From Gary... Bible Reading and Study October 8

Bible Reading and Study   

October 8

The World English Bible

Oct. 8

Psalms 145-147

Psa 145:1 I will exalt you, my God, the King. I will praise your name forever and ever.

Psa 145:2 Every day I will praise you. I will extol your name forever and ever.

Psa 145:3 Great is Yahweh, and greatly to be praised! His greatness is unsearchable.

Psa 145:4 One generation will commend your works to another, and will declare your mighty acts.

Psa 145:5 Of the glorious majesty of your honor, of your wondrous works, I will meditate.

Psa 145:6 Men will speak of the might of your awesome acts. I will declare your greatness.

Psa 145:7 They will utter the memory of your great goodness, and will sing of your righteousness.

Psa 145:8 Yahweh is gracious, merciful, slow to anger, and of great loving kindness.

Psa 145:9 Yahweh is good to all. His tender mercies are over all his works.

Psa 145:10 All your works will give thanks to you, Yahweh. Your saints will extol you.

Psa 145:11 They will speak of the glory of your kingdom, and talk about your power;

Psa 145:12 to make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, the glory of the majesty of his kingdom.

Psa 145:13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. Your dominion endures throughout all generations. Yahweh is faithful in all his words, and loving in all his deeds.

Psa 145:14 Yahweh upholds all who fall, and raises up all those who are bowed down.

Psa 145:15 The eyes of all wait for you. You give them their food in due season.

Psa 145:16 You open your hand, and satisfy the desire of every living thing.

Psa 145:17 Yahweh is righteous in all his ways, and gracious in all his works.

Psa 145:18 Yahweh is near to all those who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.

Psa 145:19 He will fulfill the desire of those who fear him. He also will hear their cry, and will save them.

Psa 145:20 Yahweh preserves all those who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.

Psa 145:21 My mouth will speak the praise of Yahweh. Let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.

Psa 146:1 Praise Yah! Praise Yahweh, my soul.

Psa 146:2 While I live, I will praise Yahweh. I will sing praises to my God as long as I exist.

Psa 146:3 Don't put your trust in princes, each a son of man in whom there is no help.

Psa 146:4 His spirit departs, and he returns to the earth. In that very day, his thoughts perish.

Psa 146:5 Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in Yahweh, his God:

Psa 146:6 who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; who keeps truth forever;

Psa 146:7 who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry. Yahweh frees the prisoners.

Psa 146:8 Yahweh opens the eyes of the blind. Yahweh raises up those who are bowed down. Yahweh loves the righteous.

Psa 146:9 Yahweh preserves the foreigners. He upholds the fatherless and widow, but the way of the wicked he turns upside down.

Psa 146:10 Yahweh will reign forever; your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise Yah!

Psa 147:1 Praise Yah, for it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant and fitting to praise him.

Psa 147:2 Yahweh builds up Jerusalem. He gathers together the outcasts of Israel.

Psa 147:3 He heals the broken in heart, and binds up their wounds.

Psa 147:4 He counts the number of the stars. He calls them all by their names.

Psa 147:5 Great is our Lord, and mighty in power. His understanding is infinite.

Psa 147:6 Yahweh upholds the humble. He brings the wicked down to the ground.

Psa 147:7 Sing to Yahweh with thanksgiving. Sing praises on the harp to our God,

Psa 147:8 who covers the sky with clouds, who prepares rain for the earth, who makes grass grow on the mountains.

Psa 147:9 He provides food for the livestock, and for the young ravens when they call.

Psa 147:10 He doesn't delight in the strength of the horse. He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man.

Psa 147:11 Yahweh takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his loving kindness.

Psa 147:12 Praise Yahweh, Jerusalem! Praise your God, Zion!

Psa 147:13 For he has strengthened the bars of your gates. He has blessed your children within you.

Psa 147:14 He makes peace in your borders. He fills you with the finest of the wheat.

Psa 147:15 He sends out his commandment to the earth. His word runs very swiftly.

Psa 147:16 He gives snow like wool, and scatters frost like ashes.

Psa 147:17 He hurls down his hail like pebbles. Who can stand before his cold?

Psa 147:18 He sends out his word, and melts them. He causes his wind to blow, and the waters flow.

Psa 147:19 He shows his word to Jacob; his statutes and his ordinances to Israel.

Psa 147:20 He has not done this for just any nation. They don't know his ordinances. Praise Yah!

 

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.

Psalms

Psalms 145 1

I will exalt you, my God, the King. I will praise your name forever and ever.

{A Psalm of praise. Of David.} I will extol thee, my God, O King, and I will bless thy name

for ever and ever.

Praise by David. I exalt Thee, my God, O king, And bless Thy name to the age and for ever.

Psalms 145 2

Every day I will praise you. I will extol your name forever and ever.

Every day will I bless thee, and I will praise thy name for ever and ever.

Every day do I bless Thee, And praise Thy name to the age and for ever.

Psalms 145 3

Great is Yahweh, and greatly to be praised! His greatness is unsearchable.

Great is Jehovah, and exceedingly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.

Great [is] Jehovah, and praised greatly, And of His greatness there is no searching.

