Choose the God of Your Choice? by Dave Miller, Ph.D.

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=11&article=1183

Choose the God of Your Choice?

by	Dave Miller, Ph.D.

The Christian religion has fallen prey to the pluralistic, multi-cultural mindset of American culture. Religion is now fashioned according to the prevailing mentality that citizens have a right to make their own choices and “do their own thing.” “That’s the American way!” After all, “I have my rights!” “My view is just as good as the other guy’s.” Unfortunately, such self-centered arrogance does not prepare one for humble submission to God (James 4:10). It only encourages compliance with self-stylized religion, i.e., religion that is structured according to one’s own desires. Paul referred to this approach as “self-imposed” or “will worship,” i.e., worshipping according to one’s own will (Colossians 2:23).
Religious conditions in the first century were such that most people believed in a multiplicity of gods (e.g., Acts 17:16). But, in reality, there was only one God (Ephesians 4:6). The fact that men fabricated elaborate trappings like images, temples, etc., and took their religion seriously, did not alter the fact that they were involved in vain worship and false religion (cf. Matthew 15:9; 2 Peter 2:1). Telling them that there was only one God, or that one god was not just as good as another, would not have been a popular teaching. In fact, the doctrine of “one God” was perceived as a genuine threat to the polytheism of the day, and as a serious challenge to the Empire’s religious health. Polytheism had so permeated first-century society that acceptance of the doctrine of “one God” was virtually inconceivable for most people.
History repeats itself many times over. Our day is really no different from those first-century environmental factors. While Americans historically have rejected the notion of “many gods” (although even this foundational truth is changing), the concept of “many churches” has been embraced fully. The prevailing attitude is “attend the church of your choice,” and “one church is as good as another.” But the concept of multiple churches is as foreign to the New Testament as is the idea of multiple gods. The exact same passage that affirms only one God (Ephesians 4:6), affirms only one church (Ephesians 4:4; 1:22-23). Either out of ignorance, discontent, or pride, men have taken it upon themselves to fabricate their own churches, stylizing doctrine, organization, worship, and name according to their own desires. Some never seem to realize that Jesus did not leave anyone free to fashion his or her own church (Matthew 15:9; 16:18). All false doctrines, false teachers, and false churches will be rejected (Matthew 15:13).
Let us not encourage people to “join the church of your choice.” Rather, let us urge them to respond obediently to the Gospel of Christ—through faith, repentance, and water baptism (Acts 2:38)—so that they may be “added” (Acts 2:47) to the church of Christ’s choice (Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 5:23).

Cell Nuclei: Anything but Random by Caleb Colley, Ph.D.

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=12&article=1920

Cell Nuclei: Anything but Random

by	Caleb Colley, Ph.D.

At the heart of biological evolutionary theory is randomness. Evolutionists claim that the human body is the result of random mutations prompted by natural selection. According to the University of California at Berkeley, “The mechanisms of evolution—like natural selection and genetic drift—work with the random variation generated by mutation” (“Mutations...,” n.d.).
However essential a pillar of evolution the random may be, it is antithetical to what we actually observe in nature, even in the basic unit of all living matter—the cell (Aw, 1982, p. 127). New research suggests that the nucleus of a mammal cell is made up of component parts arranged in a pattern which can be predicted statistically (“Scientists Prove...,” 2006). Systems biologists worked with mathematicians to identify, for the first time, “spatial relationships” governing the distribution of an important control protein in the nucleus, in relation to other components within the nuclei of mammal cells (“Scientists Prove...,” 2006).
The study, published in PLoS Computational Biology, reports that, “[i]t is becoming increasingly clear that nuclear macromolecules and macromolecular complexes are compartmentalized through binding interaction into an apparent three-dimensionally ordered structure” (McManus, et al., 2006). The widespread protein CBP acts on certain genes within the cell nucleus, causing them to make specific proteins at different times throughout the life of the cell (“Scientists Prove...”). The scientists developed a probability map for the nucleus and determined that CBP pockets are more likely to be located closest to the gene regions with which they are known to modify (“Scientists Prove...”).
Also, scientists at Purdue University and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have created a technique that automatically locates and maps proteins involved in regulated cell behavior (“New Cell Imaging...,” 2006, p. 46). This allows the cancer researcher, for example, to verify the distinction between multiplying cells that are harmless and those that are malignant (4:46).
Perhaps these new advances constitute substantial progress in scientific examination of cellular life, but they certainly are not the first observations of incredibly sophisticated organization in the cell. Indeed, to observe cells at all is to observe strict organization in the human body itself, for the body is composed in a hierarchy of organs, tissues, and cells. And while it may be very useful to try to put things such as DNA and proteins in the perspective of a cell, “the amazing beauty and complexity of a cell is not always easy to grasp because of the very small sizes involved.... Cells have typical radius [sic] of 10 to 30 microns” (one micron equals a millionth of a meter; Baldi, 2001, p., 22).
Cellular divisions of organic matter were identified and given the name “cells” as long ago as 1663 by the English scientist Robert Hooke (Pfeiffer, 1964, p. 9). Although some 17th-century scientists realized how ridiculous it would be to suggest that something as obviously structured as a human body was composed of randomly assembled components, they did not understand fully the complexity of the cell. Ernst Haeckel, the famed proponent of embryonic recapitulation, contended even in 1877: “the cell consists of matter called protoplasm, composed chiefly of carbon, with an admixture of hydrogen, nitrogen and sulphur. These component parts, properly united, produce the soul and body of the animated world, and suitably nursed become man” (as quoted in Eiseley, 1961, p. 346).
By the mid-20th century, technology had opened the eyes of scientists to a deepened examination of the cell’s inner workings:

The microscopic blob of jelly called the cell is a remarkable entity. The most remarkable thing about it is the very fact that it is alive—not with a murky primordial glow, but as fully and vibrantly alive as a tiger or an oak tree. In a remarkable miniaturization of life’s functions, the cell moves, grows, reacts, protects itself and even reproduces. To sustain this varied existence, it utilizes a tightly organized system of parts that is much like a tiny industrial complex. It has a central control point, power plants, internal communications, construction and manufacturing elements (Pfeiffer, 1964, p. 16).

Reports of cellular organization do not surprise creationists, who understand that each cell is built according to fundamental design principles. Considering that even the most minute cell is capable of the five activities of life (metabolism, growth, reproduction, responsiveness, and autonomous movement), it only makes sense that the “brain” of the cell—the nucleus—is organized in a recognizable pattern.
In their cytology textbook, Cell Biology, Roberts, Nowinski, and Saez wrote: “[I]t has been demonstrated that beyond the organization visible with the light microscope are a number of more elementary structures at the macromolecular level that constitute the ‘ultrastructure’ of the cell. We find ourselves in the era of molecular biology...” (1970, p. 3). That was 1970, a few years after the advent of the electron microscope, which made it possible to study intracellular structures and their interrelationship. Scientists consistently have found that different parts of the cell relate to each other. Baldi wrote that the cell structure could be illustrated by a football stadium:

In the stadium, proteins come in many shapes and sizes, but typically have the dimensions of a tennis ball.... [P]roteins are extremely busy in the stadium as they continually bind and interact with each other.... Somehow proteins must find their way to the region of their activity: the football field (nucleus), the rest of the stadium (cytoplasm), the wall around the stadium (membrane), or even the external world in the case of secreted proteins. They are what keeps the stadium functioning, by generating energy, removing waste, exchanging food and other signals with the external world, producing other tennis balls, fighting enemies, and so on.... From time to time, proteins take care of the very complex events by which an entire stadium is precisely duplicated into two stadiums... (2001, pp. 23-24).

