Romans 12
A Living Sacrifice to God 1 And so, dear brothers and sisters,[a] I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.[b] 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
3 Because of the privilege and authority[c] God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.[d] 4 Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, 5 so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.
6 In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. 7 If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. 8 If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.
9 Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. 10 Love each other with genuine affection,[e] and take delight in honoring each other. 11 Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.[f] 12 Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. 13 When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. 15 Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!
17 Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.
19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,
“I will take revenge; I will pay them back,”[g] says the Lord.
20 Instead,
“If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.”[h]
21 Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Romans 10
1 Dear brothers and sisters,[a] the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for the people of Israel to be saved. 2 I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal. 3 For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law. 4 For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given.[b] As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God.
Salvation Is for Everyone
5 For Moses writes that the law’s way of making a person right with God requires obedience to all of its commands.[c] 6 But faith’s way of getting right with God says, “Don’t say in your heart, ‘Who will go up to heaven’ (to bring Christ down to earth). 7 And don’t say, ‘Who will go down to the place of the dead’ (to bring Christ back to life again).” 8 In fact, it says,
“The message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart.”[d]
And that message is the very message about faith that we preach: 9 If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. 11 As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.”[e] 12 Jew and Gentile[f] are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him. 13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”[g]
14 But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? 15 And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”[h]
16 But not everyone welcomes the Good News, for Isaiah the prophet said, “Lord, who has believed our message?”[i] 17 So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ. 18 But I ask, have the people of Israel actually heard the message? Yes, they have:
“The message has gone throughout the earth, and the words to all the world.”[j]
19 But I ask, did the people of Israel really understand? Yes, they did, for even in the time of Moses, God said,
“I will rouse your jealousy through people who are not even a nation. I will provoke your anger through the foolish Gentiles.”[k]
20 And later Isaiah spoke boldly for God, saying,
“I was found by people who were not looking for me. I showed myself to those who were not asking for me.”[l]
21 But regarding Israel, God said,
“All day long I opened my arms to them, but they were disobedient and rebellious.”[m]
Romans 11
God’s Mercy on Israel
1 I ask, then, has God rejected his own people, the nation of Israel? Of course not! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham and a member of the tribe of Benjamin.
2 No, God has not rejected his own people, whom he chose from the very beginning. Do you realize what the Scriptures say about this? Elijah the prophet complained to God about the people of Israel and said, 3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.”[n]
4 And do you remember God’s reply? He said, “No, I have 7,000 others who have never bowed down to Baal!”[o]
5 It is the same today, for a few of the people of Israel[p] have remained faithful because of God’s grace—his undeserved kindness in choosing them. 6 And since it is through God’s kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God’s grace would not be what it really is—free and undeserved.
7 So this is the situation: Most of the people of Israel have not found the favor of God they are looking for so earnestly. A few have—the ones God has chosen—but the hearts of the rest were hardened. 8 As the Scriptures say,
“God has put them into a deep sleep. To this day he has shut their eyes so they do not see, and closed their ears so they do not hear.”[q]
9 Likewise, David said,
“Let their bountiful table become a snare, a trap that makes them think all is well. Let their blessings cause them to stumble, and let them get what they deserve. 10 Let their eyes go blind so they cannot see, and let their backs be bent forever.”[r]
11 Did God’s people stumble and fall beyond recovery? Of course not! They were disobedient, so God made salvation available to the Gentiles. But he wanted his own people to become jealous and claim it for themselves. 12 Now if the Gentiles were enriched because the people of Israel turned down God’s offer of salvation, think how much greater a blessing the world will share when they finally accept it.
1 Dear brothers and sisters,[a] the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for the people of Israel to be saved. 2 I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal. 3 For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law. 4 For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given.[b] As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God.
Salvation Is for Everyone
5 For Moses writes that the law’s way of making a person right with God requires obedience to all of its commands.[c] 6 But faith’s way of getting right with God says, “Don’t say in your heart, ‘Who will go up to heaven’ (to bring Christ down to earth). 7 And don’t say, ‘Who will go down to the place of the dead’ (to bring Christ back to life again).” 8 In fact, it says,
“The message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart.”[d]
And that message is the very message about faith that we preach: 9 If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. 11 As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.”[e] 12 Jew and Gentile[f] are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him. 13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”[g]
14 But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? 15 And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”[h]
16 But not everyone welcomes the Good News, for Isaiah the prophet said, “Lord, who has believed our message?”[i] 17 So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ. 18 But I ask, have the people of Israel actually heard the message? Yes, they have:
“The message has gone throughout the earth, and the words to all the world.”[j]
19 But I ask, did the people of Israel really understand? Yes, they did, for even in the time of Moses, God said,
“I will rouse your jealousy through people who are not even a nation. I will provoke your anger through the foolish Gentiles.”[k]
20 And later Isaiah spoke boldly for God, saying,
“I was found by people who were not looking for me. I showed myself to those who were not asking for me.”[l]
21 But regarding Israel, God said,
“All day long I opened my arms to them, but they were disobedient and rebellious.”[m]
Romans 11
God’s Mercy on Israel
1 I ask, then, has God rejected his own people, the nation of Israel? Of course not! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham and a member of the tribe of Benjamin.
2 No, God has not rejected his own people, whom he chose from the very beginning. Do you realize what the Scriptures say about this? Elijah the prophet complained to God about the people of Israel and said, 3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.”[n]
4 And do you remember God’s reply? He said, “No, I have 7,000 others who have never bowed down to Baal!”[o]
5 It is the same today, for a few of the people of Israel[p] have remained faithful because of God’s grace—his undeserved kindness in choosing them. 6 And since it is through God’s kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God’s grace would not be what it really is—free and undeserved.
7 So this is the situation: Most of the people of Israel have not found the favor of God they are looking for so earnestly. A few have—the ones God has chosen—but the hearts of the rest were hardened. 8 As the Scriptures say,
“God has put them into a deep sleep. To this day he has shut their eyes so they do not see, and closed their ears so they do not hear.”[q]
9 Likewise, David said,
“Let their bountiful table become a snare, a trap that makes them think all is well. Let their blessings cause them to stumble, and let them get what they deserve. 10 Let their eyes go blind so they cannot see, and let their backs be bent forever.”[r]
11 Did God’s people stumble and fall beyond recovery? Of course not! They were disobedient, so God made salvation available to the Gentiles. But he wanted his own people to become jealous and claim it for themselves. 12 Now if the Gentiles were enriched because the people of Israel turned down God’s offer of salvation, think how much greater a blessing the world will share when they finally accept it.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Romans 9
God’s Selection of Israel
1 With Christ as my witness, I speak with utter truthfulness. My conscience and the Holy Spirit confirm it. 2 My heart is filled with bitter sorrow and unending grief 3 for my people, my Jewish brothers and sisters.[a] I would be willing to be forever cursed—cut off from Christ!—if that would save them. 4 They are the people of Israel, chosen to be God’s adopted children.[b] God revealed his glory to them. He made covenants with them and gave them his law. He gave them the privilege of worshiping him and receiving his wonderful promises. 5 Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are their ancestors, and Christ himself was an Israelite as far as his human nature is concerned. And he is God, the one who rules over everything and is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.[c]
6 Well then, has God failed to fulfill his promise to Israel? No, for not all who are born into the nation of Israel are truly members of God’s people! 7 Being descendants of Abraham doesn’t make them truly Abraham’s children. For the Scriptures say, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted,”[d] though Abraham had other children, too. 8 This means that Abraham’s physical descendants are not necessarily children of God. Only the children of the promise are considered to be Abraham’s children. 9 For God had promised, “I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”[e]
10 This son was our ancestor Isaac. When he married Rebekah, she gave birth to twins.[f] 11 But before they were born, before they had done anything good or bad, she received a message from God. (This message shows that God chooses people according to his own purposes; 12 he calls people, but not according to their good or bad works.) She was told, “Your older son will serve your younger son.”[g] 13 In the words of the Scriptures, “I loved Jacob, but I rejected Esau.”[h]
14 Are we saying, then, that God was unfair? Of course not! 15 For God said to Moses,
“I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.”[i]
