From Gary... I AM

If you know who you really are- you are blessed. Blessed, because you have the vision to be able to accurately analyze the real you (and perhaps others as well) and therefore have the opportunity to make the most of your life (and possibly the lives of others as well).  How many people have I known who were in the wrong career, marriage, or lifestyle, just because they didn't have this quality of perception!!!    And, then there is Jesus, the Christ of God...

John, Chapter 8

 25  They [the scribes and the Pharisees- GR] said therefore to him, “Who are you?” 

Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning.   26  I have many things to speak and to judge concerning you. However he who sent me is true; and the things which I heard from him, these I say to the world.” 

  27  They didn’t understand that he spoke to them about the Father.  28 Jesus therefore said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and I do nothing of myself, but as my Father taught me, I say these things.   29  He who sent me is with me. The Father hasn’t left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.” 

  30  As he spoke these things, many believed in him.  31 Jesus therefore said to those Jews who had believed him, “If you remain in my word, then you are truly my disciples.   32  You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” 

  33  They answered him, “We are Abraham’s seed, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How do you say, ‘You will be made free’ ?” 

  34  Jesus answered them, “Most certainly I tell you, everyone who commits sin is the bondservant of sin.   35  A bondservant doesn’t live in the house forever. A son remains forever.   36  If therefore the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.   37  I know that you are Abraham’s seed, yet you seek to kill me, because my word finds no place in you.   38  I say the things which I have seen with my Father; and you also do the things which you have seen with your father.” 

  39  They answered him, “Our father is Abraham.” 

Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham.   40  But now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth, which I heard from God. Abraham didn’t do this.   41  You do the works of your father.” 

They said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father, God.” 

  42  Therefore Jesus said to them, “If God were your father, you would love me, for I came out and have come from God. For I haven’t come of myself, but he sent me.   43  Why don’t you understand my speech? Because you can’t hear my word.   44  You are of your father, the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and doesn’t stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks on his own; for he is a liar, and its father.   45  But because I tell the truth, you don’t believe me.   46  Which of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me?   47  He who is of God hears the words of God. For this cause you don’t hear, because you are not of God.” 

  48  Then the Jews answered him, “Don’t we say well that you are a Samaritan, and have a demon?” 

  49  Jesus answered, “I don’t have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me.   50  But I don’t seek my own glory. There is one who seeks and judges.   51  Most certainly, I tell you, if a person keeps my word, he will never see death.” 

  52  Then the Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets; and you say, ‘If a man keeps my word, he will never taste of death.’   53 Are you greater than our father, Abraham, who died? The prophets died. Who do you make yourself out to be?” 

  54  Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say that he is our God.   55  You have not known him, but I know him. If I said, ‘I don’t know him,’ I would be like you, a liar. But I know him, and keep his word.   56  Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day. He saw it, and was glad.” 

  57  The Jews therefore said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” 

  58  Jesus said to them, “Most certainly, I tell you, before Abraham came into existence, I AM. ” 

  59  Therefore they took up stones to throw at him, but Jesus was hidden, and went out of the temple, having gone through their midst, and so passed by. 

The scribes and Pharisees,ask Jesus: "Who are you"?, but I don't think they REALLY wanted the truth; instead they wanted to hear something like "A faithful Jew" or "A teacher in Israel". Their understanding of the Scriptures would not allow them to envision "God in the flesh" and when confronted with the concept of an eternal being in the "here and now"- it was just too much for them; they wanted to kill this "false prophet".  In reality, they should have listened to what Jesus said and remember the works that HE had done and therefore accepted HIM for who he really was (and still is).  

When you look in the mirror and ask yourself- Who am I, also ask yourself- am I willing to become better?  No matter what you are like now, you just may have the ability to objectively realize your faults (The Bible calls this SIN) and want to overcome them. I wonder, will you on that day, be able to see Jesus for who he really is and change- or are you thinking about looking for some stones....???

From Gary... Bible Reading December 22

Bible Reading   

December 22

The World English Bible

Dec. 22

Micah 5-7

Mic 5:1 Now you shall gather yourself in troops, daughter of troops. He has laid siege against us. They will strike the judge of Israel with a rod on the cheek.

Mic 5:2 But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, being small among the clans of Judah, out of you one will come forth to me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.

Mic 5:3 Therefore he will abandon them until the time that she who is in labor gives birth. Then the rest of his brothers will return to the children of Israel.

Mic 5:4 He shall stand, and shall shepherd in the strength of Yahweh, in the majesty of the name of Yahweh his God: and they will live, for then he will be great to the ends of the earth.

