💥 Podcast: Gideon, chosen by God to save the children of Israel from the Midianites

 

(This podcast was previously published on, November 2, 2021)   

 

Judges 6

1 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.  (7-years)

2 And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: and because of the Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds.

3 And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east, even they came up against them;

4 And they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass.

5 For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came as grasshoppers for multitude; for both they and their camels were without number: and they entered into the land to destroy it.

6 And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and the children of Israel cried unto the LORD.

7 And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD because of the Midianites,

8 That the LORD sent a prophet unto the children of Israel, which said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage;

9 And I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and drave them out from before you, and gave you their land;

10 And I said unto you, I am the LORD your God; fear not the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but ye have not obeyed MY voice.

If we fear those things the world fears, we take on "another god".  Instead we should turn to our God and ask HIM to deal with those fears which come from this world and we ask God to protect us as HIS people and know that HE is God and in control of those things which this world fears.

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Another problem:  The children of Israel tried to co-mingle with the people of this world and that ended up drawing them away, in part, from the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

When we try to be friends (support) the people who do not follow God, we are greatly weakened and will find it difficult to speak the Word that is from God for we might offend them with the Word.

We end up putting ourselves into bondage to the world as we hold back from speaking in order to keep the worldly people as "friends".  Often these worldly people are relatives and even attend some form of Christian type church, but they do not follow all the counsel of God as given in the New Testament Bible.

When we do speak the word given us by the Holy Spirit when we are with them, we often drive them out from us by the Word we speak.  

But wanting to be friends with them, we often withhold that word which God would have us speak and we try to please them with our words.

They become thorns in our sides and pricks in our eyes and vex us by their words in the land God has given us.

This is what God said would happen:

Numbers 33:55  But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell.

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There was a Catholic woman who enjoyed visiting me.  But she would come to my house and tell me some worldly news story or begin telling me something that she considered truth which was not in the Bible.

Each time she did this, I would explain to her:  "What you have said is not in the Bible.  I want to build my house on the Word of God from the Bible."  

Often I would read the scripture from the Bible that pertained to the story she had just told.

After a time, she stopped contacting me.

This is how we drive them out from us today in the New Testament church.  Speak what the Bible says.  If God gives them an heart to hear, they will be born again by the Word.  If not, they will leave.

If the unbeliever depart let him depart.

But we do not want to keep the world nor the unbelieving church around us for they will trouble us with their words and their concepts.  Neither do we let them overcome us by our silence. 

 

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A Baptist woman welcomed her adulterous granddaughter into her home. Even people in the community knew of the granddaughter's multiple adulterous relationships with men. I just couldn't understand allowing this granddaughter into my home. The granddaughter was raised in the Baptist church. But she flaunted her sin in front of her grandmother, and her Baptist grandmother allowed her to come to her house.

A Church of Christ cousin of mine allowed her cousin and that cousin's lover to come spend week-ends at her home.

When my neighbor, a Jewish man, asked me if he could use my spare bedroom for his wife's daughter and her friend for a weekend, I asked him about this "friend". He then told me his wife's daughter was lesbian and her friend was her female "mate".  I told him I could not have this in my house but if he had a married couple they could stay at my house.

Romans 1:26-28   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:  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. 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;

I Timothy 5:22 ... neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure.

James 4:4  Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

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Judges 6

11 And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.

12 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him (to Gideon) , and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.

13 And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all HIS miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.

14 And the LORD looked upon him (upon Gideon), and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?

15 And he (Gideon) said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.

16 And the LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.

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God chose Moses and revealed HIMSELF to Moses.

Exodus 3

5 And HE (God) said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.

6 Moreover HE said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.

And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.

7 And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;

8 And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.

9 Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto ME: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.

10 Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.

11 And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?

(But it is God who is causing the work that will be done through Moses and therefore it is of God and not of Moses.)

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After the resurrection of Jesus, Saul (Paul) was chosen by Jesus and Jesus revealed HIMSELF to Paul.

Acts 26  (Paul tells king Agrippa)

4 My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;

5 Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

6 And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers:

7 Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.

8 Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?

9 I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

10 Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.

11 And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.

12 Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,

13 At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.

14 And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou ME? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

15 And I said, Who art thou, Lord? 

And HE said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.

16 But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;

17 Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,

18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in ME.

19 Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:

Paul was one of those New Testament apostles and teachers given to the New Testament church by Jesus after the crucifixion and resurrection.