16 So it is God who decides to show mercy. We can neither choose it nor work for it.
17 For the Scriptures say that God told Pharaoh, “I have appointed you for the very purpose of displaying my power in you and to spread my fame throughout the earth.”[j] 18 So you see, God chooses to show mercy to some, and he chooses to harden the hearts of others so they refuse to listen.
19 Well then, you might say, “Why does God blame people for not responding? Haven’t they simply done what he makes them do?”
20 No, don’t say that. Who are you, a mere human being, to argue with God? Should the thing that was created say to the one who created it, “Why have you made me like this?” 21 When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn’t he have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into? 22 In the same way, even though God has the right to show his anger and his power, he is very patient with those on whom his anger falls, who are destined for destruction. 23 He does this to make the riches of his glory shine even brighter on those to whom he shows mercy, who were prepared in advance for glory. 24 And we are among those whom he selected, both from the Jews and from the Gentiles.
25 Concerning the Gentiles, God says in the prophecy of Hosea,
“Those who were not my people, I will now call my people. And I will love those whom I did not love before.”[k]
26 And,
“Then, at the place where they were told, ‘You are not my people,’ there they will be called ‘children of the living God.’”[l]
27 And concerning Israel, Isaiah the prophet cried out,
“Though the people of Israel are as numerous as the sand of the seashore, only a remnant will be saved. 28 For the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth quickly and with finality.”[m]
29 And Isaiah said the same thing in another place:
“If the Lord of Heaven’s Armies had not spared a few of our children, we would have been wiped out like Sodom, destroyed like Gomorrah.”[n]
God’s Selection of Israel
1 With Christ as my witness, I speak with utter truthfulness. My conscience and the Holy Spirit confirm it. 2 My heart is filled with bitter sorrow and unending grief 3 for my people, my Jewish brothers and sisters.[a] I would be willing to be forever cursed—cut off from Christ!—if that would save them. 4 They are the people of Israel, chosen to be God’s adopted children.[b] God revealed his glory to them. He made covenants with them and gave them his law. He gave them the privilege of worshiping him and receiving his wonderful promises. 5 Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are their ancestors, and Christ himself was an Israelite as far as his human nature is concerned. And he is God, the one who rules over everything and is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.[c]
6 Well then, has God failed to fulfill his promise to Israel? No, for not all who are born into the nation of Israel are truly members of God’s people! 7 Being descendants of Abraham doesn’t make them truly Abraham’s children. For the Scriptures say, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted,”[d] though Abraham had other children, too. 8 This means that Abraham’s physical descendants are not necessarily children of God. Only the children of the promise are considered to be Abraham’s children. 9 For God had promised, “I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”[e]
10 This son was our ancestor Isaac. When he married Rebekah, she gave birth to twins.[f] 11 But before they were born, before they had done anything good or bad, she received a message from God. (This message shows that God chooses people according to his own purposes; 12 he calls people, but not according to their good or bad works.) She was told, “Your older son will serve your younger son.”[g] 13 In the words of the Scriptures, “I loved Jacob, but I rejected Esau.”[h]
14 Are we saying, then, that God was unfair? Of course not! 15 For God said to Moses,
“I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.”[i]
16 So it is God who decides to show mercy. We can neither choose it nor work for it.
17 For the Scriptures say that God told Pharaoh, “I have appointed you for the very purpose of displaying my power in you and to spread my fame throughout the earth.”[j] 18 So you see, God chooses to show mercy to some, and he chooses to harden the hearts of others so they refuse to listen.
19 Well then, you might say, “Why does God blame people for not responding? Haven’t they simply done what he makes them do?”
20 No, don’t say that. Who are you, a mere human being, to argue with God? Should the thing that was created say to the one who created it, “Why have you made me like this?” 21 When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn’t he have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into? 22 In the same way, even though God has the right to show his anger and his power, he is very patient with those on whom his anger falls, who are destined for destruction. 23 He does this to make the riches of his glory shine even brighter on those to whom he shows mercy, who were prepared in advance for glory. 24 And we are among those whom he selected, both from the Jews and from the Gentiles.
25 Concerning the Gentiles, God says in the prophecy of Hosea,
“Those who were not my people, I will now call my people. And I will love those whom I did not love before.”[k]
26 And,
“Then, at the place where they were told, ‘You are not my people,’ there they will be called ‘children of the living God.’”[l]
27 And concerning Israel, Isaiah the prophet cried out,
“Though the people of Israel are as numerous as the sand of the seashore, only a remnant will be saved. 28 For the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth quickly and with finality.”[m]
29 And Isaiah said the same thing in another place:
“If the Lord of Heaven’s Armies had not spared a few of our children, we would have been wiped out like Sodom, destroyed like Gomorrah.”[n]
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Romans 31-39
Nothing Can Separate Us from God’s Love
31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? 33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. 34 Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.
35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”[n]) 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[o] neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Nothing Can Separate Us from God’s Love
31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? 33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. 34 Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.
35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”[n]) 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[o] neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Romans 8:1-30
Life in the Spirit 1 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. 2 And because you belong to him, the power[a] of the life-giving Spirit has freed you[b] from the power of sin that leads to death. 3 The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature.[c] So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. 4 He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.
5 Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. 6 So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. 7 For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. 8 That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.
9 But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.) 10 And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life[d] because you have been made right with God. 11 The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.
12 Therefore, dear brothers and sisters,[e] you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. 13 For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature,[f] you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children[g] of God.
15 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children.[h] Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”[i] 16 For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. 17 And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.
The Future Glory 18 Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. 19 For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. 20 Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, 21 the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. 22 For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children,[j] including the new bodies he has promised us. 24 We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don’t need to hope[k] for it. 25 But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.)
26 And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. 27 And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers[l] in harmony with God’s own will. 28 And we know that God causes everything to work together[m] for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.
Life in the Spirit 1 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. 2 And because you belong to him, the power[a] of the life-giving Spirit has freed you[b] from the power of sin that leads to death. 3 The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature.[c] So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. 4 He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.
5 Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. 6 So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. 7 For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. 8 That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.