Evolutionists believe that the first living cell appeared 3.5 billion years ago and gradually increased in sophistication and organization (Baldi, 2001, p. 25). How and why did it appear? Is it reasonable to assume that the original nucleus, in all its complexity and organization, simply came together for no apparent reason, and then summoned the remaining cellular parts to join in the fight for existence? Is the origin of the cell explicable on strictly natural bases?
Such is illogical for several reasons, not the least of which is the existence of Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and its vital role in the nucleus and in the life of the cell. The DNA is a supermodule that carries the coded information for the replication of the cell. It stores coded information in a chemical format and then uses a biologic agent (RNA) to decode and activate it. As Darrel Kautz has stated: “Human technology has not yet advanced to the point of storing information chemically as it is in the DNA module” (1988, p. 45, emp. in orig.; see also Jackson, 1993, pp. 11-12). The DNA regulates life and directs its synthesis (see Thompson, 2003, pp. 78-86).
The DNA, all within the nucleus, stores a tremendous amount of information. If transcribed into English, the DNA in the human genome would fill a 300-volume set of encyclopedias of approximately 2,000 pages each (Baldi, 2001, p. 21). As Jackson concluded, “a programmed message is not self-explanatory in terms of its origin. One must assume that someone wrote the initial program. A program does not write itself! Similarly, it is obvious that someone has programmed the data in the DNA” (1993, p. 11). The cell, with its complex nucleus, could not have developed accidentally.
Furthermore, consider cellular reproduction and the important role of DNA in the process. In mitosis, cell division is “a mathematically precise doubling of the chromosomes and their genes. The two chromosome sets so produced then become separated and become part of two newly formed nuclei” so that “the net result of cell division is the formation of two cells that match each other and the parent cell precisely in their gene contents and that contain approximately equal amounts and types of all other components” (Weisz and Keogh, 1977, pp. 322,325).
We demonstrated that the cell could not have developed accidentally. For the sake of argument, however, suppose that a single cell did “appear.” What then? Evolutionists are burdened to explain how and why the first living cell, 3.5 billion years ago, would have perceived a need to divide itself and reproduce. Evolution quickly becomes a logistical conundrum.

CONCLUSION

For purposes of research and experimentation, scientists depend on regular patterns at the cellular level. Such is possible only because cells exhibit precise organization. To believe evolution is to believe that the random gave rise to the organized by accident. Such a position is increasingly recognized as irrational in the presence of cellular organization. Sir Fred Hoyle, a prominent British scientist, has argued that the chance of higher life-forms emerging accidentally is comparable to the chance that a Boeing 747 jet could be assembled by a tornado sweeping through a junkyard (1981, 294:105). Thankfully, we have a more sensible explanation: “It is He Who has made us” (Psalm 100:3). God designed the eukaryotic human cell and its nucleus!

REFERENCES

Aw, S.E. (1982), Chemical Evolution: An Examination of Current Ideas (San Diego, CA: Master).
Baldi, Pierre (2001), The Shattered Self (Cambridge, MA: MIT).
Eiseley, Loren C. (1961), Darwin’s Century: Evolution and the Men Who Discovered It (Garden City, NY: Anchor).
Hoyle, Fred (1981), “Hoyle on Evolution,” Nature, 294:105, November 12.
Jackson, Wayne (1993), The Human Body—Accident or Design? (Stockton, CA: Courier).
Kautz, Darrel (1988), The Origin of Living Things (Milwaukee, WI: Darrel Kautz).
McManus, Kirk J., et al. “The Transcriptional Regulator CBP Has Defined Spatial Associations with Interphase Nuclei” (2006), PLoS Computational Biology, [On-line], URL: http://compbiol.plosjournals.org/perlserv/?request=get-document&doi=10.1371/ journal.pcbi.0020139.
“Mutations are Random” (no date), University of California at Berkeley, [On-line], URL: http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evosite/evo101/IIIC1aRandom.shtml.
“New Cell Imaging Method Identifies Aggressive Cancer Cells Early” (2006), Bioscience Technology, 4:46-47, April.
Pfeiffer, John (1964), The Cell (New York: Time).
Roberts, E.D.P., Wiktor W. Nowinski, and Francisco A. Saez (1970), Cell Biology (Philadelphia, PA: W.B. Saunders).
“Scientists Prove that Parts of Cell Nuclei are Not Arranged at Random” (2006), Imperial College London, [On-line], URL: http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/newsandeventspggrp/imperialcollege/newssummary/ news_20-10-2006-8-43-24.
Thompson, Bert (2003), The Case for the Existence of God (Montgomery, AL: Apologetics Press).
Weisz, Paul B. and Richard N. Keogh (1977), Elements of Biology (New York: McGraw-Hill).

Did the Hebrew Writers Borrow from Ancient Near Eastern Mythology? by Dewayne Bryant, M.A.

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=13&article=4538

Did the Hebrew Writers Borrow from Ancient Near Eastern Mythology?

by	Dewayne Bryant, M.A.

For centuries, the bulk of the people in the West regarded the Bible as the Word of God. They saw it as the inerrant and inspired revelation of God to His creation. Beginning in the mid-1800s, some academicians began rejecting the inspiration of the Bible. This came, in part, after the discovery of ancient mythological texts. Upon examining the textual evidence, skeptics highlighted the Bible’s similarities with other literature and claimed it to be only one sacred book among a larger body of myth. After studying the Bible’s differences from ancient mythology, other scholars viewed these discoveries as confirmations of the Bible’s uniqueness.
Perhaps the most dominant viewpoint in biblical studies concerning the biblical text is that the Bible contains significant amounts of mythology borrowed from Israel’s neighbors (although we should quickly add that truth is not determined by majority opinion). This presumption has dominated biblical studies for nearly two centuries. But as additional texts have surfaced, more cautious scholars have backed away from this viewpoint. Indeed, myth was once seen as pure fiction, but now scholars are beginning to realize that this may not necessarily be the case. The belief that myth may contain small nuggets of historical truth is gaining popularity, even if we recognize that tales of the gods were nothing more than the work of inventive scribes. So where does this leave the Bible? The question we must ask is this: is the Bible pure myth, or is it something else?
We must first determine what we mean by “myth.” It is a notoriously difficult term to define, and scholars use it with a variety of nuances (see Kreeft and Tacelli, 1994, pp. 212-213). Some define it as any story including the supernatural. Most separate myth from legend, with the former being stories about the gods, and the latter being stories—with varying degrees of historical truth—about human beings. In modern parlance, some use it to refer to fiction, especially the body of stories about a particular character (e.g., the mythology of Superman or Captain America). But if we look at the term as it bears on the sacred texts of the religions in the ancient Near East, it has a clearly defined usage.
In his book The Bible Among the Myths, Old Testament scholar John Oswalt notes the radical differences between mythological texts and the Hebrew Bible (2009). The Bible and ancient myth came from two fundamentally different worldviews. Although he identifies nearly a dozen different points, we will examine four in particular.

THE MORAL CHARACTER OF DEITY

In the Bible, God’s moral character is    identified with holiness and righteousness. To be more accurate, it is His character that defines holiness. His attributes set the standards for behavior. They are ethically and morally pure and upright. Furthermore, since He is perfect and cannot fundamentally change (Malachi 3:6), He can become neither any better nor any worse. His goodness is celebrated throughout the Bible (Psalm 16:2; 31:19; 107:1). He cannot be tempted or tempt another (James 1:17), or look upon evil with any measure of approval (Habakkuk 1:13). Individuals mirror God’s holiness, in part through ethical living (Leviticus 11:44; 1 Peter 1:16).
The gods of the ancient Near East often commit evil acts and frequently give themselves over to debauchery. In Egyptian myth, the chaotic god Seth murders his brother Osiris and dismembers the body. In an Egyptian myth titled “The Contendings of Horus and Seth,” Seth attempts to rape his nephew Horus during a contest over who will take Osiris’ place (Lichtheim, 2006, 2:219). Rape is a common theme in the Greek myths, where women and even goddesses are violated with a frequency that would shock many modern readers. In the Atrahasis Epic, the gods are outraged because humanity is keeping them awake at night. They attempt to silence humanity through various means, including disease and famine, and finally send a flood to destroy humanity for the sake of a good night’s sleep (see Foster, 1997). The gods are not above getting drunk, either. In one Ugaritic text, called “The Myth of El’s Banquet,” the Canaanite god El (or Ilu) becomes inebriated, and on his way home meets an unidentified animal which causes him to soil himself and fall down into his own excrement (see Pardee, 1997). Such inglorious stories are nowhere to be found in the Bible about God. The God of the Bible can in no way be compared to deities of human invention.

