July 5, 2013

From Gary... Bible Reading and Study, July 5


Bible Reading and Study, July 5

July 5
2 Kings 1-3

2Ki 1:1 Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab.
2Ki 1:2 Ahaziah fell down through the lattice in his upper chamber that was in Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said to them, Go, inquire of Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover of this sickness.
2Ki 1:3 But the angel of Yahweh said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and tell them, Is it because there is no God in Israel, that you go to inquire of Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron?
2Ki 1:4 Now therefore thus says Yahweh, You shall not come down from the bed where you have gone up, but shall surely die. Elijah departed.
2Ki 1:5 The messengers returned to him, and he said to them, Why is it that you have returned?
2Ki 1:6 They said to him, There came up a man to meet us, and said to us, Go, turn again to the king who sent you, and tell him, Thus says Yahweh, Is it because there is no God in Israel, that you send to inquire of Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron? therefore you shall not come down from the bed where you are gone up, but shall surely die.
2Ki 1:7 He said to them, What kind of man was he who came up to meet you, and told you these words?
2Ki 1:8 They answered him, He was a hairy man, and girt with a belt of leather about his waist. He said, It is Elijah the Tishbite.
2Ki 1:9 Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty. He went up to him: and behold, he was sitting on the top of the hill. He spoke to him, man of God, the king has said, Come down.
2Ki 1:10 Elijah answered to the captain of fifty, If I be a man of God, let fire come down from the sky, and consume you and your fifty. Fire came down from the sky, and consumed him and his fifty.
2Ki 1:11 Again he sent to him another captain of fifty and his fifty. He answered him, man of God, thus has the king said, Come down quickly.
2Ki 1:12 Elijah answered them, If I be a man of God, let fire come down from the sky, and consume you and your fifty. The fire of God came down from the sky, and consumed him and his fifty.
2Ki 1:13 Again he sent the captain of a third fifty with his fifty. The third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and begged him, and said to him, man of God, please let my life, and the life of these fifty your servants, be precious in your sight.
2Ki 1:14 Behold, fire came down from the sky, and consumed the two former captains of fifty with their fifties; but now let my life be precious in your sight.
2Ki 1:15 The angel of Yahweh said to Elijah, Go down with him: don't be afraid of him. He arose, and went down with him to the king.
2Ki 1:16 He said to him, Thus says Yahweh, Because you have sent messengers to inquire of Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron, is it because there is no God in Israel to inquire of his word? therefore you shall not come down from the bed where you have gone up, but shall surely die.
2Ki 1:17 So he died according to the word of Yahweh which Elijah had spoken. Jehoram began to reign in his place in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah; because he had no son.
2Ki 1:18 Now the rest of the acts of Ahaziah which he did, aren't they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
2Ki 2:1 It happened, when Yahweh would take up Elijah by a whirlwind into heaven, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.
2Ki 2:2 Elijah said to Elisha, Please wait here, for Yahweh has sent me as far as Bethel. Elisha said, As Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you. So they went down to Bethel.
2Ki 2:3 The sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came forth to Elisha, and said to him, "Do you know that Yahweh will take away your master from your head today?" He said, "Yes, I know it; hold your peace."
2Ki 2:4 Elijah said to him, Elisha, please wait here, for Yahweh has sent me to Jericho. He said, As Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you. So they came to Jericho.
2Ki 2:5 The sons of the prophets who were at Jericho came near to Elisha, and said to him, "Do you know that Yahweh will take away your master from your head today?" He answered, "Yes, I know it. Hold your peace."
2Ki 2:6 Elijah said to him, "Please wait here, for Yahweh has sent me to the Jordan." He said, "As Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you." They two went on.
2Ki 2:7 Fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood over against them afar off: and they two stood by the Jordan.
2Ki 2:8 Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and struck the waters, and they were divided here and there, so that they two went over on dry ground.
2Ki 2:9 It happened, when they had gone over, that Elijah said to Elisha, Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you. Elisha said, please let a double portion of your spirit be on me.
2Ki 2:10 He said, "You have asked a hard thing. If you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so."
2Ki 2:11 It happened, as they still went on, and talked, that behold, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
2Ki 2:12 Elisha saw it, and he cried, "My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!" He saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and tore them in two pieces.
2Ki 2:13 He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of the Jordan.
2Ki 2:14 He took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and struck the waters, and said, "Where is Yahweh, the God of Elijah?" When he also had struck the waters, they were divided here and there; and Elisha went over.
2Ki 2:15 When the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho over against him saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah does rest on Elisha. They came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him.
2Ki 2:16 They said to him, See now, there are with your servants fifty strong men; let them go, please, and seek your master, lest the Spirit of Yahweh has taken him up, and cast him on some mountain, or into some valley. He said, You shall not send.
2Ki 2:17 When they urged him until he was ashamed, he said, Send. They sent therefore fifty men; and they sought three days, but didn't find him.
2Ki 2:18 They came back to him, while he stayed at Jericho; and he said to them, "Didn't I tell you, 'Don't go?' "
2Ki 2:19 The men of the city said to Elisha, Behold, we pray you, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees: but the water is bad, and the land miscarries.
2Ki 2:20 He said, Bring me a new jar, and put salt therein. They brought it to him.
2Ki 2:21 He went forth to the spring of the waters, and cast salt therein, and said, Thus says Yahweh, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from there any more death or miscarrying.
2Ki 2:22 So the waters were healed to this day, according to the word of Elisha which he spoke.
2Ki 2:23 He went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up by the way, some youths came out of the city and mocked him, and said to him, Go up, you baldy; go up, you baldhead.
2Ki 2:24 He looked behind him and saw them, and cursed them in the name of Yahweh. Two female bears came out of the woods, and mauled forty-two of those youths.
2Ki 2:25 He went from there to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.
2Ki 3:1 Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years.
2Ki 3:2 He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, but not like his father, and like his mother; for he put away the pillar of Baal that his father had made.
2Ki 3:3 Nevertheless he cleaved to the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin; he didn't depart from it.
2Ki 3:4 Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep breeder; and he rendered to the king of Israel the wool of one hundred thousand lambs, and of one hundred thousand rams.
2Ki 3:5 But it happened, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.
2Ki 3:6 King Jehoram went out of Samaria at that time, and mustered all Israel.
2Ki 3:7 He went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, The king of Moab has rebelled against me: will you go with me against Moab to battle? He said, I will go up: I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.
2Ki 3:8 He said, Which way shall we go up? He answered, The way of the wilderness of Edom.
2Ki 3:9 So the king of Israel went, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom; and they made a circuit of seven days' journey: and there was no water for the army, nor for the animals that followed them.
2Ki 3:10 The king of Israel said, Alas! for Yahweh has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab.
2Ki 3:11 But Jehoshaphat said, Isn't there here a prophet of Yahweh, that we may inquire of Yahweh by him? One of the king of Israel's servants answered, Elisha the son of Shaphat is here, who poured water on the hands of Elijah.
2Ki 3:12 Jehoshaphat said, The word of Yahweh is with him. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.
2Ki 3:13 Elisha said to the king of Israel, "What have I to do with you? Go to the prophets of your father, and to the prophets of your mother." The king of Israel said to him, "No; for Yahweh has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab."
2Ki 3:14 Elisha said, "As Yahweh of Armies lives, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward you, nor see you.
2Ki 3:15 But now bring me a minstrel." It happened, when the minstrel played, that the hand of Yahweh came on him.
2Ki 3:16 He said, Thus says Yahweh, Make this valley full of trenches.
2Ki 3:17 For thus says Yahweh, You shall not see wind, neither shall you see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, and you shall drink, both you and your livestock and your animals.
2Ki 3:18 This is but a light thing in the sight of Yahweh: he will also deliver the Moabites into your hand.
2Ki 3:19 You shall strike every fortified city, and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree, and stop all springs of water, and mar every good piece of land with stones.
2Ki 3:20 It happened in the morning, about the time of offering the offering, that behold, there came water by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water.
2Ki 3:21 Now when all the Moabites heard that the kings had come up to fight against them, they gathered themselves together, all who were able to put on armor, and upward, and stood on the border.
2Ki 3:22 They rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone on the water, and the Moabites saw the water over against them as red as blood:
2Ki 3:23 and they said, This is blood; the kings are surely destroyed, and they have struck each man his fellow: now therefore, Moab, to the spoil.
2Ki 3:24 When they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and struck the Moabites, so that they fled before them; and they went forward into the land smiting the Moabites.
2Ki 3:25 They beat down the cities; and on every good piece of land they cast every man his stone, and filled it; and they stopped all the springs of water, and felled all the good trees, until in Kir Hareseth only they left its stones; however the men armed with slings went about it, and struck it.
2Ki 3:26 When the king of Moab saw that the battle was too severe for him, he took with him seven hundred men who drew sword, to break through to the king of Edom; but they could not.
2Ki 3:27 Then he took his eldest son who would have reigned in his place, and offered him for a burnt offering on the wall. There was great wrath against Israel: and they departed from him, and returned to their own land.


