ch 4:20 The sons of Shimon: Amnon, and Rinnah, Ben Hanan, and Tilon. The sons of Ishi: Zoheth, and Ben Zoheth.
1Ch 4:21 The sons of Shelah the son of Judah: Er the father of Lecah, and Laadah the father of Mareshah, and the families of the house of those who worked fine linen, of the house of Ashbea;
1Ch 4:22 and Jokim, and the men of Cozeba, and Joash, and Saraph, who had dominion in Moab, and Jashubilehem. The records are ancient.
1Ch 4:23 These were the potters, and the inhabitants of Netaim and Gederah: there they lived with the king for his work.
1Ch 4:24 The sons of Simeon: Nemuel, and Jamin, Jarib, Zerah, Shaul;
1Ch 4:25 Shallum his son, Mibsam his son, Mishma his son.
1Ch 4:26 The sons of Mishma: Hammuel his son, Zaccur his son, Shimei his son.
1Ch 4:27 Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters; but his brothers didn't have many children, neither did all their family multiply like the children of Judah.
1Ch 4:28 They lived at Beersheba, and Moladah, and Hazarshual,
1Ch 4:29 and at Bilhah, and at Ezem, and at Tolad,
1Ch 4:30 and at Bethuel, and at Hormah, and at Ziklag,
1Ch 4:31 and at Beth Marcaboth, and Hazar Susim, and at Beth Biri, and at Shaaraim. These were their cities to the reign of David.
1Ch 4:32 Their villages were Etam, and Ain, Rimmon, and Tochen, and Ashan, five cities;
1Ch 4:33 and all their villages that were around the same cities, to Baal. These were their habitations, and they have their genealogy.
1Ch 4:34 Meshobab, and Jamlech, and Joshah the son of Amaziah,
1Ch 4:35 and Joel, and Jehu the son of Joshibiah, the son of Seraiah, the son of Asiel,
1Ch 4:36 and Elioenai, and Jaakobah, and Jeshohaiah, and Asaiah, and Adiel, and Jesimiel, and Benaiah,
1Ch 4:37 and Ziza the son of Shiphi, the son of Allon, the son of Jedaiah, the son of Shimri, the son of Shemaiah--
1Ch 4:38 these mentioned by name were princes in their families: and their fathers' houses increased greatly.
1Ch 4:39 They went to the entrance of Gedor, even to the east side of the valley, to seek pasture for their flocks.
1Ch 4:40 They found fat pasture and good, and the land was wide, and quiet, and peaceable; for those who lived there before were of Ham.
1Ch 4:41 These written by name came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and struck their tents, and the Meunim who were found there, and destroyed them utterly to this day, and lived in their place; because there was pasture there for their flocks.
1Ch 4:42 Some of them, even of the sons of Simeon, five hundred men, went to Mount Seir, having for their captains Pelatiah, and Neariah, and Rephaiah, and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi.
1Ch 4:43 They struck the remnant of the Amalekites who escaped, and have lived there to this day.