Mic 5:5 He will be our peace when Assyria invades our land, and when he marches through our fortresses, then we will raise against him seven shepherds, and eight leaders of men.

Mic 5:6 They will rule the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in its gates. He will deliver us from the Assyrian, when he invades our land, and when he marches within our border.

Mic 5:7 The remnant of Jacob will be in the midst of many peoples, like dew from Yahweh, like showers on the grass, that don't wait for man, nor wait for the sons of men.

Mic 5:8 The remnant of Jacob will be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the animals of the forest, like a young lion among the flocks of sheep; who, if he goes through, treads down and tears in pieces, and there is no one to deliver.

Mic 5:9 Let your hand be lifted up above your adversaries, and let all of your enemies be cut off.

Mic 5:10 "It will happen in that day," says Yahweh, "That I will cut off your horses out of the midst of you, and will destroy your chariots.

Mic 5:11 I will cut off the cities of your land, and will tear down all your strongholds.

Mic 5:12 I will destroy witchcraft from your hand; and you shall have no soothsayers.

Mic 5:13 I will cut off your engraved images and your pillars out of your midst; and you shall no more worship the work of your hands.

Mic 5:14 I will uproot your Asherim out of your midst; and I will destroy your cities.

Mic 5:15 I will execute vengeance in anger, and wrath on the nations that didn't listen."

Mic 6:1 Listen now to what Yahweh says: "Arise, plead your case before the mountains, and let the hills hear what you have to say.

Mic 6:2 Hear, you mountains, Yahweh's controversy, and you enduring foundations of the earth; for Yahweh has a controversy with his people, and he will contend with Israel.

Mic 6:3 My people, what have I done to you? How have I burdened you? Answer me!

Mic 6:4 For I brought you up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage. I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.

Mic 6:5 My people, remember now what Balak king of Moab devised, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the righteous acts of Yahweh."

Mic 6:6 How shall I come before Yahweh, and bow myself before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?

Mic 6:7 Will Yahweh be pleased with thousands of rams? With tens of thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my disobedience? The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

Mic 6:8 He has shown you, O man, what is good. What does Yahweh require of you, but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?

Mic 6:9 Yahweh's voice calls to the city, and wisdom sees your name: "Listen to the rod, and he who appointed it.

Mic 6:10 Are there yet treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and a short ephah that is accursed?

Mic 6:11 Shall I be pure with dishonest scales, and with a bag of deceitful weights?

Mic 6:12 Her rich men are full of violence, her inhabitants speak lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their speech.

Mic 6:13 Therefore I also have struck you with a grievous wound. I have made you desolate because of your sins.

Mic 6:14 You shall eat, but not be satisfied. Your humiliation will be in your midst. You will store up, but not save; and that which you save I will give up to the sword.

Mic 6:15 You will sow, but won't reap. You will tread the olives, but won't anoint yourself with oil; and crush grapes, but won't drink the wine.

Mic 6:16 For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab. You walk in their counsels, that I may make you a ruin, and her inhabitants a hissing; And you will bear the reproach of my people."

Mic 7:1 Misery is mine! Indeed, I am like one who gathers the summer fruits, as gleanings of the vineyard: There is no cluster of grapes to eat. My soul desires to eat the early fig.

Mic 7:2 The godly man has perished out of the earth, and there is no one upright among men. They all lie in wait for blood; every man hunts his brother with a net.

Mic 7:3 Their hands are on that which is evil to do it diligently. The ruler and judge ask for a bribe; and the powerful man dictates the evil desire of his soul. Thus they conspire together.

Mic 7:4 The best of them is like a brier. The most upright is worse than a thorn hedge. The day of your watchmen, even your visitation, has come; now is the time of their confusion.

Mic 7:5 Don't trust in a neighbor. Don't put confidence in a friend. With the woman lying in your embrace, be careful of the words of your mouth!

Mic 7:6 For the son dishonors the father, the daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man's enemies are the men of his own house.

Mic 7:7 But as for me, I will look to Yahweh. I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.

Mic 7:8 Don't rejoice against me, my enemy. When I fall, I will arise. When I sit in darkness, Yahweh will be a light to me.

Mic 7:9 I will bear the indignation of Yahweh, because I have sinned against him, until he pleads my case, and executes judgment for me. He will bring me forth to the light. I will see his righteousness.

Mic 7:10 Then my enemy will see it, and shame will cover her who said to me, where is Yahweh your God? Then my enemy will see me and will cover her shame. Now she will be trodden down like the mire of the streets.