Psalms 145 4

One generation will commend your works to another, And will declare your mighty acts.

One generation shall laud thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.

Generation to generation praiseth Thy works, And Thy mighty acts they declare.

Psalms 145 5

Of the glorious majesty of your honor, Of your wondrous works, I will meditate.

I will speak of the glorious splendour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works.

The honour -- the glory of Thy majesty, And the matters of Thy wonders I declare.

Psalms 145 6

Men will speak of the might of your awesome acts. I will declare your greatness.

And they shall tell of the might of thy terrible acts; and thy great deeds will I declare.

And the strength of Thy fearful acts they tell, And Thy greatness I recount.

Psalms 145 7

They will utter the memory of your great goodness, And will sing of your righteousness.

They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing aloud of thy

righteousness.

The memorial of the abundance of Thy goodness they send forth. And Thy

righteousness they sing.

Psalms 145 8

Yahweh is gracious, merciful, Slow to anger, and of great lovingkindness.

Jehovah is gracious and merciful; slow to anger, and of great loving-kindness.

Gracious and merciful [is] Jehovah, Slow to anger, and great in kindness.

Psalms 145 9

Yahweh is good to all. His tender mercies are over all his works.

Jehovah is good to all; and his tender mercies are over all his works.

Good [is] Jehovah to all, And His mercies [are] over all His works.

Psalms 145 10

All your works will give thanks to you, Yahweh. Your saints will extol you.

All thy works shall praise thee, Jehovah, and thy saints shall bless thee.

Confess Thee O Jehovah, do all Thy works, And Thy saints do bless Thee.

Psalms 145 11

They will speak of the glory of your kingdom, And talk about your power;

They shall tell of the glory of thy kingdom, and speak of thy power;

The honour of Thy kingdom they tell, And [of] Thy might they speak,

Psalms 145 12

To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, The glory of the majesty of his  kingdom.

To make known to the children of men his mighty acts, and the glorious splendour of his

kingdom.

To make known to sons of men His mighty acts, The honour of the majesty of His

kingdom.

Psalms 145 13

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. Your dominion endures throughout all generations.

Thy kingdom is a kingdom of all ages, and thy dominion is throughout all generations.

Thy kingdom [is] a kingdom of all ages, And Thy dominion [is] in all generations.

Psalms 145 14

Yahweh upholds all who fall, And raises up all those who are bowed down.

Jehovah upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all that are bowed down.

Jehovah is supporting all who are falling, And raising up all who are bowed down.

Psalms 145 15

The eyes of all wait for you. You give them their food in due season.

The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their food in its season.

The eyes of all unto Thee do look, And Thou art giving to them their food in its

season,

Psalms 145 16

You open your hand, And satisfy the desire of every living thing.

Thou openest thy hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.

Opening Thy hand, and satisfying The desire of every living thing.

Psalms 145 17

Yahweh is righteous in all his ways, And gracious in all his works.

Jehovah is righteous in all his ways, and kind in all his works.

Righteous [is] Jehovah in all His ways, And kind in all His works.

Psalms 145 18

Yahweh is near to all those who call on him, To all who call on him in truth.

Jehovah is nigh unto all that call upon him, unto all that call upon him in truth.

Near [is] Jehovah to all those calling Him, To all who call Him in truth.

Psalms 145 19

He will fulfill the desire of those who fear him. He also will hear their cry, and will save  them.

He fulfilleth the desire of them that fear him; he heareth their cry, and saveth them.

The desire of those fearing Him He doth, And their cry He heareth, and saveth them.

Psalms 145 20

Yahweh preserves all those who love him, But all the wicked he will destroy.

Jehovah keepeth all that love him, and all the wicked will he destroy.

Jehovah preserveth all those loving Him, And all the wicked He destroyeth.

Psalms 145 21

My mouth will speak the praise of Yahweh. Let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever. 

Psalm 146

My mouth shall speak the praise of Jehovah; and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever

and ever.

The praise of Jehovah my mouth speaketh, And all flesh doth bless His holy name,

To the age and for ever!

Psalms 146 1

Praise Yah! Praise Yahweh, my soul.

Hallelujah! Praise Jehovah, O my soul.

Praise ye Jah! Praise, O my soul, Jehovah.

Psalms 146 2

While I live, I will praise Yahweh. I will sing praises to my God as long as I exist.

As long as I live will I praise Jehovah; I will sing psalms unto my God while I have my being.

I praise Jehovah during my life, I sing praise to my God while I exist.

Psalms 146 3

Don`t put your trust in princes, Each a son of man in whom there is no help.

Put not confidence in nobles, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.

Trust not in princes -- in a son of man, For he hath no deliverance.

Psalms 146 4

His spirit departs, and he returns to the earth. In that very day, his thoughts perish.

His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his purposes perish.

His spirit goeth forth, he returneth to his earth, In that day have his thoughts perished.

Psalms 146 5

Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, Whose hope is in Yahweh, his God:

Blessed is he who hath the ·God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in Jehovah his God,

O the happiness of him Who hath the God of Jacob for his help, His hope [is] on Jehovah his God,

Psalms 146 6

Who made heaven and earth, The sea, and all that is in them; Who keeps truth forever;

Who made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is therein; who keepeth truth forever;

Making the heavens and earth, The sea and all that [is] in them, Who is keeping

truth to the age,

Psalms 146 7

Who executes justice for the oppressed; Who gives food to the hungry. Yahweh frees the

prisoners.