Ephesians 4

11-14 And HE (Jesus) gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

Today Jesus continues to give ministers to the New Testaments church as HE calls from heaven and ordains HIS ministers to do this work of the ministry in the New Testament church today.

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In both the Old and New Testament, both men and women (Deborah in Judges 4 & Philip's 4 daughters in Acts 21 who did prophesy), were called by God for HIS work and set in the children of Israel and in the New Testament church to lead HIS people and to turn them to HIS ways.

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💥 Scriptures shared by members of the body of Christ:

 

Luke 3:5  Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth;

 

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Hebrews 13:5-6  Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for HE hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

 

6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

 

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1 Timothy 5:8  But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

 

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Proverbs 21:13  Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.

 

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I Peter 5:8-9  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 

 

9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. 

 

 

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💥 Luke 9 (Reading through the Bible)

 

1 Then He called His twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.

2 And He sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.

3  And He said unto them, Take nothing for your journey, neither staves, nor scrip, neither bread, neither money; neither have two coats apiece.

4  And whatsoever house ye enter into, there abide, and thence depart.

5 And whosoever will not receive you, when ye go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them.

⁶ And they departed, and went through the towns, preaching the gospel, and healing every where.

7 Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by Him: and he was perplexed, because that it was said of some, that John was risen from the dead;  8 And of some, that Elias had appeared; and of others, that one of the old prophets was risen again.

9 And Herod said, John have I beheaded: but who is this, of whom I hear such things? And he desired to see Him.

10 And the apostles, when they were returned, told Him all that they had done. And He took them, and went aside privately into a desert place belonging to the city called Bethsaida.

11 And the people, when they knew it, followed Him: and He received them, and spake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing.

12 And when the day began to wear away, then came the twelve, and said unto Him, Send the multitude away, that they may go into the towns and country round about, and lodge, and get victuals: for we are here in a desert place.

13 But He said unto them, Give ye them to eat.

And they said, We have no more but five loaves and two fishes; except we should go and buy meat for all this people.

14 For they were about five thousand men.

And He said to His disciples, Make them sit down by fifties in a company.

15 And they did so, and made them all sit down.

16 Then He took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, He blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude.

17 And they did eat, and were all filled: and there was taken up of fragments that remained to them twelve baskets.

18 And it came to pass, as He was alone praying, His disciples were with Him: and He asked them, saying, Whom say the people that I am?

19 They answering said, John the Baptist; but some say, Elias; and others say, that one of the old prophets is risen again.

20 He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am?

Peter answering said, The Christ of God.

21 And He straitly charged them, and commanded them to tell no man that thing;  22  Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.

23 And He said to them all, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.

24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for My sake, the same shall save it.

25 For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?

26 For whosoever shall be ashamed of Me and of My words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when He shall come in His own glory, and in His Father's, and of the holy angels.

27 But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God.

(For Jesus would be crucified and resurrected in their lifetime, thus they would see the kingdom of God.)

28 And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, He took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray.

29 And as He prayed, the fashion of His countenance was altered, and His raiment was white and glistering.

³⁰ And, behold, there talked with Him two men, which were Moses and Elias:  ³¹ Who appeared in glory, and spake of His decease which He should accomplish at Jerusalem.

³² But Peter and they that were with Him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw His glory, and the two men that stood with Him.

³³ And it came to pass, as they departed from Him, Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for Thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias: not knowing what he said.

³⁴ While he thus spake, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud.

³⁵ And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is My beloved Son: hear Him.

³⁶ And when the voice was past, Jesus was found alone. And they kept it close, and told no man in those days any of those things which they had seen.

³⁷ And it came to pass, that on the next day, when they were come down from the hill, much people met Him.

³⁸ And, behold, a man of the company cried out, saying, Master, I beseech Thee, look upon my son: for he is mine only child. ³⁹ And, lo, a spirit taketh him, and he suddenly crieth out; and it teareth him that he foameth again, and bruising him hardly departeth from him.

⁴⁰ And I besought Thy disciples to cast him out; and they could not.

⁴¹ And Jesus answering said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you, and suffer you? Bring thy son hither.

⁴² And as he was yet a coming, the devil threw him down, and tare him. And Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the child, and delivered him again to his father.

⁴³ And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God.

But while they wondered every one at all things which Jesus did, He said unto His disciples,  ⁴⁴ Let these sayings sink down into your ears: for the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men.