9 But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.) 10 And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life[d] because you have been made right with God. 11 The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.
12 Therefore, dear brothers and sisters,[e] you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. 13 For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature,[f] you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children[g] of God.
15 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children.[h] Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”[i] 16 For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. 17 And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.
The Future Glory 18 Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. 19 For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. 20 Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, 21 the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. 22 For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children,[j] including the new bodies he has promised us. 24 We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don’t need to hope[k] for it. 25 But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.)
26 And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. 27 And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers[l] in harmony with God’s own will. 28 And we know that God causes everything to work together[m] for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Psalm 18
For the choir director: A psalm of David, the servant of the Lord. He sang this song to the Lord on the day the Lord rescued him from all his enemies and from Saul. He sang: 1 I love you, Lord; you are my strength. 2 The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. 3 I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and he saved me from my enemies.
4 The ropes of death entangled me; floods of destruction swept over me. 5 The grave[a] wrapped its ropes around me; death laid a trap in my path. 6 But in my distress I cried out to the Lord; yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry to him reached his ears.
7 Then the earth quaked and trembled. The foundations of the mountains shook; they quaked because of his anger. 8 Smoke poured from his nostrils; fierce flames leaped from his mouth. Glowing coals blazed forth from him. 9 He opened the heavens and came down; dark storm clouds were beneath his feet. 10 Mounted on a mighty angelic being,[b] he flew, soaring on the wings of the wind. 11 He shrouded himself in darkness, veiling his approach with dark rain clouds. 12 Thick clouds shielded the brightness around him and rained down hail and burning coals.[c] 13 The Lord thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded amid the hail and burning coals. 14 He shot his arrows and scattered his enemies; his lightning flashed, and they were greatly confused. 15 Then at your command, O Lord, at the blast of your breath, the bottom of the sea could be seen, and the foundations of the earth were laid bare.
16 He reached down from heaven and rescued me; he drew me out of deep waters. 17 He rescued me from my powerful enemies, from those who hated me and were too strong for me. 18 They attacked me at a moment when I was in distress, but the Lord supported me. 19 He led me to a place of safety; he rescued me because he delights in me. 20 The Lord rewarded me for doing right; he restored me because of my innocence. 21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord; I have not turned from my God to follow evil. 22 I have followed all his regulations; I have never abandoned his decrees. 23 I am blameless before God; I have kept myself from sin. 24 The Lord rewarded me for doing right. He has seen my innocence.
25 To the faithful you show yourself faithful; to those with integrity you show integrity. 26 To the pure you show yourself pure, but to the wicked you show yourself hostile. 27 You rescue the humble, but you humiliate the proud. 28 You light a lamp for me. The Lord, my God, lights up my darkness. 29 In your strength I can crush an army; with my God I can scale any wall.
30 God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection. 31 For who is God except the Lord? Who but our God is a solid rock? 32 God arms me with strength, and he makes my way perfect. 33 He makes me as surefooted as a deer, enabling me to stand on mountain heights. 34 He trains my hands for battle; he strengthens my arm to draw a bronze bow. 35 You have given me your shield of victory. Your right hand supports me; your help has made me great. 36 You have made a wide path for my feet to keep them from slipping.
37 I chased my enemies and caught them; I did not stop until they were conquered. 38 I struck them down so they could not get up; they fell beneath my feet. 39 You have armed me with strength for the battle; you have subdued my enemies under my feet. 40 You placed my foot on their necks. I have destroyed all who hated me. 41 They called for help, but no one came to their rescue. They even cried to the Lord, but he refused to answer. 42 I ground them as fine as dust in the wind. I swept them into the gutter like dirt. 43 You gave me victory over my accusers. You appointed me ruler over nations; people I don’t even know now serve me. 44 As soon as they hear of me, they submit; foreign nations cringe before me. 45 They all lose their courage and come trembling from their strongholds.
46 The Lord lives! Praise to my Rock! May the God of my salvation be exalted! 47 He is the God who pays back those who harm me; he subdues the nations under me 48 and rescues me from my enemies. You hold me safe beyond the reach of my enemies; you save me from violent opponents. 49 For this, O Lord, I will praise you among the nations; I will sing praises to your name. 50 You give great victories to your king; you show unfailing love to your anointed, to David and all his descendants forever.
For the choir director: A psalm of David, the servant of the Lord. He sang this song to the Lord on the day the Lord rescued him from all his enemies and from Saul. He sang: 1 I love you, Lord; you are my strength. 2 The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. 3 I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and he saved me from my enemies.
4 The ropes of death entangled me; floods of destruction swept over me. 5 The grave[a] wrapped its ropes around me; death laid a trap in my path. 6 But in my distress I cried out to the Lord; yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry to him reached his ears.
7 Then the earth quaked and trembled. The foundations of the mountains shook; they quaked because of his anger. 8 Smoke poured from his nostrils; fierce flames leaped from his mouth. Glowing coals blazed forth from him. 9 He opened the heavens and came down; dark storm clouds were beneath his feet. 10 Mounted on a mighty angelic being,[b] he flew, soaring on the wings of the wind. 11 He shrouded himself in darkness, veiling his approach with dark rain clouds. 12 Thick clouds shielded the brightness around him and rained down hail and burning coals.[c] 13 The Lord thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded amid the hail and burning coals. 14 He shot his arrows and scattered his enemies; his lightning flashed, and they were greatly confused. 15 Then at your command, O Lord, at the blast of your breath, the bottom of the sea could be seen, and the foundations of the earth were laid bare.
16 He reached down from heaven and rescued me; he drew me out of deep waters. 17 He rescued me from my powerful enemies, from those who hated me and were too strong for me. 18 They attacked me at a moment when I was in distress, but the Lord supported me. 19 He led me to a place of safety; he rescued me because he delights in me. 20 The Lord rewarded me for doing right; he restored me because of my innocence. 21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord; I have not turned from my God to follow evil. 22 I have followed all his regulations; I have never abandoned his decrees. 23 I am blameless before God; I have kept myself from sin. 24 The Lord rewarded me for doing right. He has seen my innocence.
25 To the faithful you show yourself faithful; to those with integrity you show integrity. 26 To the pure you show yourself pure, but to the wicked you show yourself hostile. 27 You rescue the humble, but you humiliate the proud. 28 You light a lamp for me. The Lord, my God, lights up my darkness. 29 In your strength I can crush an army; with my God I can scale any wall.
30 God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection. 31 For who is God except the Lord? Who but our God is a solid rock? 32 God arms me with strength, and he makes my way perfect. 33 He makes me as surefooted as a deer, enabling me to stand on mountain heights. 34 He trains my hands for battle; he strengthens my arm to draw a bronze bow. 35 You have given me your shield of victory. Your right hand supports me; your help has made me great. 36 You have made a wide path for my feet to keep them from slipping.