1Ch 5:1 The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel (for he was the firstborn; but, because he defiled his father's couch, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel; and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright.
1Ch 5:2 For Judah prevailed above his brothers, and of him came the prince; but the birthright was Joseph's:)
1Ch 5:3 the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel: Hanoch, and Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
1Ch 5:4 The sons of Joel: Shemaiah his son, Gog his son, Shimei his son,
1Ch 5:5 Micah his son, Reaiah his son, Baal his son,
1Ch 5:6 Beerah his son, whom Tilgath Pilneser king of Assyria carried away captive: he was prince of the Reubenites.
1Ch 5:7 His brothers by their families, when the genealogy of their generations was reckoned: the chief, Jeiel, and Zechariah,
1Ch 5:8 and Bela the son of Azaz, the son of Shema, the son of Joel, who lived in Aroer, even to Nebo and Baal Meon:
1Ch 5:9 and eastward he lived even to the entrance of the wilderness from the river Euphrates, because their livestock were multiplied in the land of Gilead.
1Ch 5:10 In the days of Saul, they made war with the Hagrites, who fell by their hand; and they lived in their tents throughout all the land east of Gilead.
1Ch 5:11 The sons of Gad lived over against them, in the land of Bashan to Salecah:
1Ch 5:12 Joel the chief, and Shapham the second, and Janai, and Shaphat in Bashan.
1Ch 5:13 Their brothers of their fathers' houses: Michael, and Meshullam, and Sheba, and Jorai, and Jacan, and Zia, and Eber, seven.
1Ch 5:14 These were the sons of Abihail, the son of Huri, the son of Jaroah, the son of Gilead, the son of Michael, the son of Jeshishai, the son of Jahdo, the son of Buz;
1Ch 5:15 Ahi the son of Abdiel, the son of Guni, chief of their fathers' houses.
1Ch 5:16 They lived in Gilead in Bashan, and in its towns, and in all the suburbs of Sharon, as far as their borders.
1Ch 5:17 All these were reckoned by genealogies in the days of Jotham king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam king of Israel.
1Ch 5:18 The sons of Reuben, and the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, of valiant men, men able to bear buckler and sword, and to shoot with bow, and skillful in war, were forty-four thousand seven hundred and sixty, that were able to go forth to war.
1Ch 5:19 They made war with the Hagrites, with Jetur, and Naphish, and Nodab.
1Ch 5:20 They were helped against them, and the Hagrites were delivered into their hand, and all who were with them; for they cried to God in the battle, and he was entreated of them, because they put their trust in him.
1Ch 5:21 They took away their livestock; of their camels fifty thousand, and of sheep two hundred fifty thousand, and of donkeys two thousand, and of men one hundred thousand.
1Ch 5:22 For there fell many slain, because the war was of God. They lived in their place until the captivity.
1Ch 5:23 The children of the half-tribe of Manasseh lived in the land: they increased from Bashan to Baal Hermon and Senir and Mount Hermon.
1Ch 5:24 These were the heads of their fathers' houses: even Epher, and Ishi, and Eliel, and Azriel, and Jeremiah, and Hodaviah, and Jahdiel, mighty men of valor, famous men, heads of their fathers' houses.
1Ch 5:25 They trespassed against the God of their fathers, and played the prostitute after the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God destroyed before them.
1Ch 5:26 The God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tilgath Pilneser king of Assyria, and he carried them away, even the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, and brought them to Halah, and Habor, and Hara, and to the river of Gozan, to this day.