Who executeth judgment for the oppressed, who giveth bread to the hungry. Jehovah

looseth the prisoners;

Doing judgment for the oppressed, Giving bread to the hungry.

Psalms 146 8

Yahweh opens the eyes of the blind. Yahweh raises up those who are bowed down. Yahweh

loves the righteous.

Jehovah openeth [the eyes of] the blind; Jehovah raiseth up them that are bowed down;

Jehovah loveth the righteous;

Jehovah is loosing the prisoners, Jehovah is opening (the eyes of) the blind,

Jehovah is raising the bowed down, Jehovah is loving the righteous,

Psalms 146 9

Yahweh preserves the sojourners. He upholds the fatherless and widow, But the way of the

wicked he turns upside down.

Jehovah preserveth the strangers; he lifteth up the fatherless and the widow; but the way

of the wicked doth he subvert.

Jehovah is preserving the strangers, The fatherless and widow He causeth to

stand, And the way of the wicked He turneth upside down.

Psalms 146 10

Yahweh will reign forever; Your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise Yah! Psalm 147

Jehovah will reign for ever, [even] thy God, O Zion, from generation to generation. Halleluiah!

Jehovah doth reign to the age, Thy God, O Zion, to generation and generation,

Praise ye Jah!

Psalms 147 1

Praise Yah, For it is good to sing praises to our God; For it is pleasant and fitting to praise him.

Praise ye Jah! for it is good. Sing psalms of our God; for it is pleasant: praise is comely.

Praise ye Jah! For [it is] good to praise our God, For pleasant -- comely [is] praise.

Psalms 147 2

Yahweh builds up Jerusalem. He gathers together the outcasts of Israel.

Jehovah doth build up Jerusalem: he gathereth the outcasts of Israel.

Building Jerusalem [is] Jehovah, The driven away of Israel He gathereth.

Psalms 147 3

He heals the broken in heart, And binds up their wounds.

He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.

Who is giving healing to the broken of heart, And is binding up their griefs.

Psalms 147 4

He counts the number of the stars. He calls them all by their names.

He counteth the number of the stars; he giveth names to them all.

Appointing the number of the stars, To all them He giveth names.

Psalms 147 5

Great is our Lord, and mighty in power. His understanding is infinite.

Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.

Great [is] our Lord, and abundant in power, Of His understanding there is no

narration.

Psalms 147 6

Yahweh upholds the humble. He brings the wicked down to the ground.

Jehovah lifteth up the meek; he abaseth the wicked to the earth.

Jehovah is causing the meek to stand, Making low the wicked unto the earth.

Psalms 147 7

Sing to Yahweh with thanksgiving. Sing praises on the harp to our God,

Sing unto Jehovah with thanksgiving; sing psalms upon the harp unto our God:

Answer ye to Jehovah with thanksgiving, Sing ye to our God with a harp.

Psalms 147 8

Who covers the sky with clouds, Who prepares rain for the earth, Who makes grass grow on

the mountains.

Who covereth the heavens with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh

grass to grow upon the mountains;

Who is covering the heavens with clouds, Who is preparing for the earth rain,

Who is causing grass to spring up [on] mountains,

Psalms 147 9

He provides food for the cattle, And for the young ravens when they call.

Who giveth to the cattle their food, to the young ravens which cry.

Giving to the beast its food, To the young of the ravens that call.

Psalms 147 10

He doesn`t delight in the strength of the horse. He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man.

He delighteth not in the strength of the horse, he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man;

Not in the might of the horse doth He delight, Not in the legs of a man is He pleased.

Psalms 147 11

Yahweh takes pleasure in those who fear him, In those who hope in his lovingkindness.

Jehovah taketh pleasure in those that fear him, in those that hope in his loving-kindness.

Jehovah is pleased with those fearing Him, With those waiting for His kindness.

Psalms 147 12

Praise Yahweh, Jerusalem! Praise your God, Zion!

Laud Jehovah, O Jerusalem; praise thy God, O Zion.

Glorify, O Jerusalem, Jehovah, Praise thy God, O Zion.

Psalms 147 13

For he has strengthened the bars of your gates. He has blessed your children within you.

For he hath strengthened the bars of thy gates; he hath blessed thy children within thee;

For He did strengthen the bars of thy gates, He hath blessed thy sons in thy midst.

Psalms 147 14

He makes peace in your borders. He fills you with the finest of the wheat.

He maketh peace in thy borders; he satisfieth thee with the finest of the wheat.

Who is making thy border peace, [With] the fat of wheat He satisfieth Thee.

Psalms 147 15

He sends out his commandment on earth. His word runs very swiftly.

He sendeth forth his oracles to the earth: his word runneth very swiftly.

Who is sending forth His saying [on] earth, Very speedily doth His word run.

Psalms 147 16

He gives snow like wool, And scatters frost like ashes.