The Composite Bible
The World English Bible
Darby's Translation
Young's Literal Translation

The Composite Bible is a effort to understand the Bible by considering it from different perspectives and different levels of literalcy. First, read the World English Bible (the least literal-black text) for comprehension of the text. Next, read both the World English Bible with the Darby Translation (more literal-blue text)to make comparisons and lastly, read all three versions (Young's is the most literal translation- red text) at one time to obtain an overview of the text. Doing this will make you think about what the Scriptures are actually saying and avoid reading in a superficial manner.
2 Kings
2 Kings 1 1
Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab.
And Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab.
And Moab transgresseth against Israel after the death of Ahab,
2 Kings 1 2
Ahaziah fell down through the lattice in his upper chamber that was in Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said to them, Go, inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover of this sickness.
And Ahaziah fell down through the lattice in his upper chamber which was in Samaria, and was sick; and he sent messengers and said to them, Go,  inquire of Baal-zebub the god
of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this disease.
and Ahaziah falleth through the lattice in his upper chamber that [is] in Samaria, and is sick, and sendeth messengers, and saith unto them, `Go ye, inquire of Baal-Zebub god of Ekron if I recover from this sickness.`
2 Kings 1 3
But the angel of Yahweh said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and tell them, Is it because there is no God in Israel, that you go to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?
And the angel of Jehovah said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say to them, Is it because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron?
And a messenger of Jehovah hath spoken unto Elijah the Tishbite, `Rise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and speak unto them, Is it because there is not a God in Israel -- ye are going to inquire of Baal Zebub god of Ekron?
2 Kings 1 4
Now therefore thus says Yahweh, You shall not come down from the bed where you are gone up,
but shall surely die. Elijah departed.
Now therefore thus saith Jehovah: Thou shalt not come down from the bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt certainly die. And Elijah departed.
and therefore, thus said Jehovah, The bed whither thou hast gone up, thou dost not come down from it, for thou dost certainly die;` and Elijah goeth on.
2 Kings 1 5
The messengers returned to him, and he said to them, Why is it that you have returned?
And the messengers returned to him; and he said to them, Why have ye returned?
And the messengers turn back unto him, and he saith unto them, `What [is] this --ye have turned back!`
2 Kings 1 6
They said to him, There came up a man to meet us, and said to us, Go, turn again to the king who
sent you, and tell him, Thus says Yahweh, Is it because there is no God in Israel, that you send to
inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? therefore you shall not come down from the bed where you are gone up, but shall surely die.
And they said unto him, A man came up to meet us, and said to us, Go, return to the king that sent you and say to him, Thus saith Jehovah: Is it because there is not a God in Israel, that thou sendest to inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron? therefore thou shalt not come down from the bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt certainly die.
And they say unto him, `A man hath come up to meet us, and saith unto us, Go, turn back unto the king who sent you, and ye have said unto him, Thus said Jehovah, Is it because there is not a God in Israel -- thou art sending to inquire of Baal-Zebub
god of Ekron? therefore, the bed whither thou hast gone up, thou dost not come down from it, for thou dost certainly die.`
2 Kings 1 7
He said to them, What manner of man was he who came up to meet you, and told you these words?
And he said to them, What manner of man was he that came up to meet you, and told you these words?
And he saith unto them, `What [is] the fashion of the man who hath come up to meet you, and speaketh unto you these words?`
2 Kings 1 8
They answered him, He was a hairy man, and girt with a belt of leather about his loins. He said, It is Elijah the Tishbite.
And they said to him, He was a man in a hairy [garment], and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite.
And they say unto him, `A man -- hairy, and a girdle of skin girt about his loins;` and he saith, `He [is] Elijah the Tishbite.`
2 Kings 1 9
Then [the king] sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty. He went up to him: and, behold, he was sitting on the top of the hill. He spoke to him, man of God, the king has said, Come down.
And he sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him, and behold, he sat on the top of the mount. And he spoke to him: Man of God, the king says, Come down!
And he sendeth unto him a head of fifty and his fifty, and he goeth up unto him (and lo, he is sitting on the top of the hill), and he speaketh unto him, `O man of God, the king hath spoken, Come down.`
2 Kings 1 10
Elijah answered to the captain of fifty, If I be a man of God, let fire come down from the sky, and consume you and your fifty. Fire came down from the sky, and consumed him and his fifty.
And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, And if I be a man of God, let fire come down from the heavens and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came down fire from the heavens, and consumed him and his fifty.
And Elijah answereth and speaketh unto the head of the fifty, `And if I [am] a man of God, fire doth come down from the heavens, and consume thee and thy fifty;` and fire cometh down from the heavens, and consumeth him and his fifty.
2 Kings 1 11
Again he sent to him another captain of fifty and his fifty. He answered him, man of God, thus has the king said, Come down quickly.
And again he sent to him another captain of fifty with his fifty. And he spoke and said to him, Man of God, thus says the king: Come down quickly!
And he turneth and sendeth unto him another head of fifty and his fifty, and he answereth and speaketh unto him, `O man of God, thus said the king, Haste, come down.`
2 Kings 1 12
Elijah answered them, If I be a man of God, let fire come down from the sky, and consume you and your fifty. The fire of God came down from the sky, and consumed him and his fifty.
And Elijah answered and said to them, If I be a man of God, let fire come down from the heavens and consume thee and thy fifty. And the fire of God came down from the heavens, and consumed him and his fifty.
And Elijah answereth and speaketh unto them, `If I [am] a man of God, fire doth come down from the heavens, and consume thee and thy fifty;` and fire of God cometh down from the heavens, and consumeth him and his fifty.
2 Kings 1 13
Again he sent the captain of a third fifty with his fifty. The third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and begged him, and said to him, man of God, please let my life, and the life of these fifty your servants, be precious in your sight.
And again he sent the captain of a third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and  besought him and said to him, Man of God, I pray thee, let my life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, be precious in thy sight.
And he turneth and sendeth a third head of fifty and his fifty, and the third head of fifty goeth up, and cometh in, and boweth on his knees over-against Elijah, and maketh supplication unto him, and speaketh unto him, `O man of God, let be
precious, I pray thee, my soul and the soul of thy servants -- these fifty -- in thine eyes.
2 Kings 1 14
Behold, fire came down from the sky, and consumed the two former captains of fifty with their fifties; but now let my life be precious in your sight.
Behold, there came down fire from the heavens, and consumed the two captains of the former fifties with their fifties; but now, let my life be precious in thy sight.
Lo, come down hath fire from the heavens, and consumeth the two heads of the former fifties and their fifties; and, now, let my soul be precious in thine eyes.`
2 Kings 1 15
The angel of Yahweh said to Elijah, Go down with him: don`t be afraid of him. He arose, and went down with him to the king.
And the angel of Jehovah said to Elijah, Go down with him: be not afraid of him. And he arose, and went down with him to the king.
And a messenger of Jehovah speaketh unto Elijah, `Go down with him, be not afraid of him;` and he riseth and goeth down with him unto the king,
2 Kings 1 16
He said to him, Thus says Yahweh, Because you have sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub,
the god of Ekron, is it because there is no God in Israel to inquire of his word? therefore you shall not come down from the bed where you are gone up, but shall surely die.
And he said to him, Thus saith Jehovah: Forasmuch as thou hast sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron, is it because there is no God in Israel to inquire of his word? therefore thou shalt not come down from the bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt certainly die.
and speaketh unto him, `Thus said Jehovah, Because that thou hast sent messengers to inquire of Baal-Zebub god of Ekron -- is it because there is not a God in Israel to inquire of His word? therefore, the bed whither thou hast gone up
-- thou dost not come down from it, for thou dost certainly die.`
2 Kings 1 17
So he died according to the word of Yahweh which Elijah had spoken. Jehoram began to reign in his place in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah; because he had no
son.
And he died according to the word of Jehovah that Elijah had spoken. And Jehoram began to reign in his stead, in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah; for he had no son.
And he dieth, according to the word of Jehovah that Elijah spake, and Jehoram reigneth in his stead, in the second year of Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, for he had no son.
2 Kings 1 18
Now the rest of the acts of Ahaziah which he did, aren`t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
And the rest of the acts of Ahaziah, what he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
And the rest of the matters of Ahaziah that he did, are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel?
2 Kings 2 1
It happened, when Yahweh would take up Elijah by a whirlwind into heaven, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.
And it came to pass when Jehovah would take up Elijah into the heavens by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.
And it cometh to pass, at Jehovah`s taking up Elijah in a whirlwind to the heavens, that Elijah goeth, and Elisha, from Gilgal,
2 Kings 2 2
Elijah said to Elisha, Please wait here, for Yahweh has sent me as far as Bethel. Elisha said, As Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you. So they went down to Bethel.
And Elijah said to Elisha, Abide here, I pray thee; for Jehovah has sent me to Bethel. And Elisha said, As Jehovah liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee! So they went down to Bethel.
and Elijah saith unto Elisha, `Abide, I pray thee, here, for Jehovah hath sent me unto Beth-El;` and Elisha saith, `Jehovah liveth, and thy soul liveth, if I leave thee;` and they go down to Beth-El.
2 Kings 2 3
The sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came forth to Elisha, and said to him, "Do you know that Yahweh will take away your master from your head today?" He said, "Yes, I know it; hold your peace."
And the sons of the prophets that were at Bethel came forth to Elisha, and said to him, Dost thou know that Jehovah will take away thy master from over thy head to-day? And he said, I also know it: be silent!