THE VIEW OF MANKIND

The biblical account of mankind’s creation is the most complete and noble of any in ancient Near Eastern literature. Other accounts of man’s creation must be pieced together from various fragments (as in Egypt), or else depict man as little more than an afterthought (as in Mesopotamia). Regardless of the specific tradition, the requirements are clear: man is created to serve the gods, to perform services for them, and, should they fail, incur divine wrath. As Walton observes:

while Israelites viewed man as created to rule, Mesopotamians viewed him as created to serve…. The fact that the Israelites viewed man as the centerpiece of creation afforded him a certain dignity, undergirded by the fact that he was created in the image of God. In contrast, Mesopotamians did not see man as created with dignity. Human beings achieved their dignity by the function they served (1989, p. 29).

He adds that humanity was originally created “in a barbarous state,” with humanity being “an unplanned afterthought, created for the sake of convenience” (p. 30).
The biblical account of Creation is vastly different from its Near Eastern counterparts. Man is the apex of creation. He has dignity because of who he is, not what he does. He is created as a kind of governor or viceroy charged with stewarding God’s creation (Genesis 1:28). Furthermore, this creation was prepared with man in mind (cf. Genesis 1:29-30), for his use and enjoyment. Although he is also created to worship his Creator, it is not a wearisome task. The New Testament further reveals that worship is also meant for the benefit of fellow believers (Acts 2:46-47; Ephesians 5:19), in addition to giving honor to God.

THE REQUIREMENTS OF DEITY

What the gods required of humanity in other cultures could not be known with any accuracy. The most a person could do was to infer the will of the gods based on their circumstances. If all was well and life was going smoothly, then it was apparent that the person was indeed doing the gods’ will. Should they suffer misfortune or tragedy, it must have meant that the person had offended the gods. It became their task to determine which god they might have offended through omens and offer the appropriate sacrifices. This was no easy task, and could be viewed as something of a guessing game. In contrast, God clearly outlined what He expected of mankind with precision through His spokesmen. His will is revealed clearly as a matter of public record, made known through readings to the people (Deuteronomy 31:9-13). The people were warned before punishment, rebuked afterwards, and told specifically what needed to be done to please God.

HISTORIOGRAPHY

The biblical authors had a worldview by which history was viewed as linear. The past, present, and future all had great importance. Specifically, the past served as a reminder, which God makes clear is important enough to signify with memorials, such as piles of stones (e.g., Joshua 4:19-24), or the institution of the Lord’s Supper (Matthew 26:17-30; Mark 14:12-26; Luke 22:7-39). The future is also important in the biblical worldview, as we see in the prophet Joel’s concern about the coming Day of the Lord (Joel 2:1-11), or Christ’s teaching about His impending return (Matthew 24:30; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). The biblical writers considered all phases of time to be important.
There was virtually no understanding of history in the modern sense among the cultures of the ancient Near East. The Near Eastern view of history was cyclical and assigned little importance to the past or to the future. The ancient Greek historian Herodotus (circa 484-425 B.C.) is called the “father of history” for good reason—prior to his time there was little or no recording or analysis of the past for its own sake. Historiography, as we know it, did not exist (an exception may be seen in the Babylonian chronicles, which record the history of Babylon from the eighth century through the third century B.C.). The past had very little importance outside its use as propaganda by monarchs interested in glorifying themselves (see Oswalt, 2009, pp. 111-137).

CONCLUSION

Mythology is much more than exciting stories filled with fantastic monsters, magic, and imaginative details. It is a way of thinking—a worldview. Careful comparison of the biblical text with myth makes it clear that the Bible and ancient Near Eastern mythology are not merely different from one another—they are radically so. Even a cursory reading is enough to give most people a feeling that the Bible and myth are quite different, even if they immediately may not be able to put their finger on why. Thanks to the discovery and study of ancient texts, the differences are easy to detect. The Bible, unlike Near Eastern mythology, has an air of dispassionate objectivity that puts it in a category by itself. The Bible and ancient mythology are so different from one another that any allegations of wholesale borrowing on the part of the biblical authors must be rejected by those who handle the ancient evidence with care.

REFERENCES

Foster, Benjamin R., trans. (1997), “Atra-Hasis” in The Context of Scripture, Vol. 1: Canonical Compositions from the Biblical World, ed. William W. Hallo and K. Lawson Younger (Leiden: Brill).
Kreeft, Peter and Ronald Tacelli (1994), The Handbook of Catholic Apologetics: Reasoned Answers to Questions of Faith (San Francisco, CA: Ignatius Press).
Lichtheim, Miriam (2006), Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume 2: The New Kingdom (Berkeley, CA: University of California Press).
Oswalt, John N. (2009), The Bible Among the Myths: Unique Revelation or Just Ancient Literature? (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan).
Pardee, Dennis, trans. (1997), “Ilu on a Toot” in The Context of Scripture, Vol. 1: Canonical Compositions from the Biblical World, ed. William W. Hallo and K. Lawson Younger (Leiden: Brill).
Walton, John H. (1989), Ancient Israelite Literature in its Cultural Context (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan).

The Quran and the Trinity by Dave Miller, Ph.D.

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=8&article=1552

The Quran and the Trinity

by	Dave Miller, Ph.D.

When reading the Quran, one is surprised time and time again with the fact that the Allah of the Quran conducts himself quite differently from the God of the Bible. Of course, “Allah” is simply the Arabic word for “God,” like its equivalent Old Testament Hebrew term elohim—a general term for deity that was used by the Jews to refer both to the one true God, as well as to the false deities of their pagan neighbors (e.g., Genesis 35:2; Deuteronomy 29:18; Daniel 3:25). So the term “God” in whatever language (English, Arabic, or Hebrew) is a generic term to refer to deity. Muslims claim that the Allah they worship is the same God that Abraham and the Jews worshipped. Nevertheless, it is possible for one to pay lip service to following the God of the Bible, and yet so recast Him that He ceases to be the same Being about which one reads on the pages of the Bible. The meaning and identity that each culture or religion attaches to the word may differ radically.
Many current Christian authors do this very thing when they claim to be writing about the Jesus of the New Testament. They misrepresent Jesus, recasting and refashioning the Jesus of the Bible into essentially a different Being than the One depicted on the pages of the New Testament—one who is unconcerned about obedience, and whose grace forgives just about everybody unconditionally (e.g., Lucado, 1996). But that is not the Jesus of the New Testament. They have so misrepresented the person, nature, and conduct of Jesus that for all practical purposes, their writings depict a different Jesus.
In like fashion, the Quran has Allah saying and doing things that the God of the Bible simply would not say or do. Actions and attitudes are attributed to Allah that stand in stark contradistinction to the character of the God of the Bible. Though Allah is claimed by Muslims to be the same God as the God of the Old Testament, the Quran’s depiction of deity is nevertheless sufficiently redefined as to make Allah distinct from the God of the Bible. This stark contrast is particularly evident in the biblical doctrine of the Trinity.
The Bible depicts deity as singular, i.e., there is one and only one divine essence or Being (Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 45:5; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 1 Timothy 2:5; James 2:19). However, the Bible also clearly depicts God as a triune Being—three distinct persons within the one essence—with a triune nature. For example, during the Creation week, God stated: “Let us...” (Genesis 1:26, emp. added). Both the Holy Spirit (Genesis 1:2) and Christ (John 1:1-3) were present and active at the Creation with God the Father. The New Testament alludes to the “Godhead” (Acts 17:29; Romans 1:20; Colossians 2:9). At the baptism of Jesus while He was in human form, the Father spoke audibly from heaven, and the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus (Matthew 3:16-17). All three are sometimes noted together (Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14). Each person of the Godhead is fully God, fully deity, fully divine. Jesus is repeatedly referred to as God (Matthew 1:22-23; John 1:1-3,14; 8:58; 20:28; Micah 5:2). The Holy Spirit is also divine (John 14:26; 15:26; Romans 15:19; 1 Corinthians 2:10-11; Ephesians 4:4; Hebrews 9:14).
In contrast to the biblical portrait, the Quran goes out of its way to denounce the notion of Trinity:

O People of the Scripture! Do not exaggerate in your religion nor utter aught concerning Allah save the truth. The Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, was only a messenger of Allah, and His word which He conveyed unto Mary, and a spirit from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers, and say not “Three”—Cease! (it is) better for you!—Allah is only One God. Far is it removed from His transcendant majesty that he should have a son. His is all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. And Allah is sufficient as Defender. The Messiah will never scorn to be a slave unto Allah, nor will the favoured angels. Whoso scorneth His service and is proud, all such will He assemble unto Him (Surah 4:171-172, emp. added).
They surely disbelieve who say: Lo! Allah is the Messiah, son of Mary. The Messiah (himself) said: O Children of Israel, worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord. Lo! whoso ascribeth partners unto Allah, for him Allah hath forbidden Paradise. His abode is the Fire. For evil‑doers there will be no helpers. They surely disbelieve who say: Lo! Allah is the third of three; when there is no God save the One God. If they desist not from so saying a painful doom will fall on those of them who disbelieve. Will they not rather turn unto Allah and seek forgiveness of Him? For Allah is Forgiving, Merciful (Surah 5:72-74, emp. added).