⁴⁵ But they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not: and they feared to ask Him of that saying.

⁴⁶ Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of them should be greatest.

⁴⁷ And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a child, and set him by Him, ⁴⁸ And said unto them, Whosoever shall receive this child in My name receiveth Me: and whosoever shall receive Me receiveth Him that sent Me: for he that is least among you all, the same shall be great.

⁴⁹ And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in Thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us.

⁵⁰ And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.

⁵¹ And it came to pass, when the time was come that He should be received up, He stedfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem,

⁵² And sent messengers before His face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for Him.

⁵³ And they did not receive Him, because His face was as though He would go to Jerusalem.

⁵⁴ And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt Thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?

⁵⁵ But He turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. ⁵⁶ For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them.

And they went to another village.

⁵⁷ And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow Thee whithersoever thou goest.

⁵⁸ And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay His head.

⁵⁹ And He said unto another, Follow Me.

But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.

⁶⁰ Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.

⁶¹ And another also said, Lord, I will follow Thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.

⁶² And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

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💥 Podcast: Deborah, one of the judges of Israel, used by God to deliver the children of Israel

 

(This podcast was previously published on, November 1, 2021)  

 

Judges 4  (Deborah)

1 And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD, when Ehud was dead.

2 And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera, which dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles.

3 And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.

4 And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.

5 And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.

(Deborah was given a message for Barak, the captain of the army of God, who had delayed going to war.)

6 And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the LORD God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun?

7 And I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine hand.

8 And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go.

9 And she said, I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honour; for the LORD shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. 

And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.

10 And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and he went up with ten thousand men at his feet: and Deborah went up with him.

11 Now Heber the Kenite, which was of the children of Hobab the father in law of Moses, had severed himself from the Kenites, and pitched his tent unto the plain of Zaanaim, which is by Kedesh.

(Here is a connection with friends of God and notice that Heber had "severed himself" from the enemies of God and no longer lived with the Kenites.  So we see that some of this group would not be supportive of Sisera though they did give him some information but that information lured Sisera to his downfall and his eventual death.)

12 And they shewed Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam was gone up to mount Tabor.

13 And Sisera gathered together all his chariots, even nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people that were with him, from Harosheth of the Gentiles unto the river of Kishon.

14 And Deborah said unto Barak, Up; for this is the day in which the LORD hath delivered Sisera into thine hand: is not the LORD gone out before thee? 

So Barak went down from mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him.

15 And the LORD discomfited Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his host, with the edge of the sword before Barak; so that Sisera lighted down off his chariot, and fled away on his feet.

16 But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the host, unto Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the host of Sisera fell upon the edge of the sword; and there was not a man left.

(God shows all of the enemies of the children of Israel being destroyed.)

17 Howbeit Sisera (the captain of the host of Canaan) fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite: for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite.

18 And Jael (Herber's wife) went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him, Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; fear not. And when he had turned in unto her into the tent, she covered him with a mantle.

(She appears to support Sisera.)

19 And he said unto her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water to drink; for I am thirsty. And she opened a bottle of milk, and gave him drink, and covered him.

20 Again he said unto her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be, when any man doth come and enquire of thee, and say, Is there any man here? that thou shalt say, No.

21 Then Jael Heber's wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him (to Sisera), and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died.

22 And, behold, as Barak (the captain of the army of Israel) pursued Sisera, Jael (Herber's wife) came out to meet him, and said unto him, Come, and I will shew thee the man whom thou seekest. 

And when he came into her tent, behold, Sisera lay dead, and the nail was in his temples.

23 So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel.

24 And the hand of the children of Israel prospered, and prevailed against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin king of Canaan.

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Over and over the children of Israel tried to associate with the people of the other nations but they ended up following after the beliefs of the other nations and sinning against God as they did such.

Numbers 33:55  God says:  But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell.

Psalm 81:9  There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any strange god.

I Kings 11  (God warned Solomon about the "strange women" but Solomon didn't believe the warning.)

1 But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites;

2 Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love.

The children of Israel turned from the commandments given by God and did in the ways of the people around them.

And then they could not stand against their enemies and God gave them over to serve their enemies.  And their hearts were turned from the Lord God by these people of other nations and they did not wholly follow the commandments of God.

When the bondage became too severe, then they called upon God for HIS help and God raised up a deliverer to judge the nations with God's judgment.