And sons of the prophets who [are] in Beth-El come out unto Elisha, and say unto him, `Hast thou known that to-day Jehovah is taking thy lord from thy head?` and he saith, `I also have known -- keep silent.`
2 Kings 2 4
Elijah said to him, Elisha, please wait here, for Yahweh has sent me to Jericho. He said, As Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you. So they came to Jericho.
And Elijah said to him, Elisha, abide here, I pray thee; for Jehovah has sent me to Jericho. And he said, As Jehovah liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee! And they came to Jericho.
And Elijah saith to him, `Elisha, abide, I pray thee, here, for Jehovah hath sent me to Jericho;` and he saith, `Jehovah liveth, and thy soul liveth, if I leave thee;` and they come in to Jericho.
2 Kings 2 5
The sons of the prophets who were at Jericho came near to Elisha, and said to him, "Do you know that Yahweh will take away your master from your head today?" He answered, "Yes, I know it. Hold your peace."
And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho drew near to Elisha and said to him, Dost thou know that Jehovah will take away thy master from over thy head to-day? And he said, I also know it: be silent!
And sons of the prophets who [are] in Jericho come nigh unto Elisha, and say unto him, `Hast thou known that to-day Jehovah is taking thy lord from thy head?` and he saith, `I also have known -- keep silent.`
2 Kings 2 6
Elijah said to him, "Please wait here, for Yahweh has sent me to the Jordan." He said, "As Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you." They two went on.
And Elijah said to him, Abide here, I pray thee; for Jehovah has sent me to the Jordan. And he said, As Jehovah liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee! And they two went on.
And Elijah saith to him, `Abide, I pray thee, here, for Jehovah hath sent me to the Jordan;` and he saith, `Jehovah liveth, and thy soul liveth, if I leave thee;` and they go on both of them,
2 Kings 2 7
Fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood over against them afar off: and they two
stood by the Jordan.
And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood opposite afar off; and they two stood by the Jordan.
-- and fifty men of the sons of the prophets have gone on, and stand over-against afar off -- and both of them have stood by the Jordan.
2 Kings 2 8
Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and struck the waters, and they were divided
here and there, so that they two went over on dry ground.
And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither; and they two went over on dry ground.
And Elijah taketh his robe, and wrappeth [it] together, and smiteth the waters, and they are halved, hither and thither, and they pass over both of them on dry land.
2 Kings 2 9
It happened, when they had gone over, that Elijah said to Elisha, Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you. Elisha said, please let a double portion of your spirit be on me.
And it came to pass when they had gone over, that Elijah said to Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I am taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.
And it cometh to pass, at their passing over, that Elijah hath said unto Elisha, `Ask, what do I do for thee before I am taken from thee?` and Elisha saith, `Then let there be, I pray thee, a double portion of thy spirit unto me;`
2 Kings 2 10
He said, You have asked a hard thing:  [nevertheless], if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so to you; but if not, it shall not be  so.
And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so to thee; but if not, it shall not be [so].
and he saith, `Thou hast asked a hard thing; if thou dost see me taken from thee, it is to thee so; and if not, it is not.`
2 Kings 2 11
It happened, as they still went on, and talked, that behold, [there appeared] a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, which parted them both apart; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
And it came to pass as they went on, and talked, that behold, a chariot of fire and horses of fire; and they parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into the heavens.
And it cometh to pass, they are going, going on and speaking, and lo, a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and they separate between them both, and Elijah goeth up in a whirlwind, to the heavens.
2 Kings 2 12
Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and the horsemen of it! He
saw him no more: and he took hold of his own  clothes, and tore them in two pieces.
And Elisha saw [it], and he cried, My father, my father! the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof! And he saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own garments and rent them in two pieces.
And Elisha is seeing, and he is crying, `My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and its horsemen;` and he hath not seen him again; and he taketh hold on his garments, and rendeth them into two pieces.
2 Kings 2 13
He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of the Jordan.
And he took up the mantle of Elijah which fell from him, and went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan;
And he taketh up the robe of Elijah, that fell from off him, and turneth back and standeth on the edge of the Jordan,
2 Kings 2 14
He took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and struck the waters, and said, Where is Yahweh, the God of Elijah? and when he also had struck the  waters, they were divided here and there; and Elisha went over.
and he took the mantle of Elijah which had fallen from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is Jehovah, the God of Elijah? He also smote the  waters, and they parted hither and thither, and Elisha went over.
and he taketh the robe of Elijah that fell from off him, and smiteth the waters, and saith, `Where [is] Jehovah, God of Elijah -- even He?` and he smiteth the waters, and they are halved, hither and thither, and Elisha passeth over.
2 Kings 2 15
When the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho over against him saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah does rest on Elisha. They came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him.
And the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho on the opposite side saw him, and they said, The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him,
And they see him -- the sons of the prophets who [are] in Jericho -- over-against, and they say, `Rested hath the spirit of Elijah on Elisha;` and they come to meet him, and bow themselves to him to the earth,
2 Kings 2 16
They said to him, See now, there are with your servants fifty strong men; let them go, we pray
you, and seek your master, lest the Spirit of  Yahweh has taken him up, and cast him on some
mountain, or into some valley. He said, You shall not send.
and said to him, Behold now, there are with thy servants fifty valiant men; let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy master, lest perhaps the Spirit of Jehovah have taken him up, and cast him upon some mountain, or into some ravine. And he said, Ye shall not send.
and say unto him, `Lo, we pray thee, there are with thy servants fifty men, sons of valour: let them go, we pray thee, and they seek thy lord, lest the Spirit of Jehovah hath taken him up, and doth cast him on one of the hills, or into one of the valleys;` and he saith, `Ye do not send.`
2 Kings 2 17
When they urged him until he was ashamed, he said, Send. They sent therefore fifty men; and
they sought three days, but didn`t find him.
And they pressed him till he was ashamed, and he said, Send. They sent therefore fifty men, and they sought three days, but did not find him.
And they press upon him, till he is ashamed, and he saith, `Send ye;` and they send fifty men, and they seek three days, and have not found him;
2 Kings 2 18
They came back to him, while he stayed at Jericho; and he said to them, "Didn`t I tell you, `Don`t go?`"
And they came again to him (now he was staying at Jericho); and he said to them, Did I not say to you, Go not?
and they turn back unto him -- and he is abiding in Jericho -- and he saith unto them, `Did I not say unto you, Do not go?`
2 Kings 2 19
The men of the city said to Elisha, Behold, we pray you, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees: but the water is bad, and the land miscarries.
And the men of the city said to Elisha, Behold now, the situation of the city is good, as my lord sees; but the water is bad, and the land is barren.
And the men of the city say unto Elisha, `Lo, we pray thee, the site of the city [is] good, as my lord seeth, and the waters [are] bad, and the earth sterile.`
2 Kings 2 20
He said, Bring me a new jar, and put salt therein. They brought it to him.
And he said, Bring me a new cruse, and put salt in it. And they brought it to him.
And he saith, `Bring to me a new dish, and place there salt;` and they bring [it] unto him,
2 Kings 2 21
He went forth to the spring of the waters, and cast salt therein, and said, Thus says Yahweh, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from there any more death or miscarrying.
And he went forth to the source of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith Jehovah: I have healed these waters: there shall not be from thence any more death or barrenness.
and he goeth out unto the source of the waters, and casteth there salt, and saith, `Thus said Jehovah, I have given healing to these waters; there is not thence any more death and sterility.`
2 Kings 2 22
So the waters were healed to this day, according to the word of Elisha which he spoke.
And the waters were healed to this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spoke.
And the waters are healed unto this day, according to the word of Elisha, that he spake.
2 Kings 2 23
He went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up by the way, there came forth young lads
out of the city, and mocked him, and said to him, Go up, you baldy; go up, you baldhead.
And he went up from thence to Bethel, and as he went up by the way, there came forth little boys out of the city, and mocked him, and said to him, Go up, bald head; go up, bald head!
And he goeth up thence to Beth-El, and he is going up in the way, and little youths have come out from the city, and scoff at him, and say to him, `Go up, bald-head! go up, bald-head!`
2 Kings 2 24
He looked behind him and saw them, and cursed them in the name of Yahweh. There came forth
two she-bears out of the wood, and mauled forty-two lads of them.
And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of Jehovah. And there came forth two she-bears out of the wood, and tore forty-two children of them.
And he looketh behind him, and seeth them, and declareth them vile in the name of Jehovah, and two bears come out of the forest, and rend of them forty and two lads.
2 Kings 2 25
He went from there to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.
And he went from thence to mount Carmel, and from thence he returned to Samaria.
And he goeth thence unto the hill of Carmel, and thence he hath turned back to Samaria.
2 Kings 3 1
Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year  of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years.
And Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah; and he reigned twelve years.
And Jehoram son of Ahab hath reigned over Israel, in Samaria, in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigneth twelve years,
2 Kings 3 2
He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, but not like his father, and like his mother; for he put away the pillar of Baal that his father had  made.
And he wrought evil in the sight of Jehovah, but not like his father, and like his mother; and he took away the column of Baal that his father had made.
and doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, only not like his father, and like his mother, and he turneth aside the standing-pillar of Baal that his father made;
2 Kings 3 3
Nevertheless he cleaved to the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin; he didn`t depart therefrom.