1Ch 6:1 The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
1Ch 6:2 The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel.
1Ch 6:3 The children of Amram: Aaron, and Moses, and Miriam. The sons of Aaron: Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
1Ch 6:4 Eleazar became the father of Phinehas, Phinehas became the father of Abishua,
1Ch 6:5 and Abishua became the father of Bukki, and Bukki became the father of Uzzi,
1Ch 6:6 and Uzzi became the father of Zerahiah, and Zerahiah became the father of Meraioth,
1Ch 6:7 Meraioth became the father of Amariah, and Amariah became the father of Ahitub,
1Ch 6:8 and Ahitub became the father of Zadok, and Zadok became the father of Ahimaaz,
1Ch 6:9 and Ahimaaz became the father of Azariah, and Azariah became the father of Johanan,
1Ch 6:10 and Johanan became the father of Azariah, (he it is who executed the priest's office in the house that Solomon built in Jerusalem),
1Ch 6:11 and Azariah became the father of Amariah, and Amariah became the father of Ahitub,
1Ch 6:12 and Ahitub became the father of Zadok, and Zadok became the father of Shallum,
1Ch 6:13 and Shallum became the father of Hilkiah, and Hilkiah became the father of Azariah,
1Ch 6:14 and Azariah became the father of Seraiah, and Seraiah became the father of Jehozadak;
1Ch 6:15 Jehozadak went into captivity, when Yahweh carried away Judah and Jerusalem by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar.
1Ch 6:16 The sons of Levi: Gershom, Kohath, and Merari.
1Ch 6:17 These are the names of the sons of Gershom: Libni and Shimei.
1Ch 6:18 The sons of Kohath were Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel.
1Ch 6:19 The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to their fathers' houses.
1Ch 6:20 Of Gershom: Libni his son, Jahath his son, Zimmah his son,
1Ch 6:21 Joah his son, Iddo his son, Zerah his son, Jeatherai his son.
1Ch 6:22 The sons of Kohath: Amminadab his son, Korah his son, Assir his son,
1Ch 6:23 Elkanah his son, and Ebiasaph his son, and Assir his son,
1Ch 6:24 Tahath his son, Uriel his son, Uzziah his son, and Shaul his son.
1Ch 6:25 The sons of Elkanah: Amasai, and Ahimoth.
1Ch 6:26 As for Elkanah, the sons of Elkanah: Zophai his son, and Nahath his son,
1Ch 6:27 Eliab his son, Jeroham his son, Elkanah his son.
1Ch 6:28 The sons of Samuel: the firstborn Joel, and the second Abijah.
1Ch 6:29 The sons of Merari: Mahli, Libni his son, Shimei his son, Uzzah his son,
1Ch 6:30 Shimea his son, Haggiah his son, Asaiah his son.
1Ch 6:31 These are they whom David set over the service of song in the house of Yahweh, after that the ark had rest.
1Ch 6:32 They ministered with song before the tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting, until Solomon had built the house of Yahweh in Jerusalem: and they waited on their office according to their order.
1Ch 6:33 These are those who waited, and their sons. Of the sons of the Kohathites: Heman the singer, the son of Joel, the son of Samuel,
1Ch 6:34 the son of Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Eliel, the son of Toah,
1Ch 6:35 the son of Zuph, the son of Elkanah, the son of Mahath, the son of Amasai,
1Ch 6:36 the son of Elkanah, the son of Joel, the son of Azariah, the son of Zephaniah,
1Ch 6:37 the son of Tahath, the son of Assir, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah,
1Ch 6:38 the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, the son of Israel.
1Ch 6:39 His brother Asaph, who stood on his right hand, even Asaph the son of Berechiah, the son of Shimea,
1Ch 6:40 the son of Michael, the son of Baaseiah, the son of Malchijah,
1Ch 6:41 the son of Ethni, the son of Zerah, the son of Adaiah,
1Ch 6:42 the son of Ethan, the son of Zimmah, the son of Shimei,
1Ch 6:43 the son of Jahath, the son of Gershom, the son of Levi.
1Ch 6:44 On the left hand their brothers the sons of Merari: Ethan the son of Kishi, the son of Abdi, the son of Malluch,
1Ch 6:45 the son of Hashabiah, the son of Amaziah, the son of Hilkiah,
1Ch 6:46 the son of Amzi, the son of Bani, the son of Shemer,