The Christian is surely startled to read such forthright denunciations on those who believe in the Godhead as depicted in the Bible. The Quran declares in unmistakable terms that those who do believe in the Trinity will be excluded from paradise, and will experience a “painful doom” by burning in the fire of hell.
Regarding the third person of the Godhead, Muslims insist that the Quran knows nothing of the Holy Spirit—all seeming references simply being, in the words of Muslim scholar Mohammed Pickthall, “a term for the angel of Revelation, Gabriel (on whom be peace)” (Pickthall, p. 40). Thus the Quran denies the person of the Holy Spirit, acknowledges the existence of Jesus while denying His divinity, and insists that the person of Allah is singular in nature. The Quran and the Bible are in dire contradiction with each other on the doctrine of the Trinity.

REFERENCES

Lucado, Max (1996), In the Grip of Grace (Dallas, TX: Word).
Pickthall, Mohammed M. (n.d.), The Meaning of the Glorious Koran (New York: Mentor).

"THE BOOK OF PROVERBS" Wisdom Regarding Speech by Mark Copeland

                         "THE BOOK OF PROVERBS"

                        Wisdom Regarding Speech

INTRODUCTION

1. Christians are to give careful heed to their speech...
   a. Avoiding corrupt words, speaking that which edifies - Ep 4:29
   b. Abstaining from filthy talk, giving thanks instead - Ep 5:4

2. The book of Proverbs has much to say about speech...
   a. The power of speech
   b. Both to tear down and to build up - Pr 11:9,11

[What wisdom can be gleaned from Proverbs concerning our speech or
language?  First, there is the...]

I. DESTRUCTIVE USE OF SPEECH

   A. LYING...
      1. Which is an abomination to God - Pr 12:22; 6:17-19
         a. Lying lips, a lying tongue
         b. Bearing false witness
      2. Often fostered by hatred - Pr 10:18; 26:24-28
         a. In efforts to hide hatred
         b. Trying to disguise one's true feelings
      3. Which will prove to be short-lived - Pr 12:19; 20:17; 21:6
         a. Just for a moment
         b. Sweet at first, but only a fleeting fantasy
      -- Lying will eventually destroy the liar, and often the one lied
         about

   B. FLATTERY...
      1. Not sincere compliments, but deceitful praise to win another's
         favor and to manipulate
      2. Also a source of ruin - Pr 26:28; 29:5
         a. Often crushing others
         b. By entrapping those who are flattered
      3. Often used effectively by the adulteress - Pr 6:24; 7:21
         a. A truly evil woman
         b. Who uses enticing speech to seduce
      -- Like lying, flattery can destroy both the user and subject of
         it

   C. GOSSIP...
      1. Also known as the tale-bearer, slanderer, whisperer - Pr 11:13
         a. Who reveals secrets
         b. Unlike a faithful person
      2. Betrays and destroys friendships - Pr 17:9
         a. By repeating a matter
         b. When one who truly loves will remain silent
      3. Creates strife - Pr 16:27-28; 26:20-22
         a. Revealing the perverse character of the gossip
         b. Whose words are like wood to a fire
      4. Destroys character and integrity - Pr 11:9; 25:9-10
         a. The work of a true hypocrite
         b. Whose own reputation will eventually be ruined
      -- Whether true or not is incidental; gossip destroys both the
         user and the subject

   D. CURSING...
      1. Especially one's parents - Pr 20:20; cf. Exo 21:17; Lev 20:9
         a. Such a person's lamp would soon be put out in deep darkness
         b. Under the Law of Moses, it was a capital offense
      2. But also another's associate - Pr 30:10
         a. Even maligning a lowly servant can be disastrous
         b. The master (or servant) may turn on you
      -- Speaking evil of others harms one's self as much as those
         spoken against

[As James tells us in his epistle, there is great danger in misuse of
the tongue (Jm 3:2-12).  But there can also be much good done through
proper speech (Pr 15:4)...]

II. CONSTRUCTIVE USE OF SPEECH

   A. GOOD WORDS...
      1. Words of the righteous - Pr 10:11,20-21
         a. A well of life
         b. As choice silver
         c. That feeds many
      2. Pleasant words - Pr 16:24
         a. Like a honeycomb
         b. Sweetness to the soul, health to the bones
      3. Comforting words - Pr 12:25
         a. Addressed to the anxious and depressed
         b. Making their hearts glad
      -- Such speech reveals the good heart of the speaker

   B. TIMELY WORDS...
      1. Well-timed words - Pr 15:23; 25:11
         a. Spoken in due season, how joyful and good it is!
         b. Like apples of gold in settings of silver
      2. Well-thought words - Pr 15:28
         a. Studied carefully by a righteous person
         b. On how best to answer
      -- Such speech reveals the wisdom of the speaker

   C. CONTROLLED WORDS...
      1. That benefits the one who speaks - Pr 13:2-3; 15:1-2; 21:23
         a. Preserving the life of the one who guards his mouth
         b. Defusing potentially violate situations
         c. Keeping one's soul from trouble
      2. That reveals true knowledge and understanding - Pr 10:19; 17:
         27-28
         a. By sparing words, with a calm spirit
         b. Which even a fool can benefit from
      -- Such speech will enhance the reputation of the speaker

CONCLUSION

1. From Proverbs we learn the value of being careful of our speech...
   a. Avoiding much harm to ourselves and to others
   b. Doing much good to ourselves and to others

2. Which may help us appreciate why Paul was so concerned that
   Christians...
   a. Let their speech always be with grace - Col 4:6
   b. Let no unwholesome word come out of their mouths, only good words
      - Ep 4:29

Do we truly appreciate the importance and wisdom of the right kind of
speech...?

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2016

"THE BOOK OF PROVERBS" Wisdom Regarding Alcohol by Mark Copeland

                         "THE BOOK OF PROVERBS"

                        Wisdom Regarding Alcohol

INTRODUCTION

1. A serious problem today involves the consumption of alcohol...
   a. More than thirty percent of Americans at some time in their lives
      has had an alcohol use disorder - Bridget Gant, National Institute
      On Alcohol Abuse And Alcoholism
   b. Nearly 100,000 people die every year of alcohol-related causes
      - Dr. James C. Garbutt, medical director of the Alcohol and
      Substance Abuse Program (UNC at Chapel Hill)
   c. Alcohol is more dangerous than some illegal drugs like marijuana
      or Ecstasy and should be classified as such in legal systems
      - Professor David Nutt, Bristol University
   d. Alcohol is blamed for more than half of all visits to hospital
      emergency rooms - ibid.

2. The Book of Proverbs warns against the dangers of alcohol...
   a. Whether in the form of wine or strong drink
   b. With the potential of leading one astray - Pr 20:1

[What further wisdom can be gleaned from Proverbs concerning alcohol?
Let's see...]