Only, he clave to the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat who made Israel to sin: he did not depart therefrom.
only to the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat that he caused Israel to sin he hath cleaved, he hath not turned aside from it.
2 Kings 3 4
Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep-master; and he rendered to the king of Israel the wool of one hundred thousand lambs, and of one hundred thousand rams.
And Mesha king of Moab was a sheepmaster, and rendered to the king of Israel a hundred thousand lambs and a hundred thousand rams, with the  wool.
And Mesha king of Moab was a sheep-master, and he rendered to the king of Israel a hundred thousand lambs, and a hundred thousand rams, [with] wool,
2 Kings 3 5
But it happened, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.
And it came to pass when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.
and it cometh to pass at the death of Ahab, that the king of Moab transgresseth against the king of Israel.
2 Kings 3 6
King Jehoram went out of Samaria at that time, and mustered all Israel.
And at that time king Jehoram went out of Samaria and inspected all Israel.
And king Jehoram goeth out in that day from Samaria, and inspecteth all Israel, 
2 Kings 3 7
He went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, The king of Moab has rebelled against me: will you go with me against Moab to battle? He  said, I will go up: I am as you are, my people
as your people, my horses as your horses.
And he went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah saying, The king of Moab has rebelled against me: wilt thou go with me against Moab to battle? And he said, I will go up: I am as thou, my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses.
and goeth and sendeth unto Jehoshaphat king of Judah, saying, `The king of Moab hath transgressed against me; dost thou go with me unto Moab for battle?` and he saith, `I go up, as I, so thou; as my people, so thy people; as my horses, so thy horses.
2 Kings 3 8
He said, Which way shall we go up? He answered, The way of the wilderness of Edom.
And he said, Which way shall we go up? And he said, By way of the wilderness of Edom.
And he saith, `Where [is] this -- the way we go up?` and he saith, `The way of the wilderness of Edom.`
2 Kings 3 9
So the king of Israel went, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom; and they made a circuit
of seven days` journey: and there was no water for the host, nor for the animals that followed them.
And the king of Israel went, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom, and they made a circuit of seven days` journey. And there was no water for the army, and for the cattle that followed them.
And the king of Israel goeth, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom, and they turn round the way seven days, and there hath been no water for the  camp, and for the cattle that [are] at their feet,
2 Kings 3 10
The king of Israel said, Alas! for Yahweh has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab.
And the king of Israel said, Alas! that Jehovah has called these three kings together, to give them into the hand of Moab!
and the king of Israel saith, `Alas, for Jehovah hath called for these three kings, to give them into the hand of Moab.`
2 Kings 3 11
But Jehoshaphat said, Isn`t there here a prophet of Yahweh, that we may inquire of Yahweh by him? One of the king of Israel`s servants answered, Elisha the son of Shaphat is here, who poured water on the hands of Elijah.
And Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of Jehovah that we may inquire of Jehovah by him? And one of the king of Israel`s servants answered and said, Here is Elisha the son of Shaphat, who poured water on the hands of Elijah.
And Jehoshaphat saith, `Is there not here a prophet of Jehovah, and we seek Jehovah by him?` And one of the servants of the king of Israel answereth and saith, `Here [is] Elisha son of Shaphat, who poured water on the hands of Elijah.`
2 Kings 3 12
Jehoshaphat said, The word of Yahweh is with him. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.
And Jehoshaphat said, The word of Jehovah is with him. And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.
And Jehoshaphat saith, `The word of Jehovah is with him;` and go down unto him do the king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat, and the king of Edom.
2 Kings 3 13
Elisha said to the king of Israel, What have I to do with you? get you to the prophets of your father, and to the prophets of your mother. The king of  Israel said to him, No; for Yahweh has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab.
And Elisha said to the king of Israel, What have I to do with thee? go to the prophets of thy father and to the prophets of thy mother. And the king of  Israel said to him, Not so, for Jehovah has called these three kings to give them into the hand of Moab.
And Elisha saith unto the king of Israel, `What -- to me and to thee? go unto the prophets of thy father, and unto the prophets of thy mother;` and the king of Israel saith to him, `Nay, for Jehovah hath called for these three kings to give them into the hand of Moab.`
2 Kings 3 14
Elisha said, As Yahweh of Hosts lives, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look  toward you, nor see you.
And Elisha said, As Jehovah of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee nor see thee.
And Elisha saith, `Jehovah of Hosts liveth, before whom I have stood; for unless the face of Jehoshaphat king of Judah I am lifting up, I do not look unto thee, nor see thee;
2 Kings 3 15
But now bring me a minstrel. It happened, when the minstrel played, that the hand of Yahweh came on him.
And now fetch me a minstrel. And it came to pass when the minstrel played, that the hand of Jehovah was upon him.
and now, bring to me a minstrel; and it hath been, at the playing of the minstrel, that the hand of Jehovah is on him,
2 Kings 3 16
He said, Thus says Yahweh, Make this valley full of trenches.
And he said, Thus saith Jehovah: Make this valley full of ditches.
and he saith, `Thus said Jehovah, Make this valley ditches -- ditches;
2 Kings 3 17
For thus says Yahweh, You shall not see wind,  neither shall you see rain; yet that valley shall be
filled with water, and you shall drink, both you and your cattle and your animals.
For thus saith Jehovah: Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet this valley shall be filled with water, and ye shall drink, both ye, and  your cattle, and your beasts.
for thus said Jehovah, Ye do not see wind, nor do ye see rain, and that valley is full of water, and ye have drunk -- ye, and your cattle, and your beasts.
2 Kings 3 18
This is but a light thing in the sight of Yahweh: he will also deliver the Moabites into your hand. 
And this is a light thing in the sight of Jehovah: he will give the Moabites also into your hand.
`And this hath been light in the eyes of Jehovah, and he hath given Moab into your hand,
2 Kings 3 19
You shall strike every fortified city, and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree, and stop all springs of water, and mar every good piece of  land with stones.
And ye shall smite every fortified city, and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree, and stop all wells of water, and mar every good piece of land with stones.
and ye have smitten every fenced city, and every choice city, and every good tree ye cause to fall, and all fountains of waters ye stop, and every good portion ye mar with stones.`
2 Kings 3 20
It happened in the morning, about the time of offering the offering, that behold, there came 
water by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water.
And it came to pass in the morning, when the oblation was offered up, that behold, there came water by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water.
And it cometh to pass in the morning, at the ascending of the [morning]-present, that lo, waters are coming in from the way of Edom, and the land is filled with the waters,
2 Kings 3 21
Now when all the Moabites heard that the kings had come up to fight against them, they gathered themselves together, all who were able to put on armor, and upward, and stood on the border.
And all the Moabites heard that the kings were come up to fight against them, and they were called together, all that were able to put on armour, and upward, and stood by the border.
and all Moab have heard that the kings have come up to fight against them, and they are called together, from every one girding on a girdle and upward, and they stand by the border.
2 Kings 3 22
They rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone on the water, and the Moabites saw the water over against them as red as blood:
And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun rose upon the water, and the Moabites saw the water on the other side red as blood.
And they rise early in the morning, and the sun hath shone on the waters, and the Moabites see, from over-against, the waters red as blood,
2 Kings 3 23
and they said, This is blood; the kings are surely destroyed, and they have struck each man his fellow: now therefore, Moab, to the spoil.
And they said, This is blood: the kings are entirely destroyed, and have smitten one another; and now, Moab, to the spoil!
and say, `Blood this [is]; the kings have been surely destroyed, and they smite each his neighbour; and now for spoil, Moab!`
2 Kings 3 24
When they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and struck the Moabites, so that they fled before them; and they went forward into the land smiting the Moabites.
And when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and smote the Moabites, and they fled before them; and they entered in and smote Moab.
And they come in unto the camp of Israel, and the Israelites rise, and smite the Moabites, and they flee from their face; and they enter into Moab, so as to smite Moab,
2 Kings 3 25
They beat down the cities; and on every good piece of land they cast every man his stone, and filled it; and they stopped all the springs of water, and  felled all the good trees, until in Kir-hareseth [only] they left the stones of it; however the men armed with slings went about it, and struck it.
And they beat down the cities, and on every good piece of land cast every man his stone and filled it, and they stopped every well of water, and felled every good tree, until they left [only] the stones at Kirhareseth; and the slingers went about it, and smote it.
and the cities they break down, and [on] every good portion they cast each his stone, and have filled it, and every fountain of water they stop, and every good tree they cause to fall -- till one had left its stones in Kir-Haraseth, and the slingers go round and smite it.
2 Kings 3 26
When the king of Moab saw that the battle was too severe for him, he took with him seven hundred men who drew sword, to break through to the king of Edom; but they could not.
And the king of Moab saw that the battle was too severe for him, and he took with him seven hundred men that drew swords, to break through to the king of Edom, but they could not.
And the king of Moab seeth that the battle has been too strong for him, and he taketh with him seven hundred men, drawing sword, to cleave through unto the king of Edom, and they have not been able,
2 Kings 3 27
Then he took his eldest son who would have reigned in his place, and offered him for a burnt offering on the wall. There was great wrath against Israel: and they departed from him, and returned to their own land.
And he took his eldest son, that should have  reigned in his stead, and offered him up for a
burnt-offering upon the wall. And there was great wrath against Israel; and they departed from him, and returned to [their own] land.
and he taketh his son, the first-born who reigneth in his stead, and causeth him to ascend -- a burnt-offering on the wall, and there is great wrath  against Israel, and they journey from off him, and turn back to the land.