He giveth snow like wool, scattereth the hoar frost like ashes;

Who is giving snow like wool, Hoar-frost as ashes He scattereth.

Psalms 147 17

He hurls down his hail like pebbles. Who can stand before his cold?

He casteth forth his ice like morsels: who can stand before his cold?

Casting forth His ice like morsels, Before His cold who doth stand?

Psalms 147 18

He sends out his word, and melts them. He causes his wind to blow, and the waters flow.

He sendeth his word, and melteth them; he causeth his wind to blow -- the waters flow.

He sendeth forth His word and melteth them, He causeth His wind to blow -- the waters flow.

Psalms 147 19

He shows his word to Jacob; His statutes and his ordinances to Israel.

He sheweth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel.

Declaring His words to Jacob, His statutes and His judgments to Israel.

Psalms 147 20

He has not done this for any nation; They don`t know his ordinances. Praise Yah! Psalm 148

He hath not dealt thus with any nation; and as for [his] judgments, they have not known

them. Hallelujah!

He hath not done so to any nation, As to judgments, they have not known them.

Praise ye Jah!

 Study Questions

The LORD is _____________________________________? 145:8,9

Who does the LORD love? 146:8
 
The understanding of the LORD is ________________? 147:5
 
Who does the LORD take pleasure in? 147:11

The World English Bible

 

Oct. 8

Galatians 5

Gal 5:1 Stand firm therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and don't be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.

Gal 5:2 Behold, I, Paul, tell you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will profit you nothing.

Gal 5:3 Yes, I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.

Gal 5:4 You are alienated from Christ, you who desire to be justified by the law. You have fallen away from grace.

Gal 5:5 For we, through the Spirit, by faith wait for the hope of righteousness.

Gal 5:6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision amounts to anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith working through love.

Gal 5:7 You were running well! Who interfered with you that you should not obey the truth?

Gal 5:8 This persuasion is not from him who calls you.

Gal 5:9 A little yeast grows through the whole lump.

Gal 5:10 I have confidence toward you in the Lord that you will think no other way. But he who troubles you will bear his judgment, whoever he is.

Gal 5:11 But I, brothers, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Then the stumbling block of the cross has been removed.

Gal 5:12 I wish that those who disturb you would cut themselves off.

Gal 5:13 For you, brothers, were called for freedom. Only don't use your freedom for gain to the flesh, but through love be servants to one another.

Gal 5:14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, in this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

Gal 5:15 But if you bite and devour one another, be careful that you don't consume one another.

Gal 5:16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you won't fulfill the lust of the flesh.

Gal 5:17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, that you may not do the things that you desire.

Gal 5:18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

Gal 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious, which are: adultery, sexual immorality, uncleanness, lustfulness,

Gal 5:20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife, jealousies, outbursts of anger, rivalries, divisions, heresies,

Gal 5:21 envyings, murders, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these; of which I forewarn you, even as I also forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith,

Gal 5:23 gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Gal 5:24 Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts.

Gal 5:25 If we live by the Spirit, let's also walk by the Spirit.

Gal 5:26 Let's not become conceited, provoking one another, and envying one another.

 

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.

Galatians

 

Galatians 5 1

Stand firm therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and don`t be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.

Christ has set us free in freedom; stand fast therefore, and be not held again in a yoke of

bondage.

In the freedom, then, with which Christ did make you free -- stand ye, and be not

held fast again by a yoke of servitude;

Galatians 5 2

Behold, I, Paul, tell you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will profit you nothing.

Behold, I, Paul, say to you, that if ye are circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.

lo, I Paul do say to you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing;

Galatians 5 3

Yes, I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.

And I witness again to every man [who is] circumcised, that he is debtor to do the whole law.

and I testify again to every man circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole

law;

Galatians 5 4

You are alienated from Christ, you desire to be justified by the law. You have fallen away from grace.

Ye are deprived of all profit from the Christ as separated [from him], as many as are

justified by law; ye have fallen from grace.

ye were freed from the Christ, ye who in law are declared righteous; from the

grace ye fell away;

Galatians 5 5

For we, through the Spirit, by faith wait for the hope of righteousness.

For we, by [the] Spirit, on the principle of faith, await the hope of righteousness.

for we by the Spirit, by faith, a hope of righteousness do wait for,

Galatians 5 6

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision amounts to anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith

working through love.

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision has any force, nor uncircumcision; but faith

working through love.

for in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision,

but faith through love working.

Galatians 5 7

You were running well! Who interfered with you that you should not obey the truth?

Ye ran well; who has stopped you that ye should not obey the truth?

Ye were running well; who did hinder you -- not to obey the truth?

Galatians 5 8

This persuasion is not from him who calls you.

The persuasibleness [is] not of him that calls you.

the obedience [is] not of him who is calling you!

Galatians 5 9

A little yeast grows through the whole lump.

A little leaven leavens the whole lump.

a little leaven the whole lump doth leaven;

Galatians 5 10

I have confidence toward you in the Lord that you will think no other way. But he who troubles you will bear his judgment, whoever he is.

*I* have confidence as to you in [the] Lord, that ye will have no other mind; and he that is

troubling you shall bear the guilt [of it], whosoever he may be.