37 I chased my enemies and caught them; I did not stop until they were conquered. 38 I struck them down so they could not get up; they fell beneath my feet. 39 You have armed me with strength for the battle; you have subdued my enemies under my feet. 40 You placed my foot on their necks. I have destroyed all who hated me. 41 They called for help, but no one came to their rescue. They even cried to the Lord, but he refused to answer. 42 I ground them as fine as dust in the wind. I swept them into the gutter like dirt. 43 You gave me victory over my accusers. You appointed me ruler over nations; people I don’t even know now serve me. 44 As soon as they hear of me, they submit; foreign nations cringe before me. 45 They all lose their courage and come trembling from their strongholds.
46 The Lord lives! Praise to my Rock! May the God of my salvation be exalted! 47 He is the God who pays back those who harm me; he subdues the nations under me 48 and rescues me from my enemies. You hold me safe beyond the reach of my enemies; you save me from violent opponents. 49 For this, O Lord, I will praise you among the nations; I will sing praises to your name. 50 You give great victories to your king; you show unfailing love to your anointed, to David and all his descendants forever.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Romans 7
No Longer Bound to the Law
1 Now, dear brothers and sisters[a]—you who are familiar with the law—don’t you know that the law applies only while a person is living? 2 For example, when a woman marries, the law binds her to her husband as long as he is alive. But if he dies, the laws of marriage no longer apply to her. 3 So while her husband is alive, she would be committing adultery if she married another man. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law and does not commit adultery when she remarries.
4 So, my dear brothers and sisters, this is the point: You died to the power of the law when you died with Christ. And now you are united with the one who was raised from the dead. As a result, we can produce a harvest of good deeds for God. 5 When we were controlled by our old nature,[b] sinful desires were at work within us, and the law aroused these evil desires that produced a harvest of sinful deeds, resulting in death. 6 But now we have been released from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power. Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit.
God’s Law Reveals Our Sin 7 Well then, am I suggesting that the law of God is sinful? Of course not! In fact, it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, “You must not covet.”[c] 8 But sin used this command to arouse all kinds of covetous desires within me! If there were no law, sin would not have that power. 9 At one time I lived without understanding the law. But when I learned the command not to covet, for instance, the power of sin came to life, 10 and I died. So I discovered that the law’s commands, which were supposed to bring life, brought spiritual death instead. 11 Sin took advantage of those commands and deceived me; it used the commands to kill me. 12 But still, the law itself is holy, and its commands are holy and right and good.
13 But how can that be? Did the law, which is good, cause my death? Of course not! Sin used what was good to bring about my condemnation to death. So we can see how terrible sin really is. It uses God’s good commands for its own evil purposes.
Struggling with Sin 14 So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. 15 I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. 16 But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. 17 So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.
18 And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[d] I want to do what is right, but I can’t. 19 I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. 20 But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.
21 I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. 22 I love God’s law with all my heart. 23 But there is another power[e] within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. 24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? 25 Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.
No Longer Bound to the Law
1 Now, dear brothers and sisters[a]—you who are familiar with the law—don’t you know that the law applies only while a person is living? 2 For example, when a woman marries, the law binds her to her husband as long as he is alive. But if he dies, the laws of marriage no longer apply to her. 3 So while her husband is alive, she would be committing adultery if she married another man. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law and does not commit adultery when she remarries.
4 So, my dear brothers and sisters, this is the point: You died to the power of the law when you died with Christ. And now you are united with the one who was raised from the dead. As a result, we can produce a harvest of good deeds for God. 5 When we were controlled by our old nature,[b] sinful desires were at work within us, and the law aroused these evil desires that produced a harvest of sinful deeds, resulting in death. 6 But now we have been released from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power. Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit.
God’s Law Reveals Our Sin 7 Well then, am I suggesting that the law of God is sinful? Of course not! In fact, it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, “You must not covet.”[c] 8 But sin used this command to arouse all kinds of covetous desires within me! If there were no law, sin would not have that power. 9 At one time I lived without understanding the law. But when I learned the command not to covet, for instance, the power of sin came to life, 10 and I died. So I discovered that the law’s commands, which were supposed to bring life, brought spiritual death instead. 11 Sin took advantage of those commands and deceived me; it used the commands to kill me. 12 But still, the law itself is holy, and its commands are holy and right and good.
13 But how can that be? Did the law, which is good, cause my death? Of course not! Sin used what was good to bring about my condemnation to death. So we can see how terrible sin really is. It uses God’s good commands for its own evil purposes.
Struggling with Sin 14 So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. 15 I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. 16 But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. 17 So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.
18 And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[d] I want to do what is right, but I can’t. 19 I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. 20 But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.
21 I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. 22 I love God’s law with all my heart. 23 But there is another power[e] within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. 24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? 25 Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Romans 6
Sin’s Power Is Broken
1 Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? 2 Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? 3 Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? 4 For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.
5 Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. 6 We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. 7 For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. 8 And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. 9 We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. 10 When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. 11 So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.
12 Do not let sin control the way you live;[a] do not give in to sinful desires. 13 Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. 14 Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.
15 Well then, since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! 16 Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. 17 Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you. 18 Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.
19 Because of the weakness of your human nature, I am using the illustration of slavery to help you understand all this. Previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led ever deeper into sin. Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy.
20 When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the obligation to do right. 21 And what was the result? You are now ashamed of the things you used to do, things that end in eternal doom. 22 But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.
Sin’s Power Is Broken
1 Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? 2 Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? 3 Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? 4 For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.
5 Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. 6 We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. 7 For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. 8 And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. 9 We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. 10 When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. 11 So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.
12 Do not let sin control the way you live;[a] do not give in to sinful desires. 13 Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. 14 Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.
15 Well then, since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! 16 Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. 17 Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you. 18 Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.
19 Because of the weakness of your human nature, I am using the illustration of slavery to help you understand all this. Previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led ever deeper into sin. Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy.
20 When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the obligation to do right. 21 And what was the result? You are now ashamed of the things you used to do, things that end in eternal doom. 22 But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Two links for Love Winston-Salem photographs. Check out the first picture for Monday morning. That's Alexandra glowing.
http://www.lovewinstonsalem.com/photos.htm
http://www.lovewinstonsalem.com/media/photos/monday/index.html
http://www.lovewinstonsalem.com/photos.htm
http://www.lovewinstonsalem.com/media/photos/monday/index.html
Romans 5
Faith Brings Joy
1 Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. 2 Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.
3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
6 When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. 7 Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. 8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. 9 And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. 10 For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. 11 So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.
Adam and Christ Contrasted
12 When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. 13 Yes, people sinned even before the law was given. But it was not counted as sin because there was not yet any law to break. 14 Still, everyone died—from the time of Adam to the time of Moses—even those who did not disobey an explicit commandment of God, as Adam did. Now Adam is a symbol, a representation of Christ, who was yet to come. 15 But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ. 16 And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. 17 For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.
18 Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. 19 Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous.
20 God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant. 21 So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Faith Brings Joy
1 Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. 2 Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.
3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
6 When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. 7 Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. 8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. 9 And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. 10 For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. 11 So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.
Adam and Christ Contrasted
12 When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. 13 Yes, people sinned even before the law was given. But it was not counted as sin because there was not yet any law to break. 14 Still, everyone died—from the time of Adam to the time of Moses—even those who did not disobey an explicit commandment of God, as Adam did. Now Adam is a symbol, a representation of Christ, who was yet to come. 15 But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ. 16 And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. 17 For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.