Mic 7:11 A day to build your walls-- In that day, he will extend your boundary.

Mic 7:12 In that day they will come to you from Assyria and the cities of Egypt, and from Egypt even to the River, and from sea to sea, and mountain to mountain.

Mic 7:13 Yet the land will be desolate because of those who dwell therein, for the fruit of their doings.

Mic 7:14 Shepherd your people with your staff, the flock of your heritage, who dwell by themselves in a forest, in the midst of fertile pasture land, let them feed; in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old.

Mic 7:15 "As in the days of your coming forth out of the land of Egypt, I will show them marvelous things."

Mic 7:16 The nations will see and be ashamed of all their might. They will lay their hand on their mouth. Their ears will be deaf.

Mic 7:17 They will lick the dust like a serpent. Like crawling things of the earth they shall come trembling out of their dens. They will come with fear to Yahweh our God, and will be afraid because of you.

Mic 7:18 Who is a God like you, who pardons iniquity, and passes over the disobedience of the remnant of his heritage? He doesn't retain his anger forever, because he delights in loving kindness.

Mic 7:19 He will again have compassion on us. He will tread our iniquities under foot; and you will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.

Mic 7:20 You will give truth to Jacob, and mercy to Abraham, as you have sworn to our fathers from the days of old.

 

Dec. 22

Revelation 5, 6

Rev 5:1 I saw, in the right hand of him who sat on the throne, a book written inside and outside, sealed shut with seven seals.

Rev 5:2 I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the book, and to break its seals?"

Rev 5:3 No one in heaven above, or on the earth, or under the earth, was able to open the book, or to look in it.

Rev 5:4 And I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open the book, or to look in it.

Rev 5:5 One of the elders said to me, "Don't weep. Behold, the Lion who is of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome; he who opens the book and its seven seals."

Rev 5:6 I saw in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, having seven horns, and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth.

Rev 5:7 Then he came, and he took it out of the right hand of him who sat on the throne.

Rev 5:8 Now when he had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

Rev 5:9 They sang a new song, saying, "You are worthy to take the book, and to open its seals: for you were killed, and bought us for God with your blood, out of every tribe, language, people, and nation,

Rev 5:10 and made us kings and priests to our God, and we will reign on earth."

Rev 5:11 I saw, and I heard something like a voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousands of ten thousands, and thousands of thousands;

Rev 5:12 saying with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb who has been killed to receive the power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and blessing!"

Rev 5:13 I heard every created thing which is in heaven, on the earth, under the earth, on the sea, and everything in them, saying, "To him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb be the blessing, the honor, the glory, and the dominion, forever and ever! Amen!"

Rev 5:14 The four living creatures said, "Amen!" The elders fell down and worshiped.

Rev 6:1 I saw that the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying, as with a voice of thunder, "Come and see!"

Rev 6:2 And behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow. A crown was given to him, and he came forth conquering, and to conquer.

Rev 6:3 When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, "Come!"

Rev 6:4 Another came forth, a red horse. To him who sat on it was given power to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another. There was given to him a great sword.

Rev 6:5 When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, "Come and see!" And behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a balance in his hand.

Rev 6:6 I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, "A choenix of wheat for a denarius, and three choenix of barley for a denarius! Don't damage the oil and the wine!"

Rev 6:7 When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the fourth living creature saying, "Come and see!"

Rev 6:8 And behold, a pale horse, and he who sat on it, his name was Death. Hades followed with him. Authority over one fourth of the earth, to kill with the sword, with famine, with death, and by the wild animals of the earth was given to him.

Rev 6:9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been killed for the Word of God, and for the testimony of the Lamb which they had.

Rev 6:10 They cried with a loud voice, saying, "How long, Master, the holy and true, until you judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?"

Rev 6:11 A long white robe was given to each of them. They were told that they should rest yet for a while, until their fellow servants and their brothers, who would also be killed even as they were, should complete their course.

Rev 6:12 I saw when he opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake. The sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became as blood.

Rev 6:13 The stars of the sky fell to the earth, like a fig tree dropping its unripe figs when it is shaken by a great wind.

Rev 6:14 The sky was removed like a scroll when it is rolled up. Every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

Rev 6:15 The kings of the earth, the princes, the commanding officers, the rich, the strong, and every slave and free person, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains.

Rev 6:16 They told the mountains and the rocks, "Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb,

Rev 6:17 for the great day of his wrath has come; and who is able to stand?"