I have confidence in regard to you in the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise

minded; and he who is troubling you shall bear the judgment, whoever he may be.

Galatians 5 11

But I, brothers, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Then the stumbling- block of the cross has been removed.

But *I*, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why am I yet persecuted? Then the

scandal of the cross has been done away.

And I, brethren, if uncircumcision I yet preach, why yet am I persecuted? then

hath the stumbling-block of the cross been done away;

Galatians 5 12

I wish that those who disturb you would cut themselves off.

I would that they would even cut themselves off who throw you into confusion.

O that even they would cut themselves off who are unsettling you!

Galatians 5 13

For you, brothers, were called for freedom. Only don`t use your freedom for gain to the flesh, but through love be servants to one another.

For *ye* have been called to liberty, brethren; only [do] not [turn] liberty into an

opportunity to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

For ye -- to freedom ye were called, brethren, only not the freedom for an occasion

to the flesh, but through the love serve ye one another,

Galatians 5 14

For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, in this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, in Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself;

for all the law in one word is fulfilled -- in this: `Thou shalt love thy neighbor as

thyself;`

Galatians 5 15

But if you bite and devour one another, be careful that you don`t consume one another.

but if ye bite and devour one another, see that ye are not consumed one of another.

and if one another ye do bite and devour, see -- that ye may not by one another be consumed.

Galatians 5 16

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you won`t fulfill the lust of the flesh.

But I say, Walk in [the] Spirit, and ye shall no way fulfil flesh`s lust.

And I say: In the Spirit walk ye, and the desire of the flesh ye may not complete;

Galatians 5 17

For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are contrary the

one to the other, that you may not do the things that you desire.

For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these things

are opposed one to the other, that ye should not do those things which ye desire;

for the flesh doth desire contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit contrary to the

flesh, and these are opposed one to another, that the things that ye may will --

these ye may not do;

Galatians 5 18

But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

but if ye are led by the Spirit, ye are not under law.

and if by the Spirit ye are led, ye are not under law.

Galatians 5 19

Now the works of the flesh are obvious, which are: adultery, sexual immorality, uncleanness, lustfulness,

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are fornication, uncleanness,

licentiousness,

And manifest also are the works of the flesh, which are: Adultery, whoredom,

uncleanness, lasciviousness,

Galatians 5 20

idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife, jealousies, outbursts of anger, rivalries, divisions, heresies,

idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strifes, jealousies, angers, contentions, disputes, schools of opinion,

idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, strifes, emulations, wraths, rivalries, dissensions, sects,

Galatians 5 21

envyings, murders, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these; of which I forewarn you, even as I did forewarn you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

envyings, murders, drunkennesses, revels, and things like these; as to which I tell you

beforehand, even as I also have said before, that they who do such things shall not inherit

God`s kingdom.

envyings, murders, drunkennesses, revellings, and such like, of which I tell you

before, as I also said before, that those doing such things the reign of God shall not inherit.

Galatians 5 22

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, fidelity,

And the fruit of the Spirit is: Love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith,

Galatians 5 23

gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

meekness, self-control: against such things there is no law.

meekness, temperance: against such there is no law;

Galatians 5 24

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts.

But they that [are] of the Christ have crucified the flesh with the passions and the lusts.

and those who are Christ`s, the flesh did crucify with the affections, and the desires;

Galatians 5 25

If we live by the Spirit, let`s also walk by the Spirit.

If we live by the Spirit, let us walk also by the Spirit.

if we may live in the Spirit, in the Spirit also we may walk;

Galatians 5 26

Let`s not become conceited, provoking one another, and envying one another.

Let us not become vain-glorious, provoking one another, envying one another.

let us not become vain-glorious -- one another provoking, one another envying!

 

Study Questions

Righteousness is..? 5:5

How is the law fulfilled? 5:14

The fruit of the spirit is..? 5:22-23

From Mark Copeland... Walking In Truth And Holiness (Ephesians 4:17-32)

                     "THE EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS"

                 Walking In Truth And Holiness (4:17-32)

INTRODUCTION

1. In the previous lesson, we saw where Paul began to describe our
   "duty" to "walk worthy of the calling with which you were called"
   - Ep 4:1

2. In doing so, he first called us to "walk together in unity" by 
   admonishing us to...
   a. Display the "attitudes" crucial for maintaining unity - Ep 4:2-3
   b. Understand the "basis" of the unity we have in Christ - Ep 4:4-6
   c. Utilize the "gifts" given by Christ to His church that serves to 
      keep the body of Christ together and growing - Ep 4:7-16

3. In the last half of chapter four (Ep 4:17-32), Paul continues to 
   describe the sort of "walk" that is worthy of our calling, especially
   as "a holy temple in the Lord" (cf. Ep 2:21-22)
   a. Whereas the first half emphasized "Walking Together In Unity"
   b. This section emphasizes "Walking In Truth And Holiness"

[We begin, then, in verse 17 with...]

