💥 Podcast: Shun profane (secular) and vain babblings

 

 

(This podcast was previously published on April 11, 2021) 

 

A woman used to visit with me and speak all manner of secular things which were not in the Bible.

After she spoke, I would explain to her:  "What you just said is not in the Bible.  I want to build my house on the word of God."

Then she would grow very silent for awhile.

Later she would visit me again, and again speak another worldly saying, a vain babbling.  And again, I would tell her what she just said to me is not in the Bible and the Bible is true and what I want to build on.

Philippians 2:13-16   For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of HIS good pleasure.

Do all things without murmurings and disputings:  That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;

Holding forth the word of life;

 

I didn't have to argue or dispute.  I just told her what she said was not in the Bible and that I wanted to build my thinking on that which is in the Bible.

II Timothy 2:16-17 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.  And their word will eat as doth a canker:

When we speak the word of God, we present the antidote to the poisonous sayings of this world.

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💥 Scriptures:

 

Psalm 121:2  My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.

 

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Ephesians 5:15  See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, 16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

 

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1 Timothy 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

 

***

 

Philippians 2:12-13  (Paul said) Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of HIS good pleasure.

 

*** 

 

 Psalm 37:18 The Lord knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be forever.

 

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💥 John 21 (Reading through the Bible)

 

After these things Jesus shewed Himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed He Himself.

² There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of His disciples.

³ Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.

⁴ But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.

⁵ Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat?

They answered him, No.

⁶ And He said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find.

They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.

⁷ Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord.

Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.

⁸ And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes.

⁹ As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread.

¹⁰ Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught.

¹¹ Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.

¹² Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine.

And none of the disciples durst ask Him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord.

¹³ Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise.

¹⁴ This is now the third time that Jesus shewed Himself to His disciples, after that HE was risen from the dead.


***

¹⁵ So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me more than these?

He saith unto Him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee.

HE saith unto him, Feed My lambs.

***

¹⁶ HE saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me?

He saith unto Him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee.

HE saith unto him, Feed My sheep.


***

¹⁷ HE saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me?

Peter was grieved because He said unto him the third time, Lovest thou Me? And he said unto Him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee.

Jesus saith unto him, Feed My sheep.


***

¹⁸ Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdest thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.

¹⁹ This spake He, signifying by what death he should glorify God.

And when He had spoken this, He saith unto him, Follow Me.

²⁰ Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on His breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?

²¹ Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do?

²² Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou Me.

²³ Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?

²⁴ This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true.

²⁵ And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written.  Amen.

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💥 Podcast: Receive with meekness the engrafted Word which is able to save your souls. (James 1:21)

 

 

(This podcast was previously published on April 7, 2021) 

 

God calls HIS Word to our mind by HIS Spirit.  We must learn to stop and focus on "that" word when this happens.

Or if we are reading Bible and a scripture stands out to us as we are reading, stop and focus on "that" scripture for there is a special message from God to us in that verse and it will fill a hole in our heart at that exact moment if only we will stop and focus on that scripture.

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.

18 Of HIS own will begat HE us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of HIS creatures.

19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:

20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

Consider this:  What was the last scripture brought to your attention by the Holy Spirit?

Look at that scripture for it is a special message from God to you and it will fill a need in your heart at this point in time.

Learn to collect these scriptures and look through these scriptures throughout the day.  They will strengthen you and help you to keep faith in God in the midst of darkness of this present world.

Here is a scripture which delights me and excites me and encourages me to speak things of God.

Philippians 2:15-16    Paul says:  That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
Holding forth the word of life;

When I am with someone, and God reminds me of a scripture, I try to have courage to share that scripture or that concept for that is what that person needs at that exact moment.

I don't plan ahead what I will say.  I often pray asking God to have me to speak only that which HE wants spoken when I am with another person.

Then when I am reminded of that scripture or concept, I speak.

Then I know that is God doing the work, and not me.

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💥 Scriptures:

Proverbs 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

 

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Psalm 119:137 Righteous art THOU, O Lord, and upright are THY judgments.

 

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Acts 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

 

***

 

2 Timothy 2:4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please HIM WHO hath chosen him to be a soldier.

 

***

 

Matthew 6:33-34 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and HIS righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 

 

34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

 

*** 

 

1 John 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is HE that is in you, than he that is in the world.

 

 

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💥 John 20 (Reading through the Bible)

 

The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.

² Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid Him.

³ Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre.

⁴ So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre.

⁵ And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in.

⁶ Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie,⁷ And the napkin, that was about His head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.

⁸ Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed.

⁹ For as yet they knew not the scripture, that He must rise again from the dead.

¹⁰ Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.