18 Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. 19 Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous.
20 God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant. 21 So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Romans 4
The Faith of Abraham
Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What did he discover about being made right with God? 2 If his good deeds had made him acceptable to God, he would have had something to boast about. But that was not God’s way. 3 For the Scriptures tell us, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.”[a]
4 When people work, their wages are not a gift, but something they have earned. 5 But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners. 6 David also spoke of this when he described the happiness of those who are declared righteous without working for it:
7 “Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sins are put out of sight. 8 Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of sin.”[b]
9 Now, is this blessing only for the Jews, or is it also for uncircumcised Gentiles?[c] Well, we have been saying that Abraham was counted as righteous by God because of his faith. 10 But how did this happen? Was he counted as righteous only after he was circumcised, or was it before he was circumcised? Clearly, God accepted Abraham before he was circumcised!
11 Circumcision was a sign that Abraham already had faith and that God had already accepted him and declared him to be righteous—even before he was circumcised. So Abraham is the spiritual father of those who have faith but have not been circumcised. They are counted as righteous because of their faith. 12 And Abraham is also the spiritual father of those who have been circumcised, but only if they have the same kind of faith Abraham had before he was circumcised.
13 Clearly, God’s promise to give the whole earth to Abraham and his descendants was based not on his obedience to God’s law, but on a right relationship with God that comes by faith. 14 If God’s promise is only for those who obey the law, then faith is not necessary and the promise is pointless. 15 For the law always brings punishment on those who try to obey it. (The only way to avoid breaking the law is to have no law to break!)
16 So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift. And we are all certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses, if we have faith like Abraham’s. For Abraham is the father of all who believe. 17 That is what the Scriptures mean when God told him, “I have made you the father of many nations.”[d] This happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing.
18 Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have!”[e] 19 And Abraham’s faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead—and so was Sarah’s womb.
20 Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. 21 He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises. 22 And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous. 23 And when God counted him as righteous, it wasn’t just for Abraham’s benefit. It was recorded 24 for our benefit, too, assuring us that God will also count us as righteous if we believe in him, the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God.
The Faith of Abraham
Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What did he discover about being made right with God? 2 If his good deeds had made him acceptable to God, he would have had something to boast about. But that was not God’s way. 3 For the Scriptures tell us, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.”[a]
4 When people work, their wages are not a gift, but something they have earned. 5 But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners. 6 David also spoke of this when he described the happiness of those who are declared righteous without working for it:
7 “Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sins are put out of sight. 8 Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of sin.”[b]
9 Now, is this blessing only for the Jews, or is it also for uncircumcised Gentiles?[c] Well, we have been saying that Abraham was counted as righteous by God because of his faith. 10 But how did this happen? Was he counted as righteous only after he was circumcised, or was it before he was circumcised? Clearly, God accepted Abraham before he was circumcised!
11 Circumcision was a sign that Abraham already had faith and that God had already accepted him and declared him to be righteous—even before he was circumcised. So Abraham is the spiritual father of those who have faith but have not been circumcised. They are counted as righteous because of their faith. 12 And Abraham is also the spiritual father of those who have been circumcised, but only if they have the same kind of faith Abraham had before he was circumcised.
13 Clearly, God’s promise to give the whole earth to Abraham and his descendants was based not on his obedience to God’s law, but on a right relationship with God that comes by faith. 14 If God’s promise is only for those who obey the law, then faith is not necessary and the promise is pointless. 15 For the law always brings punishment on those who try to obey it. (The only way to avoid breaking the law is to have no law to break!)
16 So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift. And we are all certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses, if we have faith like Abraham’s. For Abraham is the father of all who believe. 17 That is what the Scriptures mean when God told him, “I have made you the father of many nations.”[d] This happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing.
18 Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have!”[e] 19 And Abraham’s faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead—and so was Sarah’s womb.
20 Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. 21 He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises. 22 And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous. 23 And when God counted him as righteous, it wasn’t just for Abraham’s benefit. It was recorded 24 for our benefit, too, assuring us that God will also count us as righteous if we believe in him, the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Proverbs 19:13-14
13 A foolish child[a] is a calamity to a father; a quarrelsome wife is as annoying as constant dripping.
14 Fathers can give their sons an inheritance of houses and wealth, but only the Lord can give an understanding wife.
13 A foolish child[a] is a calamity to a father; a quarrelsome wife is as annoying as constant dripping.
14 Fathers can give their sons an inheritance of houses and wealth, but only the Lord can give an understanding wife.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
If anyone is in Winston-Salem or wants to go to Winston-Salem and plug into a week of joy check out Love Winston-Salem.
MISSION:WINSTON-SALEM JULY 14-18 2008
During the week of July 14th – 18th, we pray that you will intentionally set time aside to serve the Lord in Winston-Salem. Through your involvement in Mission: Winston-Salem you will have the opportunity to share the immense love of Christ in word and in deed. At the same time we pray that you will better understand how God has shaped you to serve. We also pray that you will get a better glimpse of our city and begin to understand how you can serve the Lord on an on-going basis.
Below is a listing of our partner agencies along with the Mission: Winston-Salem opportunities for you to participate in. The number in parenthesis indicate the number of volunteers needed for each activity. When you click on the agency name, you will be taken to a calendar page where you can see dates and times for volunteering. Just click on the day and time to fill out your volunteer form. Or you can click the "register" button below to see the week-at-a-glance for Mission: Winston-Salem.
Register during the Local Awakeningand receive a FREE Love Winston-Salem T-Shirt.