Proverbs 14:12  There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

The children of Israel thought it would be good to mingle with the children of the nations of this world and make friends with them and even to intermarry.  

But God had told them if they would not drive these people out from among them, they would vex the children of Israel and end up being thorns in their sides and pricks in their eyes and they would turn them away from wholly following God.

God's way is often very different from our own reasoning.  We must go in the way that is right in the sight of God.

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I Corinthians 6

14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

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James 4:4   Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

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💥 Scriptures shared by members of the body of Christ:

 

1 Corinthians 2:9-10  But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

 

10 But God hath revealed them unto us by HIS Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

 

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Colossians 3:17  And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by HIM.

 

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Psalm 9:10  And they that know THY name will put their trust in THEE: for THOU, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek THEE.

 

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2 Thessalonians 1:11-12  Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of HIS goodness, and the work of faith with power:

12 That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in HIM, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

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3 John 2  Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

 

 

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💥 Luke 8 (Reading through the Bible)

 

And it came to pass afterward, that He went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with Him,

(The real church is a joyful people because of the Word and their belief in the Word, focused on the Word.)

² And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils,
³ And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto Him of their substance.

⁴ And when much people were gathered together, and were come to Him out of every city, He spake by a parable:

⁵ A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.
⁶ And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.
⁷ And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.
⁸ And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold.

And when He had said these things, He cried, he that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

⁹ And His disciples asked Him, saying, What might this parable be?

¹⁰ And He said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.

¹¹ Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.

¹² Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.

¹³ They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.

¹⁴ And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.

¹⁵ But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

¹⁶ No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light.

¹⁷ For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.

¹⁸ Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.

***

¹⁹ Then came to Him His mother and His brethren, and could not come at him for the press.

²⁰ And it was told Him by certain which said, Thy mother and Thy brethren stand without, desiring to see Thee.

²¹ And He answered and said unto them, My mother and My brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it.

***

²² Now it came to pass on a certain day, that He went into a ship with His disciples: and He said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth.

²³ But as they sailed He fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy.

²⁴ And they came to Him, and awoke Him, saying, Master, master, we perish.

Then He arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm.

²⁵ And He said unto them, Where is your faith?

And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for He commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey Him.

***

²⁶ And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee.

²⁷ And when He went forth to land, there met Him out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs.

²⁸ When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with Thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech Thee, torment me not.

²⁹ (For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught him: and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters; and he brake the bands, and was driven of the devil into the wilderness.)

³⁰ And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name?

And he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him.

³¹ And they besought Him that He would not command them to go out into the deep.

³² And there was there an herd of many swine feeding on the mountain: and they besought Him that He would suffer them to enter into them. And He suffered them.

³³ Then went the devils out of the man, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were choked.

(Devils cause you to do crazy things.)

³⁴ When they that fed them saw what was done, they fled, and went and told it in the city and in the country.

³⁵ Then they went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.

³⁶ They also which saw it told them by what means he that was possessed of the devils was healed.

³⁷ Then the whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes round about besought Him to depart from them; for they were taken with great fear: and He went up into the ship, and returned back again.

³⁸ Now the man out of whom the devils were departed besought Him that he might be with Him: but Jesus sent him away, saying,
³⁹ Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him.

***

⁴⁰ And it came to pass, that, when Jesus was returned, the people gladly received Him: for they were all waiting for Him.

⁴¹ And, behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue: and he fell down at Jesus' feet, and besought Him that He would come into his house:
⁴² For he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay a dying.

But as He went the people thronged Him.

⁴³ And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any,
⁴⁴ Came behind Him, and touched the border of His garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched.

⁴⁵ And Jesus said, Who touched Me?

When all denied, Peter and they that were with Him said, Master, the multitude throng Thee and press Thee, and sayest Thou, Who touched Me?

⁴⁶ And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched Me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of Me.

⁴⁷ And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before Him, she declared unto Him before all the people for what cause she had touched Him, and how she was healed immediately.

⁴⁸ And He said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.

***

⁴⁹ While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to him, Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master.

⁵⁰ But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.

⁵¹ And when He came into the house, He suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden.

⁵² And all wept, and bewailed her: but He said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth.

⁵³ And they laughed Him to scorn, knowing that she was dead.

⁵⁴ And He put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise.

⁵⁵ And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and He commanded to give her meat.

⁵⁶ And her parents were astonished: but He charged them that they should tell no man what was done.

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