(Recommend: Think on these things.)
I Samuel 8:1-9 And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel. Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beersheba. And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.
Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.
But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the Lord.
And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected ME, that I should not reign over them.
According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken ME, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.
Psalm 78:5-8 For HE established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which HE commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children:
That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:
That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep HIS commandments:
And
might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a
generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not
stedfast with God.
vv. 9-33 The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.
They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in HIS law; And forgat HIS works, and HIS wonders that HE had shewed them.
Marvellous things did HE in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.
HE divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and HE made the waters to stand as an heap.
In the daytime also HE led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.
HE clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths.
HE brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.
And they sinned yet more against HIM by provoking the most High in the wilderness.
And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust.
Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?
Behold, HE smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can HE give bread also? can he provide flesh for HIS people?
Therefore the Lord heard this, and was wroth: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel;
Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in HIS salvation:
Though HE had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven, And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven.
Man did eat angels' food: HE sent them meat to the full.
He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven: and by HIS power HE brought in the south wind.
He rained flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea:
And HE let it fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations.
So they did eat, and were well filled: for HE gave them their own desire;
They were not estranged from their lust. But while their meat was yet in their mouths, The wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel.
For all this they sinned still, and believed not for HIS wondrous works.
Therefore their days did HE consume in vanity, and their years in trouble.
They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in HIS law; And forgat HIS works, and HIS wonders that HE had shewed them.
Marvellous things did HE in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.
HE divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and HE made the waters to stand as an heap.
In the daytime also HE led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.
HE clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths.
HE brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.
And they sinned yet more against HIM by provoking the most High in the wilderness.
And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust.
Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?
Behold, HE smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can HE give bread also? can he provide flesh for HIS people?
Therefore the Lord heard this, and was wroth: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel;
Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in HIS salvation:
Though HE had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven, And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven.
Man did eat angels' food: HE sent them meat to the full.
He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven: and by HIS power HE brought in the south wind.
He rained flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea:
And HE let it fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations.
So they did eat, and were well filled: for HE gave them their own desire;
They were not estranged from their lust. But while their meat was yet in their mouths, The wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel.
For all this they sinned still, and believed not for HIS wondrous works.
Therefore their days did HE consume in vanity, and their years in trouble.
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Amos 5:15 Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the Lord God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.
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I Timothy 2:9-10 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel,
with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or
pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh women professing
godliness) with good works.
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Proverbs 31:10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
Proverbs 31:11-12 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.
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II Timothy 3:1-7 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
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James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
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Genesis 8:22 While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.
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James 1:27 ... Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
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I Thessalonians 4:13-18 ... But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep (dead), that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with HIM.
For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent (precede) them which are asleep.
For the Lord HIMSELF shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
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Matthew 15: Presented today
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