¹¹ But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, ¹² And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.

¹³ And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou?

She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid Him.

¹⁴ And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.

¹⁵ Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou?

She, supposing Him to be the gardener, saith unto Him, Sir, if thou have borne Him hence, tell me where thou hast laid Him, and I will take Him away.

¹⁶ Jesus saith unto her, Mary.

She turned herself, and saith unto Him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.

¹⁷ Jesus saith unto her, Touch Me not; for I am not yet ascended to My Father: but go to My brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto My Father, and your Father; and to My God, and your God.

¹⁸ Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things unto her.

¹⁹ Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

²⁰ And when He had so said, He shewed unto them His hands and His side.

Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.

²¹ Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as My Father hath sent Me, even so send I you.

²² And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:

²³ Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

²⁴ But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

²⁵ The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord.

But he said unto them, Except I shall see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into His side, I will not believe.

²⁶ And after eight days again His disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.

²⁷ Then saith HE to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold My hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into My side: and be not faithless, but believing.

²⁸ And Thomas answered and said unto Him, My Lord and my God.

²⁹ Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen Me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

³⁰ And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book:

³¹ But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus (The Word) is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His name (The Word).

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💥 Podcast: Delight yourself in the Lord and HE will give you the desires of your heart (Psa. 37:4)

 

 

(This podcast was previously published on April 3, 2021)

 

As we love the Word of God and do the Word of God we will find that God often plants HIS own desire into our hearts, giving us the desires of our heart.

Psalm 37

1 Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.

2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.

3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.

4 Delight thyself also in the LORD (in the Word); and HE shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in HIM; and HE shall bring it to pass.

6 And HE shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.

7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.

8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.

9 For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.

When we see those who do evil, know that God will judge that evil doer ... and God will judge us too!

Know, in hope, that judgment will come from God and when that is the case it will be just.

Therefore keep your trust centered in God.  And don't allow yourself to be swept away with the iniquity.

 

 

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💥 Scriptures:

 

2 John 1:8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.

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Romans 8:15-17 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with HIM, that we may be also glorified together.

 

***

Proverbs 16:9 A man's heart deviseth his way: but The Lord directeth his steps.

 

***

 

1 John 4:1-3 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:

3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

 

*** 

 

 

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💥 John 19 (Reading through the Bible)

 

Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged Him.

² And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on His head, and they put on Him a purple robe,³ And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote Him with their hands.

⁴ Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring Him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in Him.

⁵ Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe.

And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man!

⁶ When the chief priests therefore and officers saw Him, they cried out, saying, Crucify Him, crucify Him.

Pilate saith unto them, Take ye Him, and crucify Him: for I find no fault in Him.

⁷ The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law He ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of God.

⁸ When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid;

⁹ And went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto Jesus, Whence art thou?

But Jesus gave him no answer.

¹⁰ Then saith Pilate unto Him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?

¹¹ Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against Me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered Me unto thee hath the greater sin.

(To do something that would cause another to be hurt by delivering him to the power to cause hurt is the greater sin.  Therefore the men who brought Jesus to Pilate have sin greater than the sin of Pilate.)

¹² And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release Him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar's friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar.

¹³ When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha.

¹⁴ And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!

¹⁵ But they cried out, Away with Him, away with Him, crucify Him.

Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King?

The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar.

¹⁶ Then delivered he Him therefore unto them to be crucified.

And they took Jesus, and led Him away.

¹⁷ And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha:

¹⁸ Where they crucified Him, and two other with Him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst.

¹⁹ And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was Jesus Of Nazareth The King Of The Jews.

²⁰ This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin.

²¹ Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews.

²² Pilate answered, What I have written I have written.

²³ Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also His coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout.²⁴ They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted My raiment among them, and for My vesture they did cast lots.

These things therefore the soldiers did.


***

²⁵ Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.

²⁶ When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple standing by, whom He loved, He saith unto His mother, Woman, behold thy son!

²⁷ Then saith He to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.


***

²⁸ After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.

²⁹ Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to His mouth.

³⁰ When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, He said, It is finished: and He bowed His head, and gave up the ghost.

³¹ The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.

³² Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with Him.

³³ But when they came to Jesus, and saw that He was dead already, they brake not His legs:

³⁴ But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced His side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.

³⁵ And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe.

³⁶ For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of Him shall not be broken.

³⁷ And again another scripture saith, They shall look on Him whom they pierced.

³⁸ And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus.

³⁹ And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight.

⁴⁰ Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.

⁴¹ Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid.

⁴² There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews' preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.

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💥 Podcast: Loving the Word of God. Delighting in HIM.