1Ch 6:47 the son of Mahli, the son of Mushi, the son of Merari, the son of Levi.
1Ch 6:48 Their brothers the Levites were appointed for all the service of the tabernacle of the house of God.
1Ch 6:49 But Aaron and his sons offered on the altar of burnt offering, and on the altar of incense, for all the work of the most holy place, and to make atonement for Israel, according to all that Moses the servant of God had commanded.
1Ch 6:50 These are the sons of Aaron: Eleazar his son, Phinehas his son, Abishua his son,
1Ch 6:51 Bukki his son, Uzzi his son, Zerahiah his son,
1Ch 6:52 Meraioth his son, Amariah his son, Ahitub his son,
1Ch 6:53 Zadok his son, Ahimaaz his son.
1Ch 6:54 Now these are their dwelling places according to their encampments in their borders: to the sons of Aaron, of the families of the Kohathites (for theirs was the first lot),
1Ch 6:55 to them they gave Hebron in the land of Judah, and its suburbs around it;
1Ch 6:56 but the fields of the city, and its villages, they gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh.
1Ch 6:57 To the sons of Aaron they gave the cities of refuge, Hebron; Libnah also with its suburbs, and Jattir, and Eshtemoa with its suburbs,
1Ch 6:58 and Hilen with its suburbs, Debir with its suburbs,
1Ch 6:59 and Ashan with its suburbs, and Beth Shemesh with its suburbs;
1Ch 6:60 and out of the tribe of Benjamin, Geba with its suburbs, and Allemeth with its suburbs, and Anathoth with its suburbs. All their cities throughout their families were thirteen cities.
1Ch 6:61 To the rest of the sons of Kohath were given by lot, out of the family of the tribe, out of the half-tribe, the half of Manasseh, ten cities.
1Ch 6:62 To the sons of Gershom, according to their families, out of the tribe of Issachar, and out of the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, thirteen cities.
1Ch 6:63 To the sons of Merari were given by lot, according to their families, out of the tribe of Reuben, and out of the tribe of Gad, and out of the tribe of Zebulun, twelve cities.
1Ch 6:64 The children of Israel gave to the Levites the cities with their suburbs.
1Ch 6:65 They gave by lot out of the tribe of the children of Judah, and out of the tribe of the children of Simeon, and out of the tribe of the children of Benjamin, these cities which are mentioned by name.
1Ch 6:66 Some of the families of the sons of Kohath had cities of their borders out of the tribe of Ephraim.
1Ch 6:67 They gave to them the cities of refuge, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim with its suburbs; Gezer also with its suburbs,
1Ch 6:68 and Jokmeam with its suburbs, and Beth Horon with its suburbs,
1Ch 6:69 and Aijalon with its suburbs, and Gath Rimmon with its suburbs;
1Ch 6:70 and out of the half-tribe of Manasseh, Aner with its suburbs, and Bileam with its suburbs, for the rest of the family of the sons of Kohath.
1Ch 6:71 To the sons of Gershom were given, out of the family of the half-tribe of Manasseh, Golan in Bashan with its suburbs, and Ashtaroth with its suburbs;
1Ch 6:72 and out of the tribe of Issachar, Kedesh with its suburbs, Daberath with its suburbs,
1Ch 6:73 and Ramoth with its suburbs, and Anem with its suburbs;
1Ch 6:74 and out of the tribe of Asher, Mashal with its suburbs, and Abdon with its suburbs,
1Ch 6:75 and Hukok with its suburbs, and Rehob with its suburbs;
1Ch 6:76 and out of the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in Galilee with its suburbs, and Hammon with its suburbs, and Kiriathaim with its suburbs.
1Ch 6:77 To the rest of the Levites, the sons of Merari, were given, out of the tribe of Zebulun, Rimmono with its suburbs, Tabor with its suburbs;
1Ch 6:78 and beyond the Jordan at Jericho, on the east side of the Jordan, were given them, out of the tribe of Reuben, Bezer in the wilderness with its suburbs, and Jahzah with its suburbs,
1Ch 6:79 and Kedemoth with its suburbs, and Mephaath with its suburbs;
1Ch 6:80 and out of the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead with its suburbs, and Mahanaim with its suburbs,