Study Questions

Describe Elijah? 1:8

How did the fifty-one men die? 1:10-11

Who died? 1:16-18

How did Elijah part the waters? 2:8

Elisha asked for ____________________________? 2:9

Elisha cast ____________ into the waters? 2:21

Who went to war with Jehoram? 3:7

The Moabites were to be __________________? 3:18

From Laura Dayton... RESTORE ONCE MORE LOVING GOD WITH A WHOLE HEART


RESTORE ONCE MORE LOVING GOD WITH A WHOLE HEART


How do we please God? In the previous two articles we looked at two duties of man necessary in order to please our God and be blessed in our walk with Him. Understanding the importance of fearing the Lord is the beginning of gaining wisdom for life. (Proverbs 9:4) The second directive is dedicating ourselves to walking in God’s ways so as to ensure entrance into eternal life with our Father in heaven.
Deuteronomy 10:12-13 reveals yet another aspect of pleasing God – LOVING Him with all our hearts. How then do we accomplish this in real life? To answer this question we can look to Scripture to help us. Covenant love with God and others is more a matter of will and decision than it is about how we feel. Faithfulness to those attitudes and actions revealed in Scripture is a key to success.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 outlines how to love God evidenced by how we love others. In fact, scripture says that if we do not know how to love, “we are nothing!” (vs. 2) How do we love? We are to be long-suffering, kind, not envious, not proud and needing to be the center of attention. Love is not rude, isn’t self-seeking, is not easily provoked and does not gossip. Love is not happy to see others fall. Love acts truthfully and bears up, believes, hopes, and endures to the end! Scripture says in 1 John 4:20 a truth concerning loving God. He who loves God, must love his brother! This week, let’s pursue love!

From Bill Dayton... A GIFT FOR OUR SAVIOR




A GIFT FOR OUR SAVIOR


This is a special season in America. It is a time of remembrance, family love, reacquainting ourselves with friends and the giving of gifts. It is a time when the world remembers the birth of the Savior, the greatest gift ever given mankind! As we remember, let’s not forget to praise and thank our God.
As children, we were taught to express appreciation upon receiving a gift or special treat? We were trained to: write a note, give a verbal thank you, show affection, or share our blessings with others. Today, many show little gratitude but rather possess a sense of “entitlement.” This has become a sickness in America’s heart.
The Psalmist David wrote a beautiful reminder for us in the 103rd Psalm concerning this perspective. Here he encourages us to express to God our appreciation for all His gifts. In verses 1-2 David admonishes us to: “… bless the lord” with our whole being and never forget all His benefits. To bless the Lord is to call Him holy, to state our love and gratitude, to worship, praise and celebrate His utter perfection. To bless the Lord is to speak well of Him and tell others of His mercy and goodness.

 In verses 3-5 David enumerates God glorious benefits: He heals, redeems, crowns, and satisfies His people. As we remember Jesus during this lovely time of year, let’s not forget to BLESS THE LORD make a new resolution to NEVER FORGET all His benefit!  

From Jim McGuiggan... God doesn't WANT to forgive

God doesn't WANT to forgive

Mark 4:10-12 has the apostles asking Jesus about his parables and he says, "The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables so that, 'They may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven.' "
What are we to make of that? The surface and shallow reading of the text would say that Jesus didn't want them to repent because he didn't want them to be forgiven and that's why he taught in parables. There are those who take just that view and don't mind saying so. Their claim is that before he created humankind God determined that the entire human family (after Adam) would be born morally and spiritually blind and deaf and incapable of turning to God. Out of the entire human family, we're told, God decreed that he would work a moral miracle on a tiny minority and not only would they be able to turn to God they would be unable to resist turning to God. The rest would remain morally and spiritually incapable of wanting to repent and therefore incapable of wanting to be forgiven. This text is used to support that awful doctrine.
Whatever else we are to say about that doctrine and how it uses this text, at least we have a clear picture: God doesn't want these people to repent because he doesn't want to forgive them. Make up your mind to this: the doctrine insists that before he made them God ordained them to be sinners and didn't want them to turn from sin because he didn't want to forgive them!
But if the doctrine were true Jesus would be making no sense. On a sheerly surface reading Jesus thinks his teaching in parables is what disables these outsiders. If the above doctrine were true, even if Jesus had spelled out the truth in baby-language with full explanation for every phrase, these people still couldn't have heard him because God ordained them incapable of it even before he made them. Jesus might as well have been talking to a stone wall. Parables or no parables they were born incapable of receiving truth and they were born that way because God purposed before he created them that they would be born that way.
The OT text Jesus works with here is Isaiah 6:9-10 and it is addressed to a nation that has chosen its treachery and its wickedness and has no intention of turning from it. 6:9 is laced with irony and we know that because God is commanding them to sin! God is commanding them to sin! [The speech is in command form—J.A Alexander.] Jesus in Matthew 23:32 scathes the worst kind of Pharisees and says, "Fill up, then, the measure of the sin of your forefathers." On the surface we have Jesus ordering these men to sin (he uses an imperative) when it's clear that no such thing is happening. He knows what they will do because he knows them and though it saddens him without limit (23:37) he says to them, "Well, get on with it then!" God commands no man to sin! James won't even allow us to believe that God tempts men to sin (James 1:13) so you know Isaiah 6:9 is God speaking to a people bent on wickedness and he's saying something like, "Go ahead! Ruin yourself!"
When Zechariah sums up the past history of his people under the prophets before the fall of Jerusalem he says they stubbornly stopped their ears and hardened their hearts and wouldn't listen (Zechariah 7:7-11).
There is nothing in these texts (Mark 4 or Isaiah 6) about eternal reprobation and election for they are both dealing with people who havechosen to reject the word of God that called them to obedience. It's the case that when God sends a word to a sinner or a sinful people to repent or to obey in some matter that God knows how they will react and yet he sends the command. In sending the command God provokes a moral crisis in the one to whom the command is sent and for that reason the result is laid at God's feet. "Let my people go!" he said to Pharaoh even though he knew Pharaoh would refuse. But Pharaoh's refusal was Pharaoh's choice and not God's choice for Pharaoh. God has the sovereign and moral right to demand that Pharaoh obey even though he knows Pharaoh will refuse and that God will use his refusal to serves his own good purposes.
But no case of hardening in scripture refers to a pre-creation purpose of God. Hardening has nothing to do with eternal reprobation and election. God hardens only sinful nations or individuals that have already freely chosen to be sinful.
Every good gift comes from the Holy Father and those who are blessed with faithful hearts have been blessed by him and all who those who hear the gospel of the kingdom and are "outside" are "outside" because they would have it so and not because God doesn't want to forgive them!
Notice in Mark 4:11 that Jesus said to those on the outside "everything is said in parables." The fact is that that wasn't literally the case—you only have to read the Gospels to see he wasn't speaking literally. He might well have been saying, "With hearts like theirs even plain speech isn't clear."