I. ALCOHOL IN THE BOOK OF PROVERBS

   A. ALCOHOL CAN LEAD TO POVERTY...
      1. A warning against those who love wine - Pr 21:17
      2. A warning against spending time with winebibbers and drunkards
         - Pr 23:20-21
      -- Alcohol has been the downfall of many businessmen

   B. ALCOHOL CAN DESTROY LIVES...
      1. It can lead to woe and sorrow, contentions and complaints,
         wounds without cause and redness of eyes - Pr 23:29-30
      2. It is seductive, and can destroy one just like the seductress
         - Pr 23:31-32; 5:3-5; 6:24-26
      3. It can alter your senses, leading you to say things you'll
         later regret (e.g., "office parties") - Pr 23:33
      4. It gives a false sense of security, exposing you to great
         danger (e.g., "driving drunk") - Pr 23:34-35
      -- Alcohol has destroyed many lives, both those who drink and
         innocent ones who cross their paths

   C. ALCOHOL IMPAIRS JUDGMENT...
      1. Which is why kings and princes were to abstain - Pr 31:4-5
      2. It is better reserved for the dying and devastated - Pr 31:6-7
      -- Alcohol is not for those who would be wise

[Indeed, "Wine is a mocker, Strong drink is a brawler, And whoever is
led astray by it is not wise." (Pr 20:1).  Because of such warnings,
and with the serious problems with alcohol in our society, let's review
what is said about...]

II. ALCOHOL IN THE LIVES OF CHRISTIANS

   A. WHAT IS CONDEMNED...
      1. Drunkenness
         a. A work of darkness, not an element of the armor of light
            - Ro 13:11-14
         b. Conduct that not repented of will keep one out of the
            kingdom of God - 1Co 6:9-10; Ga 5:19-21
         c. Conduct suitable for church discipline - 1Co 5:11-13
      2. Social drinking
         a. We are to dedicate ourselves to doing the will of God, not
            the lusts of men - 1Pe 4:1-2
         b. Thus we are to abstain from drunkenness, revelries, drinking
            parties - 1Pe 4:3
         c. Though we should expect others to think ill of us for
            abstaining - 1Pe 4:4
      -- The popular and common use of alcohol has no place in the life
         of the Christian

   B. WHAT IS COMMANDED...
      1. Concern for the weaknesses of others - Ro 14:14-18
         a. Are we willing to destroy the one for whom Christ died?
         b. Are we more interested in righteousness, peace, and joy in
            the Holy Spirit?
      2. Willingness to forego wine if a stumbling block to others - Ro14:19-21
         a. Do we know someone who struggles with alcohol abuse and
            addiction?
         b. Do we love them more than any presumed right we may have to
            drink?
      3. Evidently Timothy had chosen  to forego wine for such reasons
         - cf. 1Ti 5:23
         a. Paul prescribed that Timothy drink wine for medicinal
            purposes
         b. Wine was often used to purify water, yet for some reason
            Timothy had abstained
      -- The Christian must prayerfully consider the role of influence
         regarding alcohol

CONCLUSION

1. What is wisdom regarding the consumption of alcohol...?
   a. In view of the warnings found in Proverbs?
      1) It can lead to poverty
      2) It can destroy lives
      3) It impairs judgment
   b. In view of the teachings found in the New Testament?
      1) Prohibitions concerning drunkenness
      2) Concerns regarding influence on weaker brethren

2. What is wisdom in light of the problems of alcohol abuse in our
   society today...?
   a. Shall we flirt with the seducing effects of alcohol?
      1) Alcohol can be tempting and easily ensnare the unsuspecting
      2) If one in three have succumbed, might not we?
   b. Shall we be insensitive to the weaknesses that many have regarding
      alcohol?
      1) Alcohol is the number one drug problem we face today
      2) If one in three have problems with it, dare we become stumbling
         blocks to them?

It shouldn't take the wisdom of Solomon to see that Christians should
take the dangers of alcohol seriously and be proactive in helping
themselves and others to remain free from its clutches...!

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2016

Down, and not up!!! by Gary Rose

At first reading I thought this was a quite clever, well designed piece. Then, as I considered it a bit more, it took on the aspect of a sad commentary on human relations. Love should not change for the worse after marriage, but rather change for the better. One thing I know- its all to easy to take your spouse for granted. And therefore, this passage of Scripture is very important!

Ephesians, Chapter 5 (WEB)

 ²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the assembly, and gave himself up for it;  ²⁶ that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word,  ²⁷ that he might present the assembly to himself gloriously, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without defect.  ²⁸ Even so husbands also ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself.  ²⁹ For no man ever hated his own flesh; but nourishes and cherishes it, even as the Lord also does the assembly;  ³⁰ because we are members of his body, of his flesh and bones.  ³¹ “For this cause a man will leave his father and mother, and will be joined to his wife. The two will become one flesh.”  ³² This mystery is great, but I speak concerning Christ and of the assembly. ³³ Nevertheless each of you must also love his own wife even as himself; and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

This passage is important, because GOD is involved in every marriage. A man is to emulate the love of Christ in his marriage. Why? you ask? Common sense. If you love yourself, you will love your wife because she is part of you.

Case closed.

Bible Reading September 30, October 1, 2 by Gary Rose

Bible Reading September 30, October 1, 2 (WEB)

Sept. 30

Psalms 118-120

Psa 118:1 Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever.

Psa 118:2 Let Israel now say that his loving kindness endures forever.

Psa 118:3 Let the house of Aaron now say that his loving kindness endures forever.

Psa 118:4 Now let those who fear Yahweh say that his loving kindness endures forever.

Psa 118:5 Out of my distress, I called on Yah. Yah answered me with freedom.

Psa 118:6 Yahweh is on my side. I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?

Psa 118:7 Yahweh is on my side among those who help me. Therefore I will look in triumph at those who hate me.

Psa 118:8 It is better to take refuge in Yahweh, than to put confidence in man.

Psa 118:9 It is better to take refuge in Yahweh, than to put confidence in princes.

Psa 118:10 All the nations surrounded me, but in the name of Yahweh, I cut them off.

Psa 118:11 They surrounded me, yes, they surrounded me. In the name of Yahweh I indeed cut them off.

Psa 118:12 They surrounded me like bees. They are quenched like the burning thorns. In the name of Yahweh I cut them off.

Psa 118:13 You pushed me back hard, to make me fall, but Yahweh helped me.

Psa 118:14 Yah is my strength and song. He has become my salvation.

Psa 118:15 The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tents of the righteous. "The right hand of Yahweh does valiantly.

Psa 118:16 The right hand of Yahweh is exalted! The right hand of Yahweh does valiantly!"

Psa 118:17 I will not die, but live, and declare Yah's works.

Psa 118:18 Yah has punished me severely, but he has not given me over to death.

Psa 118:19 Open to me the gates of righteousness. I will enter into them. I will give thanks to Yah.

Psa 118:20 This is the gate of Yahweh; the righteous will enter into it.

Psa 118:21 I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me, and have become my salvation.

Psa 118:22 The stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner.

Psa 118:23 This is Yahweh's doing. It is marvelous in our eyes.

Psa 118:24 This is the day that Yahweh has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it!

Psa 118:25 Save us now, we beg you, Yahweh! Yahweh, we beg you, send prosperity now.

Psa 118:26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of Yahweh! We have blessed you out of the house of Yahweh.

Psa 118:27 Yahweh is God, and he has given us light. Bind the sacrifice with cords, even to the horns of the altar.

Psa 118:28 You are my God, and I will give thanks to you. You are my God, I will exalt you.

Psa 118:29 Oh give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever.

Psa 119:1 Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to Yahweh's law.

Psa 119:2 Blessed are those who keep his statutes, who seek him with their whole heart.

Psa 119:3 Yes, they do nothing wrong. They walk in his ways.

Psa 119:4 You have commanded your precepts, that we should fully obey them.

Psa 119:5 Oh that my ways were steadfast to obey your statutes!

Psa 119:6 Then I wouldn't be disappointed, when I consider all of your commandments.

Psa 119:7 I will give thanks to you with uprightness of heart, when I learn your righteous judgments.

Psa 119:8 I will observe your statutes. Don't utterly forsake me.

Psa 119:9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word.

Psa 119:10 With my whole heart, I have sought you. Don't let me wander from your commandments.

Psa 119:11 I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

Psa 119:12 Blessed are you, Yahweh. Teach me your statutes.