1Ch 6:81 and Heshbon with its suburbs, and Jazer with its suburbs.


Jul. 14, 15
Acts 10

Act 10:1 Now there was a certain man in Caesarea, Cornelius by name, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment,
Act 10:2 a devout man, and one who feared God with all his house, who gave gifts for the needy generously to the people, and always prayed to God.
Act 10:3 At about the ninth hour of the day, he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God coming to him, and saying to him, "Cornelius!"
Act 10:4 He, fastening his eyes on him, and being frightened, said, "What is it, Lord?" He said to him, "Your prayers and your gifts to the needy have gone up for a memorial before God.
Act 10:5 Now send men to Joppa, and get Simon, who is surnamed Peter.
Act 10:6 He lodges with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the seaside."
Act 10:7 When the angel who spoke to him had departed, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier of those who waited on him continually.
Act 10:8 Having explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.
Act 10:9 Now on the next day as they were on their journey, and got close to the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray at about noon.
Act 10:10 He became hungry and desired to eat, but while they were preparing, he fell into a trance.
Act 10:11 He saw heaven opened and a certain container descending to him, like a great sheet let down by four corners on the earth,
Act 10:12 in which were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild animals, reptiles, and birds of the sky.
Act 10:13 A voice came to him, "Rise, Peter, kill and eat!"
Act 10:14 But Peter said, "Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean."
Act 10:15 A voice came to him again the second time, "What God has cleansed, you must not call unclean."
Act 10:16 This was done three times, and immediately the vessel was received up into heaven.
Act 10:17 Now while Peter was very perplexed in himself what the vision which he had seen might mean, behold, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon's house, stood before the gate,
Act 10:18 and called and asked whether Simon, who was surnamed Peter, was lodging there.
Act 10:19 While Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Behold, three men seek you.
Act 10:20 But arise, get down, and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them."
Act 10:21 Peter went down to the men, and said, "Behold, I am he whom you seek. Why have you come?"
Act 10:22 They said, "Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous man and one who fears God, and well spoken of by all the nation of the Jews, was directed by a holy angel to invite you to his house, and to listen to what you say."
Act 10:23 So he called them in and lodged them. On the next day Peter arose and went out with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him.
Act 10:24 On the next day they entered into Caesarea. Cornelius was waiting for them, having called together his relatives and his near friends.
Act 10:25 When it happened that Peter entered, Cornelius met him, fell down at his feet, and worshiped him.
Act 10:26 But Peter raised him up, saying, "Stand up! I myself am also a man."
Act 10:27 As he talked with him, he went in and found many gathered together.
Act 10:28 He said to them, "You yourselves know how it is an unlawful thing for a man who is a Jew to join himself or come to one of another nation, but God has shown me that I shouldn't call any man unholy or unclean.
Act 10:29 Therefore also I came without complaint when I was sent for. I ask therefore, why did you send for me?"
Act 10:30 Cornelius said, "Four days ago, I was fasting until this hour, and at the ninth hour, I prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing,
Act 10:31 and said, 'Cornelius, your prayer is heard, and your gifts to the needy are remembered in the sight of God.
Act 10:32 Send therefore to Joppa, and summon Simon, who is surnamed Peter. He lodges in the house of Simon a tanner, by the seaside. When he comes, he will speak to you.'
Act 10:33 Therefore I sent to you at once, and it was good of you to come. Now therefore we are all here present in the sight of God to hear all things that have been commanded you by God."
Act 10:34 Peter opened his mouth and said, "Truly I perceive that God doesn't show favoritism;
Act 10:35 but in every nation he who fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him.
Act 10:36 The word which he sent to the children of Israel, preaching good news of peace by Jesus Christ-he is Lord of all-
Act 10:37 that spoken word you yourselves know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;
Act 10:38 even Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.
Act 10:39 We are witnesses of everything he did both in the country of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they also killed, hanging him on a tree.
Act 10:40 God raised him up the third day, and gave him to be revealed,
Act 10:41 not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen before by God, to us, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.
Act 10:42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that this is he who is appointed by God as the Judge of the living and the dead.
Act 10:43 All the prophets testify about him, that through his name everyone who believes in him will receive remission of sins."
Act 10:44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all those who heard the word.
Act 10:45 They of the circumcision who believed were amazed, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was also poured out on the Gentiles.
Act 10:46 For they heard them speaking in other languages and magnifying God. Then Peter answered,
Act 10:47 "Can any man forbid the water, that these who have received the Holy Spirit as well as we should not be baptized?"
Act 10:48 He commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay some days.