©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.

Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, the abiding word.com.

From Jim McGuiggan... Eternal torture and courtesy

Eternal torture and courtesy

Central facets of the debate between Calvinists and non-Calvinists revolve around this question: Would God create multiplied billions of his creatures only to glorify himself by subjecting them to eternal conscious torture? Consistent Calvinists like Pink, Clark, Piper, Owen and Calvin himself insist that God not only would do it—he has done it! Click.

Calvin thought that such a divine decree was “horrible” though he accepted it as God’s decree. Still, realizing just how profoundly shocking it is he effectively argues that since God decreed it, it must be a righteous decree though we have no way of knowing how it can be, Institutes of the Christian Religion, 3.23.2. Besides, he reminds us, we have no right to question God for we’re merely pots and pans and God’s the potter (quoting Paul in Romans 9, supposing that Paul’s agenda there was the same as his own).

Unlike my speech in this area which is rarely measured—I think the doctrine is degenerate and God-dishonouring—Ben Witherington wrote a good-spirited but plainly worded protest against the doctrine. I judge it was right on target but what struck me was that one of the respondents was hurt by how he saw the tone of the piece and accused Witherington of being discourteous. I’ve read that kind of response more than once and I have to say it astonishes me.

These don’t bat an eye at a God who consigned billions to eternal conscious torture independent of any behaviour on their part (they say this on the basis of their interpretation of scripture) but they’re all exercised at whatthey judge to be discourtesy and lack of respect.

Someone who feels passionately opposed to that Calvinistic caricature of God who has shown himself in and as Jesus Christ must tip-toe around while he expresses his profound objections? Before the face of the world God is made to look worse than the Mephistopheles of Bertrand Russell’s imagination and consistent Calvinists are upset about matters of “courtesy” and “scholarly respect”? The God pictured by consistent Calvinists because it pleases him to do so creates billions of his children for no other destiny than to be hell-fodder so that he might be glorified (3.23.6) and we’re to worry about the niceties of how we talk about it (3.23.1, 3, 4)?

These people tell us that billions of our fellow-creatures, babies included (3.23.7), utterly independent of anything they think or choose or do (3.23) are to burn eternally in conscious torture to please and glorify God and we’re urged to keep a civil tongue in our heads?

Does that not startle you?

©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.

Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, the abiding word.com.

From Jim McGuiggan... Created for eternal damnation

Created for eternal damnation

‘It was God’s eternal intention to save sinners by bringing them into a living union with Jesus Christ. God himself would take the initiative. By the sacrifice of himself (in the Son) he would provide the basis on which the ungodly could be justified. By God’s eternally offered grace, sinners would trust the complete work of Jesus Christ. God’s eternal intention is to save people through deeds he eternally ordained for his Son, Jesus Christ. That eternal intention is proclaimed to us in a foreordained message. Sinners are saved through the foreordained Christ (Acts 2:23, 1 Peter 1:19-20), by a foreordained gospel message (1 Corinthians 1:21) in order that they should live a foreordained way of life (Ephesians 2:10) and they are said to be a foreordained community of brothers and sisters (Romans 8:29-30) who bear the image of the Christ.
Compare what you’ve just read with this by John Calvin. "Not all men are created with a similar destiny but eternal life is foreordained for some, and eternal damnation for others. Every man, therefore, being created for one or the other of these ends, we say, he is predestinated either to life or death." (Institutes, Book 3.23.) Calvin himself thought this to be a "horrible decree."
It wouldn't be so bad if Calvin allowed us to believe that God destined billions for eternal torture on the basis of what he foresaw them doing; if he had, so to speak, looked ahead and seen that these billions would freely choose terrible wickedness and in light of that he pronounced them damned to eternal torture. Not a bit of it! Calvin won't allow that. In 3.23.6 he says, "If God merely foresaw human events, and did not arrange and dispose of them as his pleasure, there might be room for agitating the question, how far his foreknowledge amounts to necessity; but since he foresees the things which are to happen, simply because he has decreed that they are to happen, it is vain to debate about prescience, while it is clear that all events take place by his sovereign appointment."
[This is the doctrine that modern hardline Calvinists defend though they are not as up-front as Calvin.]
We cannot look at Christ who embodied and proclaimed the will and character of God and talk of God "having the right" to do what he wills with his creation! We cannot call tyranny and sadism "glorious" even if it should happen to be "divine" tyranny and sadism. God has spoken of the death of the unrighteous and says he finds no pleasure in it (Ezekiel 18:23,32). His "glory" involves his love for the whole world (John 3:16-17)  for whom he sent Christ as a sacrificial offering (1 John 2:2).’

©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.

Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, the abiding word.com.

From Mark Copeland... The Light Of The World (Jn.8:12)


                          "THE GOSPEL OF JOHN"

                     The Light Of The World (8:12)

INTRODUCTION

1. The gospel of John records at least seven remarkable claims by
   Jesus...
   a. "I am the bread of life" - Jn 6:48
   b. "I am the light of the world" - Jn 8:12
   c. "I am the door" - Jn 10:9
   d. "I am the good shepherd" - Jn 10:11
   e. "I am the resurrection and the life" - Jn 11:25
   f. "I am the way, the truth, and the life" - Jn 14:6
   g. "I am the vine" - Jn 15:5

2. In making such statements, Jesus reveals much...
   a. About the world around us, and the lives we live
   b. About Himself, and what He has to offer to us

3. In this study, we will focus our attention on His claim to be "The
   Light Of The World"...
   a. As recorded in Jn 8:12... "I am the light of the world. He who
      follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of
      life."
   b. Made by Jesus in the treasury of the temple (part of the Court of
      Women) - cf. Jn 8:20
   c. In which there were "two colossal golden lamp stands, on which
      hung a multitude of lamps, lighted after the evening sacrifice
      (probably every evening during the feast of tabernacles),
      diffusing their brilliancy, it is said, over all the city"
      - Jameison, Fausset, and Brown

[As we examine the words of Jesus, we notice what is implied about the
world in which we live...]

I. THERE IS DARKNESS IN THE WORLD

   A. THE SYMBOLISM OF DARKNESS...
      1. Used metaphorically to symbolize distress, mourning,
         perplexity, ignorance and death - Isa 9:1-2; Job 5:14; 12:
         24-25; 10:21; 17:13
      2. Used figuratively of moral depravity - cf. Jn 3:19; Ro 13:
         12-13; Ep 5:11

   B. THE REALITY OF DARKNESS...
      1. Seen in the news (terrorism, war, oppression, sexual abuse,
         greed)
      2. Viewed in the media (pornography, filthy language)
      3. Experienced in life (adultery, physical and verbal abuse, false
         religions)
      4. As described by the apostle Paul, many walk in darkness...
         - cf. Ep 4:17-19
         a. In the futility of their minds
         b. Darkened in their understanding
         c. Alienated from the life of God
         d. Ignorant because of the blindness of their heart
         e. Past feeling, given over to lewdness
         f. Working all uncleanness with greediness

[While there may be varying degrees of darkness in which people find
themselves, if they live in the world they must contend with darkness.
To those in darkness, Jesus offers hope...]