 

 

 

(This podcast was previously published on April 5, 2021)

 

The Lord is The Word of God.  Jesus is The Word of God.

John 1:1-4    In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by HIM; and without HIM was not any thing made that was made.  In HIM was life; and the life was the light of men.

If we love the scriptures, we love Jesus.  If we delight in the scriptures, we delight in Jesus.

Psalm 1:1-3

1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in HIS law doth he meditate day and night.

3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

*****

As we go out holding forth the Word of God in a dark and crooked nation, we are lights of this world showing the salvation of the word to this world.

Examples:

Matthew 5:32   Jesus says:   But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

***

Romans 1:24-29    Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:  Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

***

John 14:6   Jesus says:  I  (The Word) am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by ME.

***

Matthew 11:28-30    Jesus says:   Come unto ME, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take MY yoke upon you, and learn of ME; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  For MY yoke is easy, and MY burden is light.

***

Isaiah 54:17  No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of ME, saith the LORD.

***

Matthew 28:20  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

***

Joshua 1:5  God says:  I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

Hebrews 13:5   I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

***

James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

God helps us constantly, as long as HE chooses to leave us on this earth.

 

 

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💥 Scriptures:

 

Psalms 121:2 My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.

  

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Proverbs 119:144 The righteousness of THY testimonies is everlasting: give me understanding, and I shall live.

 

***

Psalm 92:13-15 Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God.

14 They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;

15 To shew that the Lord is upright: HE is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in HIM.

 

***

 

Psalm 34:17-19 The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. 

 

18 The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. 

 

19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.

 

*** 

 

Proverbs 14:1 Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.

 

***

 

Proverbs 29:25 The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.

 

***

 

Ephesians 5:18-19 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

 

19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

 

 

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💥 John 18 (Reading through the Bible)

 

When Jesus had spoken these words, He went forth with His disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into the which He entered, and His disciples.

² And Judas also, which betrayed Him, knew the place: for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with His disciples.

³ Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons.

⁴ Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon Him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye?

⁵ They answered Him, Jesus of Nazareth.

Jesus saith unto them, I am He.

And Judas also, which betrayed Him, stood with them.

⁶ As soon then as He had said unto them, I am He, they went backward, and fell to the ground.

⁷ Then asked He them again, Whom seek ye?

And they said, Jesus of Nazareth.

⁸ Jesus answered, I have told you that I am He: if therefore ye seek Me, let these go their way:

⁹ That the saying might be fulfilled, which He spake, Of them which thou gavest Me have I lost none.

¹⁰ Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus.

¹¹ Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which My Father hath given Me, shall I not drink it?

¹² Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound Him,¹³ And led Him away to Annas first; for he was father in law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year.

¹⁴ Now Caiaphas was he, which gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.

¹⁵ And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple: that disciple was known unto the high priest, and went in with Jesus into the palace of the high priest.

¹⁶ But Peter stood at the door without. Then went out that other disciple, which was known unto the high priest, and spake unto her that kept the door, and brought in Peter.

¹⁷ Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto Peter, Art not thou also one of this man's disciples? He saith, I am not.

¹⁸ And the servants and officers stood there, who had made a fire of coals; for it was cold: and they warmed themselves: and Peter stood with them, and warmed himself.

¹⁹ The high priest then asked Jesus of His disciples, and of His doctrine.

²⁰ Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing. ²¹ Why askest thou Me? ask them which heard Me, what I have said unto them: behold, they know what I said.

²² And when He had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so?

²³ Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou Me?

²⁴ Now Annas had sent Him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest.

²⁵ And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. They said therefore unto him, Art not thou also one of His disciples? He denied it, and said, I am not.

²⁶ One of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not I see thee in the garden with Him?

²⁷ Peter then denied again: and immediately the cock crew.


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²⁸ Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover.

(They delivered Jesus to be judged and killed, but they would not go into the judgment hall for to do so would cause them to be defiled. Twisted ... strain at gnats while swallowing camels)

²⁹ Pilate then went out unto them, and said, What accusation bring ye against this man?

³⁰ They answered and said unto him, If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up unto thee.

³¹ Then said Pilate unto them, Take ye Him, and judge Him according to your law.

The Jews therefore said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death:

³² That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which He spake, signifying what death He should die.

³³ Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto Him, Art thou the King of the Jews?

³⁴ Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of Me?

³⁵ Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done?

³⁶ Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is MY kingdom not from hence.

³⁷ Pilate therefore said unto Him, Art thou a king then?

Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king.

To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth My voice.

³⁸ Pilate saith unto him, What is truth?

And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in Him no fault at all.

³⁹ But ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the passover: will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews?

⁴⁰ Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber.

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