I. THE ADMONITION (17-24)

   A. NO LONGER WALK LIKE THE REST OF THE GENTILES... (17-19)
      1. They walk "in the futility of their mind" - How so?
         a. It starts with the "hardening of their heart" 
         b. Which leads to "ignorance that is in them"
         c. Because of such ignorance they are "alienated from the life
            of God"
         d. And that results "having their understanding darkened"
         -- Notice where Jesus describes this same process - cf. Mt 13:
            14-15
      2. Their walk is "past feeling" - as indicated by the fact they...
         a. "have given themselves over to licentiousness" (i.e., 
            unbridled lust, excess)
         b. "work all uncleanness with greediness"
         -- Desensitized, they seek after ever-increasing forms moral 
            depravity - cf. Ro 1:18-32
      
   B. INSTEAD, WALK IN RIGHTEOUSNESS AND TRUE HOLINESS... (20-24)
      1. This is how you learned Christ
         a. As you heard Him and were taught by Him (through His 
            apostles, of course - cf. Mt 28:19-20)
         b. In Whom is the truth - cf. Jn 8:31-31; 14:6
      2. For you were taught to "put off" the "old man"
         a. That is, your "former conduct", how you behaved before you 
            were saved - cf. Col 3:5-9
         b. Putting off the old man is needed because it is never 
            content, but "grows corrupt according to the deceitful 
            lusts" (like addictive drugs, you always need more)
      3. And to "be renewed in the spirit of your mind"
         a. Which is the key to true "transformation" - cf. Ro 12:1-2
         b. You "renew" your mind only as you "set your mind on things 
            above" - cf. Col 3:1-2
      4. And to "put on the new man"
         a. A new man "which was created according to God" - cf. Col 3:10
         b. A new man, "in righteousness and true holiness" - cf. Col 3:12-17

[In giving the admonition "No longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles",
Paul has made it clear that it involves both a "putting off" and a 
"putting on".  I.e., our "Walking In Truth And Holiness" is not just a
bunch of "Thou Shalt Not's", there are also some "Thou Shalt's".

To illustrate further the difference between the "old man" (how the rest
of the Gentiles walk) and the "new man" (how Christians are to walk), we
find Paul making...]

II. THE APPLICATION (25-32)

   A. CASE IN POINT:  LYING... (25)
      1. The "old man" thinks nothing of lying
      2. The "new man" puts away lying, and in its place speaks truth 
         with his neighbor (especially to those who members of the same 
         body)

   B. CASE IN POINT:  ANGER... (26-27)
      1. The "old man" gets angry and lets it linger, or get out of 
         control
      2. The "new man" may get angry, but does not...
         a. Let it linger ("do not let the sun go down on your wrath"
         b. Allow it to prompt sinful behavior ("nor give place to the
            devil")

   C. CASE IN POINT:  STEALING... (28)
      1. The "old man" is willing to steal
      2. The "new man" not only stops stealing, but works so he can help
         others in need!

   D. CASE IN POINT:  CORRUPT COMMUNICATION... (29)
      1. The "old man" doesn't worry or care what comes out of his mouth
      2. The "new man" not only avoids "corrupt communication", but
         seeks to speak that which is uplifting to those who hear

   E. SUMMARY... (30-32)
      1. Why be concerned about putting off the "old man" and putting on
         the "new man"?
         a. When Christians act like the "old man", it grieves the Holy 
            Spirit
         b. By the Holy Spirit we were sealed for the day of redemption 
            - cf. Ep 1:13-14
      2. Therefore, we ought to put away those things befitting the "old
         man" (bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, evil speaking, malice)
      3. And in it's place we need to put on those things befitting the
         "new man" (being kind, tenderhearted, forgiving one another 
         just as God forgives us in Christ)

CONCLUSION

1. What a contrast there would be if all those in the church truly 
   carried out the admonition to "Walk In Truth And Holiness"!
   a. The church would stand out like "a city that is set on a hill"! 
      - cf. Mt 5:14-16
   b. And the world, though it now has "their understanding darkened", 
      might be more likely to come to see the truth that is in Jesus
   c. But what hope is there if the church is more like the world than 
      the "holy temple" it is to be?

2. Brethren, are we "grieving the Holy Spirit of God"?
   a. While the increasing worldliness in our society naturally concerns
      us...
   b. Let's be careful not to react with attitudes that are more in
      keeping with the "old man"
   c. But having been "sealed for the day of redemption", let's be sure
      to react in "righteousness and true holiness"

In our next lesson, we will see that "walking worthy of our calling"
also involves "Walking In Love, Light, And Wisdom"...

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011

From Jim McGuiggan... The Birth & Passing of A Church

The Birth & Passing of A Church

I was about to say the little church in Philippi vanished without trace but that would be a tragic mistake. Like so many other little assemblies of Christ they burned brightly and shaped the world for his Father before they "moved away". Along with countless others they bore their witness to God's redeeming and reconciling work in and through Jesus Christ. They rehearsed this work of God in their baptism, Supper, prayers praise, lifestyle and shared Story and then went their way. But before they left they confirmed the truth of a gospel they had heard before a callous and watching world.

Acts 16 tells us how it all began. A dream that left Paul restless and determined, a Sabbath prayer-meeting by a river, a woman whose heart God opened and who with her whole family was baptized into Christ, a jail sentence, an earthquake, a jailer and his family baptized into the Christ in the night and a church meeting with all the brothers and sisters at Lydia's house before parting. The drama of it all.