Psa 119:13 With my lips, I have declared all the ordinances of your mouth.

Psa 119:14 I have rejoiced in the way of your testimonies, as much as in all riches.

Psa 119:15 I will meditate on your precepts, and consider your ways.

Psa 119:16 I will delight myself in your statutes. I will not forget your word.

Psa 119:17 Do good to your servant. I will live and I will obey your word.

Psa 119:18 Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things out of your law.

Psa 119:19 I am a stranger on the earth. Don't hide your commandments from me.

Psa 119:20 My soul is consumed with longing for your ordinances at all times.

Psa 119:21 You have rebuked the proud who are cursed, who wander from your commandments.

Psa 119:22 Take reproach and contempt away from me, for I have kept your statutes.

Psa 119:23 Though princes sit and slander me, your servant will meditate on your statutes.

Psa 119:24 Indeed your statutes are my delight, and my counselors.

Psa 119:25 My soul is laid low in the dust. Revive me according to your word!

Psa 119:26 I declared my ways, and you answered me. Teach me your statutes.

Psa 119:27 Let me understand the teaching of your precepts! Then I will meditate on your wondrous works.

Psa 119:28 My soul is weary with sorrow: strengthen me according to your word.

Psa 119:29 Keep me from the way of deceit. Grant me your law graciously!

Psa 119:30 I have chosen the way of truth. I have set your ordinances before me.

Psa 119:31 I cling to your statutes, Yahweh. Don't let me be disappointed.

Psa 119:32 I run in the path of your commandments, for you have set my heart free.

Psa 119:33 Teach me, Yahweh, the way of your statutes. I will keep them to the end.

Psa 119:34 Give me understanding, and I will keep your law. Yes, I will obey it with my whole heart.

Psa 119:35 Direct me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in them.

Psa 119:36 Turn my heart toward your statutes, not toward selfish gain.

Psa 119:37 Turn my eyes away from looking at worthless things. Revive me in your ways.

Psa 119:38 Fulfill your promise to your servant, that you may be feared.

Psa 119:39 Take away my disgrace that I dread, for your ordinances are good.

Psa 119:40 Behold, I long for your precepts! Revive me in your righteousness.

Psa 119:41 Let your loving kindness also come to me, Yahweh, your salvation, according to your word.

Psa 119:42 So I will have an answer for him who reproaches me, for I trust in your word.

Psa 119:43 Don't snatch the word of truth out of my mouth, for I put my hope in your ordinances.

Psa 119:44 So I will obey your law continually, forever and ever.

Psa 119:45 I will walk in liberty, for I have sought your precepts.

Psa 119:46 I will also speak of your statutes before kings, and will not be disappointed.

Psa 119:47 I will delight myself in your commandments, because I love them.

Psa 119:48 I reach out my hands for your commandments, which I love. I will meditate on your statutes.

Psa 119:49 Remember your word to your servant, because you gave me hope.

Psa 119:50 This is my comfort in my affliction, for your word has revived me.

Psa 119:51 The arrogant mock me excessively, but I don't swerve from your law.

Psa 119:52 I remember your ordinances of old, Yahweh, and have comforted myself.

Psa 119:53 Indignation has taken hold on me, because of the wicked who forsake your law.

Psa 119:54 Your statutes have been my songs, in the house where I live.

Psa 119:55 I have remembered your name, Yahweh, in the night, and I obey your law.

Psa 119:56 This is my way, that I keep your precepts.

Psa 119:57 Yahweh is my portion. I promised to obey your words.

Psa 119:58 I sought your favor with my whole heart. Be merciful to me according to your word.

Psa 119:59 I considered my ways, and turned my steps to your statutes.

Psa 119:60 I will hurry, and not delay, to obey your commandments.

Psa 119:61 The ropes of the wicked bind me, but I won't forget your law.

Psa 119:62 At midnight I will rise to give thanks to you, because of your righteous ordinances.

Psa 119:63 I am a friend of all those who fear you, of those who observe your precepts.

Psa 119:64 The earth is full of your loving kindness, Yahweh. Teach me your statutes.

Psa 119:65 Do good to your servant, according to your word, Yahweh.

Psa 119:66 Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe in your commandments.

Psa 119:67 Before I was afflicted, I went astray; but now I observe your word.

Psa 119:68 You are good, and do good. Teach me your statutes.

Psa 119:69 The proud have smeared a lie upon me. With my whole heart, I will keep your precepts.

Psa 119:70 Their heart is as callous as the fat, but I delight in your law.

Psa 119:71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn your statutes.

Psa 119:72 The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of pieces of gold and silver.

Psa 119:73 Your hands have made me and formed me. Give me understanding, that I may learn your commandments.

Psa 119:74 Those who fear you will see me and be glad, because I have put my hope in your word.

Psa 119:75 Yahweh, I know that your judgments are righteous, that in faithfulness you have afflicted me.

Psa 119:76 Please let your loving kindness be for my comfort, according to your word to your servant.

Psa 119:77 Let your tender mercies come to me, that I may live; for your law is my delight.

Psa 119:78 Let the proud be disappointed, for they have overthrown me wrongfully. I will meditate on your precepts.

Psa 119:79 Let those who fear you turn to me. They will know your statutes.

Psa 119:80 Let my heart be blameless toward your decrees, that I may not be disappointed.

Psa 119:81 My soul faints for your salvation. I hope in your word.

Psa 119:82 My eyes fail for your word. I say, "When will you comfort me?"

Psa 119:83 For I have become like a wineskin in the smoke. I don't forget your statutes.

Psa 119:84 How many are the days of your servant? When will you execute judgment on those who persecute me?

Psa 119:85 The proud have dug pits for me, contrary to your law.

Psa 119:86 All of your commandments are faithful. They persecute me wrongfully. Help me!

Psa 119:87 They had almost wiped me from the earth, but I didn't forsake your precepts.

Psa 119:88 Preserve my life according to your loving kindness, so I will obey the statutes of your mouth.

Psa 119:89 Yahweh, your word is settled in heaven forever.

Psa 119:90 Your faithfulness is to all generations. You have established the earth, and it remains.

Psa 119:91 Your laws remain to this day, for all things serve you.

Psa 119:92 Unless your law had been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction.

Psa 119:93 I will never forget your precepts, for with them, you have revived me.

Psa 119:94 I am yours. Save me, for I have sought your precepts.

Psa 119:95 The wicked have waited for me, to destroy me. I will consider your statutes.

Psa 119:96 I have seen a limit to all perfection, but your commands are boundless.

Psa 119:97 How I love your law! It is my meditation all day.

Psa 119:98 Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, for your commandments are always with me.

Psa 119:99 I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation.

Psa 119:100 I understand more than the aged, because I have kept your precepts.

Psa 119:101 I have kept my feet from every evil way, that I might observe your word.

Psa 119:102 I have not turned aside from your ordinances, for you have taught me.

Psa 119:103 How sweet are your promises to my taste, more than honey to my mouth!

Psa 119:104 Through your precepts, I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way.

Psa 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light for my path.

Psa 119:106 I have sworn, and have confirmed it, that I will obey your righteous ordinances.

Psa 119:107 I am afflicted very much. Revive me, Yahweh, according to your word.

Psa 119:108 Accept, I beg you, the willing offerings of my mouth. Yahweh, teach me your ordinances.

Psa 119:109 My soul is continually in my hand, yet I won't forget your law.

Psa 119:110 The wicked have laid a snare for me, yet I haven't gone astray from your precepts.

Psa 119:111 I have taken your testimonies as a heritage forever, for they are the joy of my heart.

Psa 119:112 I have set my heart to perform your statutes forever, even to the end.

Psa 119:113 I hate double-minded men, but I love your law.

Psa 119:114 You are my hiding place and my shield. I hope in your word.

Psa 119:115 Depart from me, you evildoers, that I may keep the commandments of my God.

Psa 119:116 Uphold me according to your word, that I may live. Let me not be ashamed of my hope.

Psa 119:117 Hold me up, and I will be safe, and will have respect for your statutes continually.

Psa 119:118 You reject all those who stray from your statutes, for their deceit is in vain.