COMMUNITY AGENCIES
American Red Cross- Blood Drive- Donate blood (goal is 600 PINTS OF BLOOD)- Set up (20)- Registration (4)- Canteen (4)- Child Care (10)- Clean Up (20)
Crisis Control Ministries- Landscape (12)- Cleaning (28)- Organizing (12)- Pressure Washing (2)- Paper Shredding (4)- Baked Good for Volunteers (10)- Client Gift Bags (no limit)
Full Circle Kids- Basketball (20)- Cheerleading (10)- Arts & Crafts (5)- Lunches (5)
Habitat for Humanity- Construction (56)- Landscaping (16)- Habitat ReStore (10)- Administrative Assistance (2)* Because of the magnitude of this project, we will work on the Habitat House for two weeks (July 14 – 26)
Prodigals Community- Painting (40)- Cleaning (100)- Monday Night Service (no limit)
Salem Pregnancy Care Center- Client Picnic (no limit)- Organizing (5)- Child Care (5)- Cleaning (5)- Mailing (5)- Sorting (5)
Samaritan Ministries- Overnight Shelter (30)- Soup Kitchen (10)- Grounds Maintenance (10)*Must be 18 to volunteer
Southside Baptist Church/FROG Ministries- Maintenance projects (50)- Vacation Bible School (25)
The Salvation Army- Painting (100)- Landscaping (10)- Serving Meals (15)- Thrift Store (20)- Food Pantry (5)- Decorate Shelter Rooms (5)*Must be 18 to volunteer
Winston-Salem Rescue Mission- Painting (100)- Washing & Cleaning Vehicles (20)
SCHOOLS
REC CENTERS
Forest Park Elementary School- Landscaping (40)
Griffith Academy- Landscaping (25)- Cleaning (25)- Organizing (25)- Classroom set up (25)
Winston-Salem Street School- Cleaning (20)- Teacher appreciation activities (5)- Maintenance projects (20)
Hanes Hosiery Recreation Center- Sports Camp (50)- Beach Party (20)- Arts & Crafts (5)- Karate/ Self-defense (5)
Martin Luther King Recreation Center- Sports Camp (50)- Karate/ Self-defense (5)- Landscaping (10)
ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
Dental ClinicThe NC Baptist Men own two mobile dental units, which we will utilize during Mission: Winston-Salem to serve dozens of our most vulnerable neighbors with vital dental services.Mission: Winston-Salem- Dental Services (10)- Nursing Services (10)- Podiatry Services (2)- Receptionist (20)Contact: Van Nelsononepilgrim@gmail.com760-1461
Family ActivitiesEach day during Mission: Winston-Salem there will be activities taking place that are designed specifically for parents with young children. Ministry activities are designed to be safe and age-appropriate, but at the same time shape our children’s heart to serve.Mission: Winston-Salem- Cookies for Emergency Personnel - Care Packages for Homeless Shelters- Landscaping at Forest Park Elementary School- Prayer Walking- Lunch for Habitat for Humanity Work CrewContact: Christine Wallwall622@triad.rr.com761-1848
Sports in the Community Soccer CampSports in the Community is an organization dedicated to the development and enrichment of our children. Working together with the community of Winston-Salem we provide a safe environment in which our children participate in organized team sports and have fun while playing in competitive sports.Mission: Winston-Salem- Soccer Coaches (25)- Referees (8)- Arts & Crafts (10)- Devotion Leader (15)- Lunches/ snacks (15)Contact: Phil Calhounpcalhoun@purplecrow.net659-1984
Command CentralCommand Central, located in Calvary’s main lobby, is the base of operation during Mission: Winston-Salem. If you have any questions during the week or need a place to serve, just show up and we will find a place to plug you in.Mission: Winston-Salem (15)- Answer Phones- Directions- Answer Questions- Assign Ministry OpportunitiesContact: Dacia Smithandysadv@aol.com778-9363
Mt. Calvary HolinessDuring Mission: Winston-Salem we are partnering with Mt. Calvary Holiness church to help with some grounds maintenance projects.Mission: Winston-Salem- Renovations (10)- Landscaping (10)- Community block party (10)Contact: Alexandra Milneramilner@calvarystaff.com714-5502
Adopt-a-Family Pamper DayDuring the Christmas season Calvary adopted 72 families by providing gifts and food for the holidays. We want to continue our relationship with these families by hosting a pamper day for the mothers of our adopted families. This event will give us an opportunity to pamper these women physically, but also spiritually.Mission: Winston-Salem- Lead worship (10)- Share testimony (2)- Partner with community mother (75)- Pamper activities:- nails (5)- hair (5)- make up (5)- massages (5)- photography (2)- Set up/ clean up (10)Contact: Alexandra Milneramilner@calvarystaff.com714-5502
Vacation Bible SchoolsJoin us as we partner with four local churches to share the love of Jesus with hundreds of children in our community. During Mission: Winston-Salem we will be partnering with the following churches to provide local Vacation Bible Schools:- Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club- Greentree Baptist Church- Forest Hills Baptist Church- Southside Baptist ChurchMission: Winston-Salem- Bible leader (25)- Arts & crafts (25)- Music (15)- Snacks (8)
and there is more........
MISSION:WINSTON-SALEM JULY 14-18 2008
During the week of July 14th – 18th, we pray that you will intentionally set time aside to serve the Lord in Winston-Salem. Through your involvement in Mission: Winston-Salem you will have the opportunity to share the immense love of Christ in word and in deed. At the same time we pray that you will better understand how God has shaped you to serve. We also pray that you will get a better glimpse of our city and begin to understand how you can serve the Lord on an on-going basis.
Below is a listing of our partner agencies along with the Mission: Winston-Salem opportunities for you to participate in. The number in parenthesis indicate the number of volunteers needed for each activity. When you click on the agency name, you will be taken to a calendar page where you can see dates and times for volunteering. Just click on the day and time to fill out your volunteer form. Or you can click the "register" button below to see the week-at-a-glance for Mission: Winston-Salem.
Register during the Local Awakeningand receive a FREE Love Winston-Salem T-Shirt.
COMMUNITY AGENCIES
American Red Cross- Blood Drive- Donate blood (goal is 600 PINTS OF BLOOD)- Set up (20)- Registration (4)- Canteen (4)- Child Care (10)- Clean Up (20)
Crisis Control Ministries- Landscape (12)- Cleaning (28)- Organizing (12)- Pressure Washing (2)- Paper Shredding (4)- Baked Good for Volunteers (10)- Client Gift Bags (no limit)
Full Circle Kids- Basketball (20)- Cheerleading (10)- Arts & Crafts (5)- Lunches (5)
Habitat for Humanity- Construction (56)- Landscaping (16)- Habitat ReStore (10)- Administrative Assistance (2)* Because of the magnitude of this project, we will work on the Habitat House for two weeks (July 14 – 26)
Prodigals Community- Painting (40)- Cleaning (100)- Monday Night Service (no limit)
Salem Pregnancy Care Center- Client Picnic (no limit)- Organizing (5)- Child Care (5)- Cleaning (5)- Mailing (5)- Sorting (5)
Samaritan Ministries- Overnight Shelter (30)- Soup Kitchen (10)- Grounds Maintenance (10)*Must be 18 to volunteer
Southside Baptist Church/FROG Ministries- Maintenance projects (50)- Vacation Bible School (25)
The Salvation Army- Painting (100)- Landscaping (10)- Serving Meals (15)- Thrift Store (20)- Food Pantry (5)- Decorate Shelter Rooms (5)*Must be 18 to volunteer
Winston-Salem Rescue Mission- Painting (100)- Washing & Cleaning Vehicles (20)
SCHOOLS
REC CENTERS
Forest Park Elementary School- Landscaping (40)
Griffith Academy- Landscaping (25)- Cleaning (25)- Organizing (25)- Classroom set up (25)
Winston-Salem Street School- Cleaning (20)- Teacher appreciation activities (5)- Maintenance projects (20)
Hanes Hosiery Recreation Center- Sports Camp (50)- Beach Party (20)- Arts & Crafts (5)- Karate/ Self-defense (5)
Martin Luther King Recreation Center- Sports Camp (50)- Karate/ Self-defense (5)- Landscaping (10)
ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
Dental ClinicThe NC Baptist Men own two mobile dental units, which we will utilize during Mission: Winston-Salem to serve dozens of our most vulnerable neighbors with vital dental services.Mission: Winston-Salem- Dental Services (10)- Nursing Services (10)- Podiatry Services (2)- Receptionist (20)Contact: Van Nelsononepilgrim@gmail.com760-1461