And how would some see all that? They'd explain it all in terms of psychology and religion. Paul saw it with different eyes. He saw it as God beginning his good work in them (Philippians 1:6). The jailer and his family are gone, Lydia and her family are gone but they carried a torch that breaks out in other fires all over the world in every generation.

Those who have sceptical eyes will read Acts 16 in one way because (so I judge) they haven't seen the bigger picture. Some of us will see the birth and passing of the little Philippian church as failure and tragedy and may feel disappointed but maybe there's a bigger picture.

©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 Ben Fronczek... An Attitude of Praise – Acts 16

An Attitude of Praise – Acts 16

Attitude of Praise  Acts 16

(Based on a sermon by: Mark Batterson)

This week I read about a fascinating research study done by Vicki Medvec, a professor at Northwestern University. She studied Olympic medalists and she discovered that Bronze medalists were happier than Silver medalists. Here’s why. She found that Silver medalists tended to focus on how close they came to winning the gold so they weren’t satisfied with silver. Bronze medalists tended to focus on how close they came to not winning a medal at all so they were just happy to be on the medal stand at all.  I think that study reveals a fascinating facet of human nature: Your focus determines your reality. How we feel isn’t necessarily determined by circumstances. If that was the case, the Silver Medalists would be happier than Bronze medalists because they had a better result. Even though how we feel isn’t necessarily determined by our circumstances, how we feel is determined by what we are more focused on.

Here’s another way of saying it: Your internal attitudes are more important than your external circumstances. Someone by the name of John Milton said it best: “The mind is its own place, and in itself, can make a Heaven out of Hell, and a Hell out of Heaven.” That’s so true isn’t it? All of us know people who can find something good to focus on even in the worst of circumstances. And all of us know someone who can find something bad to focus on even in the best of circumstances.

There is a universal principle I need to share with you here: We tend to see what we want to see.

Someone once said, ‘There are two basic types of people in the church: complainers and praisers. Complainers can always find something to complain about. And the praisers can always find something to praise and worship God about.’

All of us seem to make judgments about things all the time. Then we seem to look for evidence to support our judgments and many times ignore evidence to the contrary. For example, if you decide you don’t like someone you’ll notice everything that is wrong with that person. And you’ll probably ignore anything you could potentially like about them. The flipside is true as well. If you’re head-over-heels in love with someone you tend to only notice those things you love about them.

We see what we want to see. What does that have to do with praise and worship? A worshipper makes a decision beforehand to look for something to praise God about even in the direst of circumstances. That’s what we are going to see in our text today.   

Read  Acts 16:16-34 (Click on link to read) http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2016:16-34&version=NIV1984

In Acts 16, Paul and Silas are in a prison cell in Philippi. Paul had cast a demon out of a fortune-teller. Her master doesn’t like it because she loses the ability to predict the future, which was  a source of income for him, so he has Paul and Silas arrested.

In the NLT version Acts 16:22 it says, “A mob quickly formed against Paul and Silas, and the city officials ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden rods.”  The text says: “They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn’t escape.  So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks.”

I think as we read a story like this it’s hard to put ourselves in their shoes. I’ve had bad days before, but nothing like this. If I was Paul or Silas I would have been emotionally, physically and spiritually spent. I’d be drained to the last drop. I’d have nothing left to give. Their backs are bleeding from their beating. They are black and blue all over. If it was me I would not have been very happy rather I’d probably be ticked off.  And to top it off they land in the maximum security cell in stocks! It just doesn’t get much worse than that. And that’s why this next verse is so amazing to me. 

Acts 16:25 says, “Around midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening.”

Today I want to show you that there is something we can do to help us get out a a spiritual or emotional slump:

#1. Zoom Out   Let me share something I’ve learned from personal experience. When I get into a spiritual or emotional slump, it’s usually because I’ve ‘zoomed in’ on a problem. I’m fixating on something that is wrong. I’m really focused on the wrong thing. Nine times out of ten, the solution is zooming out so I can get some perspective. Sometimes you’ve got to zoom out and look at the big picture. That’s what the following college student did in writing this letter to her mom and dad, She wrote:

Dear Mom and Dad,
I have so much to tell you. Because of the fire in my dorm set by the student riots here, I experienced temporary lung damage and had to go to the hospital. While I was there, I fell in love with an orderly, and we have moved in together. I dropped out of school when I found out I was pregnant, but he got fired because of his drinking problem, so we’re going to move to Alaska, where we might get married after the birth of our baby.

Your loving daughter

PS: None of this really happened, but I did flunk my chemistry class and I wanted you to keep it in perspective.

Sometimes you need to zoom out and look at the big picture. You fail a chemistry exam and it feels like the end of the world. But it’s not. A piece of machinery breaks down on your farm and it seems like such a big deal, but in the grand scheme of things, it’s not. Somebody wrecks your car, or you loose a tooth, or you can’t get the job you want… and it seems like the end of the world, but in all reality, it’s not.  We just need to stand back and zoom out! 

So what can help us ‘zoom out?’  Let me give you a two words answer: worship and praise.