"Others have Labored and Ye are Entered into Their Labors" by J. C. Bailey


http://www.oldpaths.com/Archive/Bailey/John/Carlos/1903/Articles/othersh.html


"OTHERS HAVE LABORED
AND YE ARE ENTERED INTO THEIR LABORS"

This is the language of Jesus to His disciples following His conversation with the woman of Samaria. The work the apostles did would not have been possible if it had not been for the prophets of the Old Testament. Their work would not have been possible without the work of John the Baptist. Then their work would not have been possible without the labors of Jesus Christ Himself.
Many people wonder how we could have gone to India about 11 years ago and have had such a harvest of souls. Let me say as Jesus said: Others have labored and we have entered into their labors. We shall probably not pay tribute to all the men who have made possible our present ingathering of souls, but I think that those whom we mention will help you to see why we have this harvest.
Those who study Restoration history have read of an Englishman by the name of Sandeman who led a movement in England that was very similar to the movement led by the Campbells in America. This man was a rich man. He spent considerable money sending workers to India. Unfortunately we have never been able to find any trace of his work. However, that does not say that his work did not play a part in making ready for the work that we did.
After World War I had started, but before the United States entered the war, there were three men who went to India from the United States. I do not recall the one name but the other two men were Jelly and McHenry. Jelly spent some time in India. He lost his first wife. He married an Indian and returned to America. He raised a large family and one of his children supports the work we are trying to do in India. McHenry and his companion turned to the Seventh Day Adventists. These three men labored in the Poona area of India. There is now a thriving work again in this area. After more than 50 years some churches have been found that did not apostatize and others that followed McHenry into Adventism have now returned to the New Testament way. McHenry is now an old man living in one of the Southern States. Brother Carl Johnson visited him not long ago. He still holds to the Seventh day Adventist doctrine.
There was a brother who went to India some years later. I do not now recall his name but I found a place where he had labored. This man was sickly when he came to India. He grew worse and return to the U.S.A. and soon died.
In a very providential way we learned about an indigenous work in the State of Assam. There was a brother in Shillong who was told that there were churches of Christ in America. These brethren had broken with the Welsh Presbyterians. Brother Presnshon Khariukhi sent a letter to the church of Christ in Abilene, Texas. This letter was delivered to Glen Wallace. Correspondence took place. These brethren were visited by two brethren. I think each brother stayed for three months. They did much to teach these men the way of the Lord more perfectly. However, the church in the U.S.A. missed a wonderful opportunity to get into India, for at that time the door into India was not closed to American missionaries. Not only was a wonderful opportunity missed at that time, but just at that time American missionaries were being chased out of China. Some Christian Church men left China and came into the Shillong area. The work was badly crippled because of these men.
There was a well-educated Indian from the State of Kerala who came to the U.S.A. to attend a denominational school in America. He learned of the church of Christ and attended the Harding Graduate School at Memphis as well as either Vanderbilt or Peabody in Nashville. He came back to India about three months after I arrived there. He has done a good work in the state of Kerala. While this work by brethren may have had some influence in the work that has been done since I went there, their influence has been limited. True, if it had not been for the work in Assam, I would not likely have gone to India. For about ten years these brethren had begged for someone to come over and help them. Several had tried but they were not able to enter, only as visitors. Members of the Commonwealth had special privileges (that is how I came to go). There are two men who made our work possible much more than what was done by our own brethren. First I want to mention William Carey. He was an English Baptist.