Family ActivitiesEach day during Mission: Winston-Salem there will be activities taking place that are designed specifically for parents with young children. Ministry activities are designed to be safe and age-appropriate, but at the same time shape our children’s heart to serve.Mission: Winston-Salem- Cookies for Emergency Personnel - Care Packages for Homeless Shelters- Landscaping at Forest Park Elementary School- Prayer Walking- Lunch for Habitat for Humanity Work CrewContact: Christine Wallwall622@triad.rr.com761-1848
Sports in the Community Soccer CampSports in the Community is an organization dedicated to the development and enrichment of our children. Working together with the community of Winston-Salem we provide a safe environment in which our children participate in organized team sports and have fun while playing in competitive sports.Mission: Winston-Salem- Soccer Coaches (25)- Referees (8)- Arts & Crafts (10)- Devotion Leader (15)- Lunches/ snacks (15)Contact: Phil Calhounpcalhoun@purplecrow.net659-1984
Command CentralCommand Central, located in Calvary’s main lobby, is the base of operation during Mission: Winston-Salem. If you have any questions during the week or need a place to serve, just show up and we will find a place to plug you in.Mission: Winston-Salem (15)- Answer Phones- Directions- Answer Questions- Assign Ministry OpportunitiesContact: Dacia Smithandysadv@aol.com778-9363
Mt. Calvary HolinessDuring Mission: Winston-Salem we are partnering with Mt. Calvary Holiness church to help with some grounds maintenance projects.Mission: Winston-Salem- Renovations (10)- Landscaping (10)- Community block party (10)Contact: Alexandra Milneramilner@calvarystaff.com714-5502
Adopt-a-Family Pamper DayDuring the Christmas season Calvary adopted 72 families by providing gifts and food for the holidays. We want to continue our relationship with these families by hosting a pamper day for the mothers of our adopted families. This event will give us an opportunity to pamper these women physically, but also spiritually.Mission: Winston-Salem- Lead worship (10)- Share testimony (2)- Partner with community mother (75)- Pamper activities:- nails (5)- hair (5)- make up (5)- massages (5)- photography (2)- Set up/ clean up (10)Contact: Alexandra Milneramilner@calvarystaff.com714-5502
Vacation Bible SchoolsJoin us as we partner with four local churches to share the love of Jesus with hundreds of children in our community. During Mission: Winston-Salem we will be partnering with the following churches to provide local Vacation Bible Schools:- Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club- Greentree Baptist Church- Forest Hills Baptist Church- Southside Baptist ChurchMission: Winston-Salem- Bible leader (25)- Arts & crafts (25)- Music (15)- Snacks (8)
and there is more........
July 15th Reading
1 Chronicles 19:1-21:30Romans 2:25-3:8
Psalm 11:1-7Proverbs 19:10-12
Proverbs 19:11
11 A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense.
Psalm 11
For the director of music. Of David. 1 In the LORD I take refuge. How then can you say to me: "Flee like a bird to your mountain.
2 For look, the wicked bend their bows; they set their arrows against the strings to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart.
3 When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do [a] ?"
4 The LORD is in his holy temple; the LORD is on his heavenly throne. He observes the sons of men; his eyes examine them.
5 The LORD examines the righteous, but the wicked [b] and those who love violence his soul hates.
6 On the wicked he will rain fiery coals and burning sulfur; a scorching wind will be their lot.
7 For the LORD is righteous, he loves justice; upright men will see his face.
1 Chronicles 19:1-21:30Romans 2:25-3:8
Psalm 11:1-7Proverbs 19:10-12
Proverbs 19:11
11 A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense.
Psalm 11
For the director of music. Of David. 1 In the LORD I take refuge. How then can you say to me: "Flee like a bird to your mountain.
2 For look, the wicked bend their bows; they set their arrows against the strings to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart.
3 When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do [a] ?"
4 The LORD is in his holy temple; the LORD is on his heavenly throne. He observes the sons of men; his eyes examine them.
5 The LORD examines the righteous, but the wicked [b] and those who love violence his soul hates.
6 On the wicked he will rain fiery coals and burning sulfur; a scorching wind will be their lot.
7 For the LORD is righteous, he loves justice; upright men will see his face.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Love Winston-Salem has started today. Here's what it is all about.
Love Winston-Salem is a movement among local Believers to impact our city for the cause of Christ. Knowing that we are not in Winston-Salem by accident, it is our desire to represent Christ well. We want to be aware of the realities of our city and actively engaged in bringing hope to our community through Jesus Christ
We, as the local Church, desire to see God’s Kingdom displayed in Winston-Salem. What would it look like for God’s kingdom to come to Winston-Salem?
- The hungry are fed, the thirsty are satisfied, the stranger is welcomed, the naked are clothed, the sick are cared for, and the prisoner is visited. (Matt. 25: 35 – 36)- Men, women, boys, and girls are given the opportunity to reach their full potential as ones created in the image of the LORD. (Gen. 1:27)- Ultimately that each of our neighbors comes to a personal, growing, and serving relationship with the LORD.
“Your City: God’s Kingdom Come” is our prayer and our motivation as we seek to be God’s hands and feet in bringing about His glorious Kingdom here in Winston-Salem.
Go to the link at the top of the page to read more infomation about this week long local missions effort in Winston-Salem. Look through the pictures and be inspired to duplicate the effort in your community.
Love Winston-Salem is a movement among local Believers to impact our city for the cause of Christ. Knowing that we are not in Winston-Salem by accident, it is our desire to represent Christ well. We want to be aware of the realities of our city and actively engaged in bringing hope to our community through Jesus Christ
We, as the local Church, desire to see God’s Kingdom displayed in Winston-Salem. What would it look like for God’s kingdom to come to Winston-Salem?
- The hungry are fed, the thirsty are satisfied, the stranger is welcomed, the naked are clothed, the sick are cared for, and the prisoner is visited. (Matt. 25: 35 – 36)- Men, women, boys, and girls are given the opportunity to reach their full potential as ones created in the image of the LORD. (Gen. 1:27)- Ultimately that each of our neighbors comes to a personal, growing, and serving relationship with the LORD.
“Your City: God’s Kingdom Come” is our prayer and our motivation as we seek to be God’s hands and feet in bringing about His glorious Kingdom here in Winston-Salem.
Go to the link at the top of the page to read more infomation about this week long local missions effort in Winston-Salem. Look through the pictures and be inspired to duplicate the effort in your community.
Romans 2
God’s Judgment of Sin
1 You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things. 2 And we know that God, in his justice, will punish anyone who does such things. 3 Since you judge others for doing these things, why do you think you can avoid God’s judgment when you do the same things? 4 Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?
5 But because you are stubborn and refuse to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself. For a day of anger is coming, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. 6 He will judge everyone according to what they have done. 7 He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers. 8 But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness. 9 There will be trouble and calamity for everyone who keeps on doing what is evil—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile.[a] 10 But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who do good—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. 11 For God does not show favoritism.