In doing so we take our eyes off of our external circumstances and focusing on God. We stop focusing on what’s wrong with us or with our circumstances. We start focus on what’s right with God and we start seeing the bigger picture.

Paul and Silas could have zoomed in and complained about their circumstances. 

 ‘God, we cast out a demon and this is what we get? We’re on a missionary journey and we get beaten and thrown in jail? Instead of “watching our back” our backs are bleeding from a beating!‘   They could have complained till the cows came home. But they made a choice to worship God in spite of their external circumstances.

Here’s what worship and praising God does. It restores our spiritual equilibrium. It helps you regain your perspective. It enables you to find something right to praise God about even when everything seems to be going wrong.  This kind of Worship and praise is zooming out and refocusing on the big picture. Rather than bringing out the problem, we can focus on the fact that two thousand years ago, Jesus was beat for us and died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sin. It’s refocusing on the fact that God loves me when I least expect it and least deserve it. It’s refocusing on the fact that God is going to get me where God wants me to go. It’s refocusing on the fact that I have eternity with God to look forward to in a place where there is no trouble, mourning, sorrow or pain.

Worship like this helps us refocus on the fundamentals of our faith. And here is what happens:   God restores the joy of our salvation. We regain our spiritual equilibrium.  Paul and Silas were in a bad place and their bodies probably hurt real bad, but despite that, they almost seem happy. Happy because they were focused on the Lord and worshipped Him even in this dungeon.

Is it that easy? Absolutely not! Nothing is more difficult than praising God when everything seems to be going wrong. It seems like we like to focus on our troubles, or even brag about them. But one of the purest forms of worship is praising God even when you don’t feel like it because it shows God that your worship isn’t based on your circumstances, rather our Worship and praise is based on His character and your trust in Him.

Another problem is, many of us are so out of tune with God. We hardly even think about Him all week long. So when trouble hits, He is the last one we think about. Putting on an attitude of worship and praise will manipulate our circumstances and redirects our thought process into something positive. Look at what it did for Paul and Silas.

Victor Frankl was a Holocaust survivor who wrote about his experiences in a Nazi concentration camp. He wrote that every thing was taken away from the prisoners. They were stripped of their clothing, their pictures, and their personal belongings. They even took away their names and gave them numbers. Frankl was number 119,104.

He said, “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances.”

I’m absolutely convinced that the most important choice you make every day is choosing your attitude. Your internal attitudes are more important than your external circumstances. The outcome of your life and state of being will be strongly determined by your outlook on life. If you have a critical or complaining spirit you’ll complain till the day you die. Your life will get worse and worse because you’ll accumulate more and more negative experiences. But if you have a praiseful and worshipful spirit,  life will get better and better. Why? Because you accumulate positive memories. At the end of the day, one way or the other, your focus will determine your reality! Paul and Silas were in prison. Their bodies were chained. But you can’t chain the human spirit.  That’s what Victor Frankl discovered in the concentration camp. That’s what Paul and Silas modeled two thousand years ago. Their bodies were chained and in stocks, but their spirits soared. I would have loved to hear to hear their prayers and songs that night.  I can’t help but believe that they sang with a conviction which caused their fellow prisoners to listen as they praised God with their voices! And that choice to worship set off a chain reaction which led to conversions.

Albert Einstein said, “You can’t solve a problem on the level it was created.” I think problems created on a human plane there were solved on the supernatural plane. That’s what happens when we praise and worship God. It changes the spiritual atmosphere. It charges the spiritual atmosphere.

I don’t think Paul could have planned this miraculous jailbreak. To make a long story short, there is an earthquake. The prisoners are set free, but they don’t leave! The jailer who is about to kill himself gets saved and his entire family is baptized in the middle of the night. You can’t script that kind of thing.. But when you worship God like this in the worst of Circumstances you never know what is going to happen. Worship and this kind of praise sets the stage for God’s intervention. This kind of praise and Worship causes spiritual earthquakes that can change the topography of your life and others. It may not change your circumstances. But it will change your life.

Napoleon Hill said, “Every negative event contains within it the seed of an equal or greater benefit.”  Praise and Worship is a way we stay positive in negative circumstances. And it’s not a placebo! A Band-Aid, it’s reality!  No matter how bad things get, as a follower of Christ, I stil have eternity in heaven to look forward to! My pain may be real, but so is heaven.

The good news is that this reality is temporary. That reality will last forever!  The key is focusing on the right reality!

What I hope you learn from this Lesson: 

1. That people like Paul and Silas who sing in prison are men who cannot be imprisoned. It was impossible to imprison Paul and Silas’ heart. Their bodies may be in jail – but they weren’t.

Later Paul would write saying, “To keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”  2 Corinthians 12:7-10

2. We can learn that men who worship and sing at midnight like this are men who see beyond their circumstances. They realize that they are citizens of a land that has no night, no pain, no trouble. The Lord is their light and they’ll always be free even in chains.

3. We can also learn that men who sing and worship when they go through difficult trials can make a huge impact on others.  No one seems to like people who whine complain all the time. Rather they are drawn to people with a happy positive attitude, like a moth to light on a dark night.