II. JESUS IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

   A. HE IS THE LIGHT...
      1. A claim made elsewhere in the gospel
         a. In the prologue - Jn 1:4-9
         b. By Jesus on other occasions - Jn 9:5; 12:35,46
      2. He is the light, not a light
         a. Indicating that He alone provides the true light
         b. Even as He alone provides the true and living way - cf. Jn 14:6
      3. As the light, Jesus is the source of life - Jn 8:12c
         a. The abundant life (with peace, joy, love) - Jn 10:10; cf. 
            Jn 14:27; 15:10,11
         b. The eternal life (including the resurrection) - Jn 11:25;
            17:2
      4. We must be wary of those who proclaim to offer "light"
         a. Some may be servants of Satan - cf. 2Co 11:13-15
         b. At best, one can only reflect what light Jesus has already
            bestowed

   B. OF THE WORLD...
      1. Not for the Jews only, but for Gentiles (the nations) as well
         a. As foretold by the prophets - cf. Isa 49:6; 60:1-3
         b. As commanded of His apostles - cf. Ac 26:15-18
      2. Available to all who believe, not an elect few
         a. To everyone who believes in Jesus - Jn 12:46
         b. To those who follow Jesus - Jn 8:12b

[How wonderful to know that in a world of darkness, we can have the
light of life through Jesus Christ, the light of the world!  Yet we
should reiterate that He is truly the light...]

III. FOR THOSE WHO FOLLOW HIM

   A. BY BECOMING HIS DISCIPLE...
      1. Note the connection between following Jesus and being a
         disciple
         a. The word "disciple" means a follower, a learner
         b. Only those who follow Him will have the light of life
         c. Therefore only those who become His disciples will walk in
            His light
      2. How one becomes a disciple (or follower) of Jesus
         a. It begins with faith - Jn 12:46
         b. It includes baptism - cf. Mt 28:19-20; Mk 16:16

   B. BY ABIDING IN HIS WORD...
      1. Only by abiding in His Word...
         a. Are we truly His disciples (followers) - Jn 8:31
         b. Do we truly have Christ - cf. 2Jn 9
      2. As we abide in His words, we not only walk in light, we become
         light!
         a. Reflecting the light of Christ - cf. Php 2:15-16
         b. Proving what is acceptable, exposing that which is not - cf.
            Ep 5:8-14
         c. The light of the world, bringing glory to our Father in
            heaven - cf. Mt 5:14-16

CONCLUSION

1. Are you confused, stumbling in a morass of darkness, making a mess of
   your life...?
   a. Come to Jesus, the light of the world
   b. Follow Him, who will give you the light of life

2. You can become a light to others walking in darkness...
   a. As you reflect the light of Christ in your own life
   b. As you abide in His teachings, and follow His doctrine

In a world of darkness, let us walk in the light of Him who leads us to
both the abundant life and eternal life...!




Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011

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From Mark Copeland... The Promise Of The Spirit (Jn.7:37-39)



                          "THE GOSPEL OF JOHN"

                  The Promise Of The Spirit (7:37-39)

INTRODUCTION

1. During the Feast Of Tabernacles, there was a daily ceremony involving
   water...
   a. Each day, the priests and the people would joyfully make their way
      to the pool of Siloam
   b. Using a golden pitcher, water was drawn, taken back to the temple,
      and poured on the altar of burnt offering
   c. The words of Isa 12:3 were then sung:  "Therefore with joy you
      will draw water from the wells of salvation."

2. On such an occasion Jesus used the opportunity to extend a wonderful
   promise...
   a. Inviting those who thirst to come to Him and drink - Jn 7:37
   b. Those who believe in Him will have "rivers of living water" flow
      from their hearts - Jn 7:38

3. The apostle John explains that this promise concerns the Holy
   Spirit... - Jn 7:39
   a. Whom those who believe would receive
   b. Who had not yet been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified

[What else might we glean from the Scriptures concerning this promise of
the Spirit?  Let's first take a closer look at...]

I. THE NATURE OF THE PROMISE

   A. FROM THE TEXT...
      1. A promise foretold by the Scriptures - Jn 7:38; cf. Isa 44:3;
         58:11
         a. "The reference is not to any single passage, but to the
            spirit of the Scripture, notably such passages as Isa 55:1;
            58:11; Ps 36:8-9." - B. W. Johnson
         b. "...referring not to any particular passage, but to such as
            Isa 58:11; Joel 3:18; Zec 14:8; Ezek 47:1-12; in most of
            which the idea is that of waters issuing from beneath the
            temple, to which our Lord compares Himself and those who
            believe in Him." - Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
      2. A promise that makes one a blessing to others - Jn 7:38
         a. "out of his heart will flow rivers of living water"
         b. "When a man turns himself to the Lord, he shall be as a
            fountain filled with living water, and his streams shall
            flow to all the nations and tribes of men" - Kuinoel
         c. "...those who are Christians shall diffuse large, and
            liberal, and constant blessings on their fellowmen" - Barnes
      3. A promise offered to believers - Jn 7:39
         a. Not to those who have yet to believe
         b. Which is why I do not believe it refers to the ministry of
            the Spirit through the Word alone, for such occurs even on
            those who do not believe - e.g., Jn 16:8
         c. Note this observation by Robert Milligan:
            1) "He manifestly refers in this passage to something which
               had hitherto been enjoyed by no one, and which could be
               enjoyed by none until after that he himself was
               glorified." - Robert Milligan, Scheme of Redemption,
               p.283
            2) "This, it would seem, could not have reference to the
               mediate agency of the Spirit, through the written word
               and the ordinary workings of God's providence; for
               through these media the Spirit had always operated on the
               minds of both Jews and Patriarchs." - ibid.
            3) "Christ is speaking here of what is peculiar to his own
               personal reign and administration." - ibid.
      4. A promise extended to all believers - Jn 7:39
         a. Not just to select disciples with special tasks, such as
            apostles and prophets
         b. Which is why I do not believe it refers to miraculous
            manifestations of the Spirit, such as the gifts of the
            Spirit, for not all Christians had such; note also:
            1) This promise of the Spirit had not yet been given
            2) Yet miraculous manifestations of the Spirit had been
               experienced prior to the glorification of Jesus - e.g.,
               Lk 1:41,67
      5. A promise given after Jesus was "glorified" - Jn 7:39
         a. I.e., after His resurrection and ascension to heaven
         b. "The first and second chapters of the Book of Acts is the
            best comment upon this passage. When Jesus ascended to the
            right hand of the Father and was glorified, he sent forth
            the Spirit upon his apostles on the day of Pentecost, and
            the apostles in turn promised the gift of the Spirit to all
            who would believe, repent, and be baptized." - J. W.
            McGarvey (Fourfold Gospel)

   B. FROM OTHER TEXTS...
      1. We conclude that it refers to the gift of the Holy Spirit
         a. Promised to all who repent and are baptized - cf. Ac 2:38-39
         b. Given to all who obey - cf. Ac 5:32
         c. Imbibed by all who are baptized - cf. 1Co 12:13
         d. Sent into our hearts because we are God's children - cf. Ga 4:6
      2. We conclude that it refers to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit
         a. Who indwells all that belong to Christ - cf. Ro 8:9-10
         b. Making their bodies a temple of the Spirit - cf. 1Co 6:19

[That this promise refers to the gift or indwelling of the Spirit given
to all Christians becomes more apparent as we now focus our attention
on...]

II. THE BLESSINGS OF THE PROMISE

   A. THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT...
      1. Remember what Jesus said of those who receive the Spirit - Jn 7:38
         a. "out of his heart will flow rivers of living water"
         b. I.e., they will become a blessing to others; note again:
            1) "When a man turns himself to the Lord, he shall be as a
               fountain filled with living water, and his streams shall
               flow to all the nations and tribes of men" - Kuinoel
            2) "...those who are Christians shall diffuse large, and
               liberal, and constant blessings on their fellowmen"
               - Barnes
      2. Especially when they bear the fruit of the Spirit in their
         lives- Ga 5:22-23
         a. Such as love, joy, peace
         b. Such as longsuffering, kindness, goodness
         c. Such as gentleness, faithfulness, self-control
      -- Bearing such fruit of the Spirit, they bless the lives of
         others!

   B. THE AID OF THE SPIRIT...
      1. The fruit of the Spirit becomes possible with the aid of the
         Spirit
         a. Who helps us to put to death the deeds of the body - Ro 8:
            12-13; cf. Col 3:5-8
         b. Who enables us to be filled with joy and peace, abounding in
            hope - Ro 15:13
      2. For the Spirit is God's instrumental agent to strengthen the
         Christian
         a. Strengthening with might through the Spirit in the inner man
            - Ep 3:16
         b. With a power working in us - Ep 3:20
   -- We are able to be a blessing to others, with the aid of the Spirit
      working in us!