In his time India was not ruled by England but by the English East India Company. They did not want any missionaries in India. So William Carey had to land in a small enclave that was under the authority of the King of Denmark. After some time, Carey got permission to enter India. India was not then a field white unto harvest. It took Carey seven years to make a single convert. India at that time still burned widows with their dead husbands. The first-born child was still thrown into the River Ganges if the first-born was a girl. INDIA WAS NOT ASKING FOR THE GOSPEL. This man Carey was not a professional preacher when he went to India. He had been a shoe cobbler. He was a remarkable man. In his lifetime he translated the New Testament into at least 14 of the India languages. This was the main thing in making our work possible. One of the languages that Carey translated the Bible into was Telugu. So before we went to India, the Telugus had been blessed with the Bible for more than 150 years. So these people were ready for the plea: The Bible as it is, is sufficient for man as he is. They had the Bible in their mother tongue and could, and did, check each Scripture that we presented. Unfortunately William Carey did not preach all the truth but that did not keep him from faithfully translating the Bible into the various languages of India. Our work would not have been possible without Wm. Carey. This man, though a young man when he went to India, never returned to England. He had an idea that when a man goes to another country to preach he should live off the country where he lives. I am sure that there is just as much Scripture for this as for the idea that you cannot support native preachers with American money. If men who go to a foreign field had to thus live I am sure we would never hear one word again about not supporting native preachers with American money. If God is no respecter of persons then why should we be supported in another country when the native cannot be supported to preach? Truly, the legs of the lame are not equal. Carey also started a College in India that survives to this day. It has fallen under control of Liberals. Carey was persecuted by the Clergy of his day. They despised the poor shoe cobbler. He lives in the hearts and lives of millions of people. His tormentors have so faded that their names are largely forgotten.
There is another man to whom I would like to pay tribute. His name was Clough. He was an American Baptist. There were not many converts made in India up to his time. The MISSION idea reigned supreme. When a group came to India they obtained a piece of land from the government and started with a school. Then a hostel. If possible a hospital. Any converts were brought to the Mission Compound and often those living on the compound would number into the hundreds. This man Clough came up with the idea of village evangelism. The result was that a few years after this plan was started the Baptists baptized 2,222 at one time. If this work had been pushed, the Baptists might have won several millions of people to the Baptist Church. However, liberal elements prevailed and the social gospel became the order of the day. For many years there has been little growth either in the American Baptist Mission or the Canadian Baptist Mission. The Lutherans kept up their evangelistic thrust better than the Baptists and they are now much larger than the Baptists in India. These men, Carey and Clough did not preach the true gospel. They could not bring the knowledge of the New Testament Church, but God did use them to prepare the way for the work that we have done.
God wants men to be saved. God has given His church the work of preaching the gospel.
Now I would like to tell you about a Canadian Prime Minister who helped pave the way for our going to India. This man was named William Lyon Mackenzie King. He was Prime Minister of Canada longer than any other man. Shortly after India got her independence in 1947 there was war between India and Pakistan. Nehru, Prime Minister of India, thought that England and the United States favored Pakistan in that war. I do not know if that was true or not. I am merely reporting. Nehru came to the Commonwealth's Prime Ministers' Conference not knowing whether he would take India out of the Commonwealth or not. The Prime Minister of Canada persuaded Nehru to stay in the Commonwealth and out of this meeting grew the special concession for missionaries from the Commonwealth. So God uses men of the world that He may save the souls of men. Little did Nehru dream that he was being used for this great harvest of souls. Nehru may have nominally been a Hindu, and seemed to turn more toward religion in his latter days. His funeral was conducted according to the rituals of the Hindu faith but he was more an agnostic than anything else during his lifetime. William Lyon Mackenzie King was a Presbyterian but according to numerous reports was a Spiritualist. So God has His way still in the kingdoms of men.
If the Lord tarries in years to come, can it be said of you that you labored and others have entered into your labor?
We need your fellowship in the work in India.
J. C. Bailey, 1975, North Weyburn, Sask.