Psa 119:119 You put away all the wicked of the earth like dross. Therefore I love your testimonies.

Psa 119:120 My flesh trembles for fear of you. I am afraid of your judgments.

Psa 119:121 I have done what is just and righteous. Don't leave me to my oppressors.

Psa 119:122 Ensure your servant's well-being. Don't let the proud oppress me.

Psa 119:123 My eyes fail looking for your salvation, for your righteous word.

Psa 119:124 Deal with your servant according to your loving kindness. Teach me your statutes.

Psa 119:125 I am your servant. Give me understanding, that I may know your testimonies.

Psa 119:126 It is time to act, Yahweh, for they break your law.

Psa 119:127 Therefore I love your commandments more than gold, yes, more than pure gold.

Psa 119:128 Therefore I consider all of your precepts to be right. I hate every false way.

Psa 119:129 Your testimonies are wonderful, therefore my soul keeps them.

Psa 119:130 The entrance of your words gives light. It gives understanding to the simple.

Psa 119:131 I opened my mouth wide and panted, for I longed for your commandments.

Psa 119:132 Turn to me, and have mercy on me, as you always do to those who love your name.

Psa 119:133 Establish my footsteps in your word. Don't let any iniquity have dominion over me.

Psa 119:134 Redeem me from the oppression of man, so I will observe your precepts.

Psa 119:135 Make your face shine on your servant. Teach me your statutes.

Psa 119:136 Streams of tears run down my eyes, because they don't observe your law.

Psa 119:137 You are righteous, Yahweh. Your judgments are upright.

Psa 119:138 You have commanded your statutes in righteousness. They are fully trustworthy.

Psa 119:139 My zeal wears me out, because my enemies ignore your words.

Psa 119:140 Your promises have been thoroughly tested, and your servant loves them.

Psa 119:141 I am small and despised. I don't forget your precepts.

Psa 119:142 Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness. Your law is truth.

Psa 119:143 Trouble and anguish have taken hold of me. Your commandments are my delight.

Psa 119:144 Your testimonies are righteous forever. Give me understanding, that I may live.

Psa 119:145 I have called with my whole heart. Answer me, Yahweh! I will keep your statutes.

Psa 119:146 I have called to you. Save me! I will obey your statutes.

Psa 119:147 I rise before dawn and cry for help. I put my hope in your words.

Psa 119:148 My eyes stay open through the night watches, that I might meditate on your word.

Psa 119:149 Hear my voice according to your loving kindness. Revive me, Yahweh, according to your ordinances.

Psa 119:150 They draw near who follow after wickedness. They are far from your law.

Psa 119:151 You are near, Yahweh. All your commandments are truth.

Psa 119:152 Of old I have known from your testimonies, that you have founded them forever.

Psa 119:153 Consider my affliction, and deliver me, for I don't forget your law.

Psa 119:154 Plead my cause, and redeem me! Revive me according to your promise.

Psa 119:155 Salvation is far from the wicked, for they don't seek your statutes.

Psa 119:156 Great are your tender mercies, Yahweh. Revive me according to your ordinances.

Psa 119:157 Many are my persecutors and my adversaries. I haven't swerved from your testimonies.

Psa 119:158 I look at the faithless with loathing, because they don't observe your word.

Psa 119:159 Consider how I love your precepts. Revive me, Yahweh, according to your loving kindness.

Psa 119:160 All of your words are truth. Every one of your righteous ordinances endures forever.

Psa 119:161 Princes have persecuted me without a cause, but my heart stands in awe of your words.

Psa 119:162 I rejoice at your word, as one who finds great spoil.

Psa 119:163 I hate and abhor falsehood. I love your law.

Psa 119:164 Seven times a day, I praise you, because of your righteous ordinances.

Psa 119:165 Those who love your law have great peace. Nothing causes them to stumble.

Psa 119:166 I have hoped for your salvation, Yahweh. I have done your commandments.

Psa 119:167 My soul has observed your testimonies. I love them exceedingly.

Psa 119:168 I have obeyed your precepts and your testimonies, for all my ways are before you.

Psa 119:169 Let my cry come before you, Yahweh. Give me understanding according to your word.

Psa 119:170 Let my supplication come before you. Deliver me according to your word.

Psa 119:171 Let my lips utter praise, for you teach me your statutes.

Psa 119:172 Let my tongue sing of your word, for all your commandments are righteousness.

Psa 119:173 Let your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts.

Psa 119:174 I have longed for your salvation, Yahweh. Your law is my delight.

Psa 119:175 Let my soul live, that I may praise you. Let your ordinances help me.

Psa 119:176 I have gone astray like a lost sheep. Seek your servant, for I don't forget your commandments.

Psa 120:1 In my distress, I cried to Yahweh. He answered me.

Psa 120:2 Deliver my soul, Yahweh, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue.

Psa 120:3 What will be given to you, and what will be done more to you, you deceitful tongue?

Psa 120:4 Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper.

Psa 120:5 Woe is me, that I live in Meshech, that I dwell among the tents of Kedar!

Psa 120:6 My soul has had her dwelling too long with him who hates peace.

Psa 120:7 I am for peace, but when I speak, they are for war. 

 Oct. 1

Psalms 121-124

Psa 121:1 I will lift up my eyes to the hills. Where does my help come from?

Psa 121:2 My help comes from Yahweh, who made heaven and earth.

Psa 121:3 He will not allow your foot to be moved. He who keeps you will not slumber.

Psa 121:4 Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

Psa 121:5 Yahweh is your keeper. Yahweh is your shade on your right hand.

Psa 121:6 The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.

Psa 121:7 Yahweh will keep you from all evil. He will keep your soul.

Psa 121:8 Yahweh will keep your going out and your coming in, from this time forth, and forevermore.

Psa 122:1 I was glad when they said to me, "Let's go to Yahweh's house!"

Psa 122:2 Our feet are standing within your gates, Jerusalem;

Psa 122:3 Jerusalem, that is built as a city that is compact together;

Psa 122:4 where the tribes go up, even Yah's tribes, according to an ordinance for Israel, to give thanks to the name of Yahweh.

Psa 122:5 For there are set thrones for judgment, the thrones of David's house.

Psa 122:6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Those who love you will prosper.

Psa 122:7 Peace be within your walls, and prosperity within your palaces.

Psa 122:8 For my brothers' and companions' sakes, I will now say, "Peace be within you."

Psa 122:9 For the sake of the house of Yahweh our God, I will seek your good.

Psa 123:1 To you I do lift up my eyes, you who sit in the heavens.

Psa 123:2 Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress; so our eyes look to Yahweh, our God, until he has mercy on us.

Psa 123:3 Have mercy on us, Yahweh, have mercy on us, for we have endured much contempt.

Psa 123:4 Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scoffing of those who are at ease, with the contempt of the proud.

Psa 124:1 If it had not been Yahweh who was on our side, let Israel now say,

Psa 124:2 if it had not been Yahweh who was on our side, when men rose up against us;

Psa 124:3 then they would have swallowed us up alive, when their wrath was kindled against us;

Psa 124:4 then the waters would have overwhelmed us, the stream would have gone over our soul;

Psa 124:5 then the proud waters would have gone over our soul.

Psa 124:6 Blessed be Yahweh, who has not given us as a prey to their teeth.

Psa 124:7 Our soul has escaped like a bird out of the fowler's snare. The snare is broken, and we have escaped.

Psa 124:8 Our help is in the name of Yahweh, who made heaven and earth.

Oct. 2

Psalms 125-127

Psa 125:1 Those who trust in Yahweh are as Mount Zion, which can't be moved, but remains forever.

Psa 125:2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so Yahweh surrounds his people from this time forth and forevermore.

Psa 125:3 For the scepter of wickedness won't remain over the allotment of the righteous; so that the righteous won't use their hands to do evil.

Psa 125:4 Do good, Yahweh, to those who are good, to those who are upright in their hearts.

Psa 125:5 But as for those who turn aside to their crooked ways, Yahweh will lead them away with the workers of iniquity. Peace be on Israel.

Psa 126:1 When Yahweh brought back those who returned to Zion, we were like those who dream.