[Jesus therefore offers us the opportunity to be blessed by the Spirit's
indwelling, so we can be useful in blessing the lives of those around
us.  But to ensure that we receive this blessing of the Spirit, let's be
careful to consider...]

III. THE RECEPTION OF THE PROMISE

   A. GIVEN TO THOSE WHO OBEY...
      1. By believing in Jesus Christ
         a. The need to believe emphasized twice in our text - Jn 7:
            38-39
         b. For faith is necessary to receive "life in His name" - cf.
            Jn 20:31
      2. By repenting of our sins
         a. The gift of the Spirit promised to those who repent - Ac 2:
            38-39
         b. Those who repent will experience "times of refreshing" (what
            could be more refreshing than "rivers of living water"?)
            - cf. Ac 3:19
      3. By being baptized for the remission of our sins
         a. Those baptized are promised the gift of the Spirit - Ac 2:
            38-39
         b. They are made to drink into one Spirit - cf. 1Co 12:13
      -- As Peter put it, God gives the Holy Spirit to those who obey
         Him - Ac 5:32

   B. EXPERIENCED BY THOSE WHO GROW...
      1. By singing psalms, hymns, spiritual songs
         a. We are to be filled with the Spirit - Ep 5:18
         b. Which we can do by singing - Ep 5:19
      2. By studying the Word of God
         a. Which is the sword of the Spirit - Ep 6:17
         b. The means by which the Spirit teaches and instructs the
            Christian, for it contains the revelation of God given by
            the Spirit to inspired men who wrote it for our benefit- cf.
            1Co 2:9-13; Ep 3:5-7
      3. By praying, making requests regarding the Spirit
         a. That God would fill one with all joy and peace in believing,
            abounding in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit - Ro 15:13
         b. That God would strengthen one with might through His Spirit
            in the inner man - Ep 3:16
      4. By turning away from sin
         a. Lest they grieve the Spirit - cf. Ep 4:29-31
         b. Lest they quench the Spirit - cf. 1Th 5:19

CONCLUSION

1. What a wonderful promise Jesus offers in our text...
   a. The Holy Spirit to those who believe in Him
   b. A refreshing drink that can become rivers of living water
      1) First refreshing our souls
      2) Then refreshing the souls around us by His impact on our lives

2. How sad if we quench the Spirit Who is intended to quench our
   thirst...
   a. By failing to obey the Lord
   b. By failing to grow in the Lord

May our attitude and heart's felt desire be similar to that of the
Samaritan woman, when Jesus spoke to her at Jacob's well...

   "Jesus answered and said to her, 'Whoever drinks of this water
   will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall
   give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him
   will become in him a fountain of water springing up into
   everlasting life.' The woman said to Him, 'Sir, give me this
   water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.'" (Jn 4:13-15)

Are you willing to say to Jesus, "Sir, give me this water, that I may
not thirst" by coming to Him in faithful obedience...?


Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011

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From Mark Copeland... The Proof Is In The Pudding (Jn.7:17)


                          "THE GOSPEL OF JOHN"

                   The Proof Is In The Pudding (7:17)

INTRODUCTION

1. The evidence for Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God, is manifold...
   a. The testimony of John the Baptist - Jn 5:33; e.g., 1:29,34
   b. The works (miracles) that Jesus did - Jn 5:36; e.g., 2:11; 20:
      30-31
   c. The testimony of God Himself - Jn 5:37; e.g., Mt 3:16-17; 17:5
   d. The testimony of the OT scriptures - Jn 5:39; e.g., Isa 9:6-7
   e. His resurrection from the dead, attested to by eyewitnesses - 
      Ro 1:4; e.g., Jn 20:24-29

2. Jesus offered another proof that He is from God...
   a. It came at a time when many questioned who He was - Jn 7:12-15
   b. If you are willing to do God's will, you will know His doctrine is
      from God - Jn 7:16-17

3. Jesus' claim is akin to well-known proverb...
   a. "The proof of the pudding is in the eating"
   b. As stated more often, "The proof is in the pudding"

[This is a remarkable claim by Jesus, certainly worthy of closer
examination...]

I. FACETS OF JESUS' CLAIM

   A. ONE MUST BE WILLING TO DO THE FATHER'S WILL...
      1. There must first be a willing heart
         a. A good and noble heart - cf. Lk 8:15
         b. A heart willing to hear and examine carefully - cf. Ac 17:11
         c. A humble heart, one that fears God - cf. Ps 25:9,12
      2. There must then be obedience from the heart
         a. Such as found in the Christians at Rome - Ro 6:17
         b. The kind of obedience that must be in all aspects of our
            service - Ep 6:6; Col 3:23
      -- "Those who would test the divinity of the doctrine of Christ
         can not do so by rendering a mere mechanical obedience to his
         teaching. A willing, heartfelt obedience is essential to a true
         knowledge of his doctrine. Such a disposition makes a good and
         honest heart in which the seeds of his kingdom must inevitably
         grow." - J. W. McGarvey

   B. ONE WILL KNOW HIS DOCTRINE IS OF GOD...
      1. They will know that Jesus' teaching comes from above - cf. Jn 12:49
      2. They will know that His teaching is everlasting life - cf. Jn 12:50
      -- "He shall have evidence, in the very attempt to do the will of
         God, of the truth of the doctrine." - Barnes

[What kind of evidence does one receive?  The answer may be put in the
words of Isaiah, "The work of righteousness will be peace, And the
effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever." (Isa 32:17)
Consider therefore the...]

II. EVIDENCE OF JESUS' CLAIM

   A. PEACE THAT SURPASSES UNDERSTANDING...
      1. Jesus offered such peace to His disciples - Jn 14:27; 16:33
      2. As we do the Father's will as taught by Jesus, we experience
         such peace:
         a. As the result of our justification in Christ - Ro 5:1
         b. As the prayer for faithful Christians - Ro 15:13; 2Th 3:16
         c. As the fruit of the Spirit in the lives of Christians - Ga 5:22
         d. As the response to prayer - Php 4:6-7
      -- Such peace, when experienced, confirms Jesus' doctrine as being
         from God

   B. ASSURANCE THAT CALMS THE HEART...
      1. Jesus offered assurance to His disciples - Jn 14:27b; 16:33
      2. As we do the Father's will as taught by Jesus, we experience
         such assurance:
         a. As when we love the brethren in deed and truth - cf. 1Jn 3:
            18-19
         b. As expressed by Paul - cf. 2Ti 1:12; also Ro 8:38-39
      -- Such assurance, when experienced, confirms Jesus' doctrine as
         being from God

[B. W. Johnson expressed it this way:  "He who in his heart says, "Thy
will be done, give me light and I will walk in it," will find that
Christ is just the teacher demanded by his soul, and that the gospel
meets his soul's want. Jesus will so meet the wants of his soul that he
will be satisfied and will know the doctrine, that it comes from him who
made the soul." (People's New Testament)  Yet, we should note...]

III. CAUTION REGARDING JESUS' CLAIM

   A. WHEN THERE IS NO PEACE OR ASSURANCE...
      1. It is not evidence that Jesus' doctrine is not from God
         a. We may have not done the Father's will yet
         b. We may have not done the Father's will from the heart
      2. It may not be evidence that we failed to truly do the Father's
         will at one time
         a. Our faith may yet be weak, needing to grow
         b. Our faith may have become hardened by the deceitfulness of
            sin - He 3:12-14

   B. WHERE THERE IS PEACE AND ASSURANCE...
      1. We should not trust in that evidence alone
         a. Many believed they are saved because of their feelings
         b. They might construe such as the ultimate proof of salvation
      2. The heart can easily be deceived
         a. There are ways that seem right, but may lead to death - Pro
            16:25
         b. It is not in man to direct his footsteps - Jer 10:23
      3. We must always be open to the Word of God
         a. Let the Word of God produce the feelings (faith, then
            feelings)
         b. Don't let one's feelings reject the Word of God (not
            feelings, then faith)

CONCLUSION

1. The proof that is in the pudding is somewhat subjective, but it is
   proof...
   a. Proof that can further confirm a faith based upon more objective
      evidence
   b. Proof that if lacking should be a sign our faith needs work (i.e.,
      diligence)

2. It is a diligent faith willing to do the will of God that produces a
   full assurance...

   "And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the
   full assurance of hope until the end," (He 6:11)

Are you willing to do the Father's will from the heart?  The blessings
of peace, assurance, and confirmation that Jesus' doctrine is truly from
God, awaits those who obey His will...!




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