Published in The Old Paths Archive
(http://www.oldpaths.com)

Chronology and the Cleansing of the Temple by Eric Lyons, M.Min.


http://apologeticspress.org/AllegedDiscrepancies.aspx?article=660&b=Mark


Chronology and the Cleansing of the Temple

by Eric Lyons, M.Min.

One of the most popular alleged Bible discrepancies pertaining to chronology—and one that skeptics are fond of citing in any discussion on the inerrancy of Scripture—is whether or not Jesus cleansed the temple early in His ministry, or near the end. According to Matthew, Mark, and Luke, Jesus cleansed the temple during the final week leading up to His death on the cross (Matthew 21:12-13; Mark 11:15-17; Luke 19:45-46). John, however, places his record of the temple cleansing in chapter 2 of his gospel account, between Jesus’ first miracle (2:1-12) and His conversation with Nicodemus (3:1-21). How should John’s gospel account be understood in light of the other three writers placing the event near the end of Jesus’ ministry? Skeptics question, “Did Jesus enter the temple and drive out the money changers early in His ministry, or near the end?”
Most often, it seems, the explanation heard regarding this difficulty is that there was only one temple cleansing—near the end of Jesus’ life—and John’s placement of this event at an earlier time is the result of his “theological,” rather than “chronological,” approach to writing his account of the life and teachings of Jesus. The problem with this explanation is that, although overall John may have been a little less concerned with chronology than were the other writers, a straightforward reading of the text favors the position that this particular clearing of the temple was not something that occurred near the end of Jesus’ life. The record of Jesus’ first miracle, beginning in John 2:1, begins with the phrase, “On the third day….” This section ends with John writing the words, “After this…” (2:12, Greek meta touto). Following verse 12, John then begins his account of the temple cleansing saying, “Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand…” (2:13). It certainly would appear to be “out of the ordinary” for John to jump ahead nearly three years in the life of Jesus to an event that occurred in Jerusalem during the last week of His life, only then to backtrack to a time prior to “the second sign Jesus did when He had come out of Judea into Galilee” (John 4:54). Admittedly, John would not have erred in writing about the temple cleansing earlier on in his gospel account if the Holy Spirit saw fit to mention the event at that time. (Perhaps this would have been to show from the outset of Jesus’ ministry that He “repudiated what was central to the Temple cults, and further that his death and resurrection were critically important”—Morris, 1995, p. 167.) A better explanation of this alleged contradiction exists, however: There were two temple cleansings.
Why not? Who is to say that Jesus could not have cleansed the temple of money-hungry, hypocritical Jews on two separate occasions—once earlier in His ministry, and again near the end of His life as He entered Jerusalem for the last time? Are we so naïve as to think that the temple could not have been corrupted at two different times during the three years of Jesus’ ministry? Jesus likely visited the temple several times during the last few years of His life on Earth (especially when celebrating the Passover—cf. John 2:13,23; 6:4; 11:55), likely finding inappropriate things going on there more than once. Do churches in the twenty-first century sometimes have problems that recur within a three-year span? Have church leaders ever dealt with these problems in a public manner multiple times and in similar ways? Of course. (“How soon men forget the most solemn reproofs, and return to evil practices”—Barnes, 1956, p. 196.)
What evidence does a person possess, which would lead him to conclude that Jesus cleansed the temple only once? There is none. While Matthew, Mark, and Luke recorded a temple cleansing late in Jesus’ ministry, much evidence exists to indicate that John recorded an earlier clearing of the temple. It is logical to conclude that the extra details recorded in John 2 are not simply supplemental facts (even though the writers of the gospels did supplement each others’ writings fairly frequently). Rather, the different details recorded by John likely are due to the fact that we are dealing with two different temple cleansings. Only John mentioned (1) the oxen and sheep, (2) the whip of cords, (3) the scattering of the money, (4) Jesus’ command, “Take these things away,” and (5) the disciples’ remembrance of Psalm 69:9: “Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up” (2:17). Furthermore, John did not include Jesus’ quotation of Isaiah 56:7, which is found in all three of the other accounts, and stands as a prominent part of their accounts of the temple cleansing.
In view of the major differences in wording, in setting, and in time, as well as the fact that, apart from the work of John the baptizer, nothing in the first five chapters of John’s gospel account is found in Matthew, Mark, or Luke, “we will require more evidence than a facile assumption that the two similar narratives must refer to the same event” (Morris, p. 167). There is no chronological contradiction here.
REFERENCES
Barnes, Albert (1956), Notes on the New Testament—Luke-John (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker).
Morris, Leon (1995), The Gospel According to St. John (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans), revised edition.