Psa 126:2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing. Then they said among the nations, "Yahweh has done great things for them."

Psa 126:3 Yahweh has done great things for us, and we are glad.

Psa 126:4 Restore our fortunes again, Yahweh, like the streams in the Negev.

Psa 126:5 Those who sow in tears will reap in joy.

Psa 126:6 He who goes out weeping, carrying seed for sowing, will certainly come again with joy, carrying his sheaves.

Psa 127:1 Unless Yahweh builds the house, they labor in vain who build it. Unless Yahweh watches over the city, the watchman guards it in vain.

Psa 127:2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to stay up late, eating the bread of toil; for he gives sleep to his loved ones.

Psa 127:3 Behold, children are a heritage of Yahweh. The fruit of the womb is his reward.

Psa 127:4 As arrows in the hand of a mighty man, so are the children of youth.

Psa 127:5 Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them. They won't be disappointed when they speak with their enemies in the gate. 

  

Sept. 30

2 Corinthians 10

2Co 10:1 Now I Paul, myself, entreat you by the humility and gentleness of Christ; I who in your presence am lowly among you, but being absent am of good courage toward you.

2Co 10:2 Yes, I beg you that I may not, when present, show courage with the confidence with which I intend to be bold against some, who consider us to be walking according to the flesh.

2Co 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we don't wage war according to the flesh;

2Co 10:4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the throwing down of strongholds,

2Co 10:5 throwing down imaginations and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ;

2Co 10:6 and being in readiness to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience will be made full.

2Co 10:7 Do you look at things only as they appear in front of your face? If anyone trusts in himself that he is Christ's, let him consider this again with himself, that, even as he is Christ's, so also we are Christ's.

2Co 10:8 For though I should boast somewhat abundantly concerning our authority, (which the Lord gave for building you up, and not for casting you down) I will not be disappointed,

2Co 10:9 that I may not seem as if I desire to terrify you by my letters.

2Co 10:10 For, "His letters," they say, "are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech is despised."

2Co 10:11 Let such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when we are absent, such are we also in deed when we are present.

2Co 10:12 For we are not bold to number or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves. But they themselves, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are without understanding.

2Co 10:13 But we will not boast beyond proper limits, but within the boundaries with which God appointed to us, which reach even to you.

2Co 10:14 For we don't stretch ourselves too much, as though we didn't reach to you. For we came even as far as to you with the Good News of Christ,

2Co 10:15 not boasting beyond proper limits in other men's labors, but having hope that as your faith grows, we will be abundantly enlarged by you in our sphere of influence,

2Co 10:16 so as to preach the Good News even to the parts beyond you, not to boast in what someone else has already done.

2Co 10:17 But "he who boasts, let him boast in the Lord."

2Co 10:18 For it isn't he who commends himself who is approved, but whom the Lord commends. 

Oct. 1

2 Corinthians 11

2Co 11:1 I wish that you would bear with me in a little foolishness, but indeed you do bear with me.

2Co 11:2 For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy. For I married you to one husband, that I might present you as a pure virgin to Christ.

2Co 11:3 But I am afraid that somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve in his craftiness, so your minds might be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

2Co 11:4 For if he who comes preaches another Jesus, whom we did not preach, or if you receive a different spirit, which you did not receive, or a different "good news", which you did not accept, you put up with that well enough.

2Co 11:5 For I reckon that I am not at all behind the very best apostles.

2Co 11:6 But though I am unskilled in speech, yet I am not unskilled in knowledge. No, in every way we have been revealed to you in all things.

2Co 11:7 Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached to you God's Good News free of charge?

2Co 11:8 I robbed other assemblies, taking wages from them that I might serve you.

2Co 11:9 When I was present with you and was in need, I wasn't a burden on anyone, for the brothers, when they came from Macedonia, supplied the measure of my need. In everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and I will continue to do so.

2Co 11:10 As the truth of Christ is in me, no one will stop me from this boasting in the regions of Achaia.

2Co 11:11 Why? Because I don't love you? God knows.

2Co 11:12 But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them that desire an occasion, that in which they boast, they may be found even as we.

2Co 11:13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as Christ's apostles.

2Co 11:14 And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light.

2Co 11:15 It is no great thing therefore if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.

2Co 11:16 I say again, let no one think me foolish. But if so, yet receive me as foolish, that I also may boast a little.

2Co 11:17 That which I speak, I don't speak according to the Lord, but as in foolishness, in this confidence of boasting.

2Co 11:18 Seeing that many boast after the flesh, I will also boast.

2Co 11:19 For you bear with the foolish gladly, being wise.

2Co 11:20 For you bear with a man, if he brings you into bondage, if he devours you, if he takes you captive, if he exalts himself, if he strikes you on the face.

2Co 11:21 I speak by way of disparagement, as though we had been weak. Yet however any is bold (I speak in foolishness), I am bold also.

2Co 11:22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I.

2Co 11:23 Are they servants of Christ? (I speak as one beside himself) I am more so; in labors more abundantly, in prisons more abundantly, in stripes above measure, in deaths often.

2Co 11:24 Five times from the Jews I received forty stripes minus one.

2Co 11:25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I suffered shipwreck. I have been a night and a day in the deep.

2Co 11:26 I have been in travels often, perils of rivers, perils of robbers, perils from my countrymen, perils from the Gentiles, perils in the city, perils in the wilderness, perils in the sea, perils among false brothers;

2Co 11:27 in labor and travail, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, and in cold and nakedness.

2Co 11:28 Besides those things that are outside, there is that which presses on me daily, anxiety for all the assemblies.

2Co 11:29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is caused to stumble, and I don't burn with indignation?

2Co 11:30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that concern my weakness.

2Co 11:31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, he who is blessed forevermore, knows that I don't lie.

2Co 11:32 In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king guarded the city of the Damascenes desiring to arrest me.

2Co 11:33 Through a window I was let down in a basket by the wall, and escaped his hands.

Oct. 2

2 Corinthians 12

2Co 12:1 It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. For I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.

2Co 12:2 I know a man in Christ, fourteen years ago (whether in the body, I don't know, or whether out of the body, I don't know; God knows), such a one caught up into the third heaven.

2Co 12:3 I know such a man (whether in the body, or outside of the body, I don't know; God knows),

2Co 12:4 how he was caught up into Paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

2Co 12:5 On behalf of such a one I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in my weaknesses.

2Co 12:6 For if I would desire to boast, I will not be foolish; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, so that no man may think more of me than that which he sees in me, or hears from me.

2Co 12:7 By reason of the exceeding greatness of the revelations, that I should not be exalted excessively, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, that I should not be exalted excessively.

2Co 12:8 Concerning this thing, I begged the Lord three times that it might depart from me.

2Co 12:9 He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me.

2Co 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then am I strong.

2Co 12:11 I have become foolish in boasting. You compelled me, for I ought to have been commended by you, for in nothing was I inferior to the very best apostles, though I am nothing.

2Co 12:12 Truly the signs of an apostle were worked among you in all patience, in signs and wonders and mighty works.

2Co 12:13 For what is there in which you were made inferior to the rest of the assemblies, unless it is that I myself was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong.

2Co 12:14 Behold, this is the third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you; for I seek not your possessions, but you. For the children ought not to save up for the parents, but the parents for the children.

2Co 12:15 I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more abundantly, am I loved the less?

2Co 12:16 But be it so, I did not myself burden you. But, being crafty, I caught you with deception.

2Co 12:17 Did I take advantage of you by anyone of them whom I have sent to you?

2Co 12:18 I exhorted Titus, and I sent the brother with him. Did Titus take any advantage of you? Didn't we walk in the same spirit? Didn't we walk in the same steps?

2Co 12:19 Again, do you think that we are excusing ourselves to you? In the sight of God we speak in Christ. But all things, beloved, are for your edifying.

2Co 12:20 For I am afraid that by any means, when I come, I might find you not the way I want to, and that I might be found by you as you don't desire; that by any means there would be strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, whisperings, proud thoughts, riots;

2Co 12:21 that again when I come my God would humble me before you, and I would mourn for many of those who have sinned before now, and not repented of the uncleanness and sexual immorality and lustfulness which they committed.