12 When the Gentiles sin, they will be destroyed, even though they never had God’s written law. And the Jews, who do have God’s law, will be judged by that law when they fail to obey it. 13 For merely listening to the law doesn’t make us right with God. It is obeying the law that makes us right in his sight. 14 Even Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, show that they know his law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it. 15 They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right. 16 And this is the message I proclaim—that the day is coming when God, through Christ Jesus, will judge everyone’s secret life.
The Jews and the Law
17 You who call yourselves Jews are relying on God’s law, and you boast about your special relationship with him. 18 You know what he wants; you know what is right because you have been taught his law. 19 You are convinced that you are a guide for the blind and a light for people who are lost in darkness. 20 You think you can instruct the ignorant and teach children the ways of God. For you are certain that God’s law gives you complete knowledge and truth.
21 Well then, if you teach others, why don’t you teach yourself? You tell others not to steal, but do you steal? 22 You say it is wrong to commit adultery, but do you commit adultery? You condemn idolatry, but do you use items stolen from pagan temples?[b] 23 You are so proud of knowing the law, but you dishonor God by breaking it. 24 No wonder the Scriptures say, “The Gentiles blaspheme the name of God because of you.”[c]
25 The Jewish ceremony of circumcision has value only if you obey God’s law. But if you don’t obey God’s law, you are no better off than an uncircumcised Gentile. 26 And if the Gentiles obey God’s law, won’t God declare them to be his own people? 27 In fact, uncircumcised Gentiles who keep God’s law will condemn you Jews who are circumcised and possess God’s law but don’t obey it.
28 For you are not a true Jew just because you were born of Jewish parents or because you have gone through the ceremony of circumcision. 29 No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by God’s Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise[d] from God, not from people.
God’s Judgment of Sin
1 You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things. 2 And we know that God, in his justice, will punish anyone who does such things. 3 Since you judge others for doing these things, why do you think you can avoid God’s judgment when you do the same things? 4 Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?
5 But because you are stubborn and refuse to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself. For a day of anger is coming, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. 6 He will judge everyone according to what they have done. 7 He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers. 8 But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness. 9 There will be trouble and calamity for everyone who keeps on doing what is evil—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile.[a] 10 But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who do good—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. 11 For God does not show favoritism.
12 When the Gentiles sin, they will be destroyed, even though they never had God’s written law. And the Jews, who do have God’s law, will be judged by that law when they fail to obey it. 13 For merely listening to the law doesn’t make us right with God. It is obeying the law that makes us right in his sight. 14 Even Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, show that they know his law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it. 15 They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right. 16 And this is the message I proclaim—that the day is coming when God, through Christ Jesus, will judge everyone’s secret life.
The Jews and the Law
17 You who call yourselves Jews are relying on God’s law, and you boast about your special relationship with him. 18 You know what he wants; you know what is right because you have been taught his law. 19 You are convinced that you are a guide for the blind and a light for people who are lost in darkness. 20 You think you can instruct the ignorant and teach children the ways of God. For you are certain that God’s law gives you complete knowledge and truth.
21 Well then, if you teach others, why don’t you teach yourself? You tell others not to steal, but do you steal? 22 You say it is wrong to commit adultery, but do you commit adultery? You condemn idolatry, but do you use items stolen from pagan temples?[b] 23 You are so proud of knowing the law, but you dishonor God by breaking it. 24 No wonder the Scriptures say, “The Gentiles blaspheme the name of God because of you.”[c]
25 The Jewish ceremony of circumcision has value only if you obey God’s law. But if you don’t obey God’s law, you are no better off than an uncircumcised Gentile. 26 And if the Gentiles obey God’s law, won’t God declare them to be his own people? 27 In fact, uncircumcised Gentiles who keep God’s law will condemn you Jews who are circumcised and possess God’s law but don’t obey it.
28 For you are not a true Jew just because you were born of Jewish parents or because you have gone through the ceremony of circumcision. 29 No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by God’s Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise[d] from God, not from people.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Romans 1
Greetings from Paul 1 This letter is from Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach his Good News. 2 God promised this Good News long ago through his prophets in the holy Scriptures. 3 The Good News is about his Son. In his earthly life he was born into King David’s family line, 4 and he was shown to be[a] the Son of God when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit.[b] He is Jesus Christ our Lord. 5 Through Christ, God has given us the privilege[c] and authority as apostles to tell Gentiles everywhere what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey him, bringing glory to his name.
6 And you are included among those Gentiles who have been called to belong to Jesus Christ. 7 I am writing to all of you in Rome who are loved by God and are called to be his own holy people.
May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
God’s Good News 8 Let me say first that I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith in him is being talked about all over the world. 9 God knows how often I pray for you. Day and night I bring you and your needs in prayer to God, whom I serve with all my heart[d] by spreading the Good News about his Son.
10 One of the things I always pray for is the opportunity, God willing, to come at last to see you. 11 For I long to visit you so I can bring you some spiritual gift that will help you grow strong in the Lord. 12 When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours.
13 I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters,[e] that I planned many times to visit you, but I was prevented until now. I want to work among you and see spiritual fruit, just as I have seen among other Gentiles. 14 For I have a great sense of obligation to people in both the civilized world and the rest of the world,[f] to the educated and uneducated alike. 15 So I am eager to come to you in Rome, too, to preach the Good News.
16 For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.[g] 17 This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”[h]
God’s Anger at Sin 18 But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness.[i] 19 They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. 20 For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.
21 Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. 22 Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. 23 And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles.
24 So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies. 25 They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen. 26 That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. 27 And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved.
28 Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done. 29 Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. 30 They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents. 31 They refuse to understand, break their promises, are heartless, and have no mercy. 32 They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too.
Greetings from Paul 1 This letter is from Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach his Good News. 2 God promised this Good News long ago through his prophets in the holy Scriptures. 3 The Good News is about his Son. In his earthly life he was born into King David’s family line, 4 and he was shown to be[a] the Son of God when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit.[b] He is Jesus Christ our Lord. 5 Through Christ, God has given us the privilege[c] and authority as apostles to tell Gentiles everywhere what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey him, bringing glory to his name.
6 And you are included among those Gentiles who have been called to belong to Jesus Christ. 7 I am writing to all of you in Rome who are loved by God and are called to be his own holy people.
May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
God’s Good News 8 Let me say first that I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith in him is being talked about all over the world. 9 God knows how often I pray for you. Day and night I bring you and your needs in prayer to God, whom I serve with all my heart[d] by spreading the Good News about his Son.
10 One of the things I always pray for is the opportunity, God willing, to come at last to see you. 11 For I long to visit you so I can bring you some spiritual gift that will help you grow strong in the Lord. 12 When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours.
13 I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters,[e] that I planned many times to visit you, but I was prevented until now. I want to work among you and see spiritual fruit, just as I have seen among other Gentiles. 14 For I have a great sense of obligation to people in both the civilized world and the rest of the world,[f] to the educated and uneducated alike. 15 So I am eager to come to you in Rome, too, to preach the Good News.
16 For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.[g] 17 This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”[h]
God’s Anger at Sin 18 But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness.[i] 19 They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. 20 For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.
21 Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. 22 Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. 23 And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles.
24 So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies. 25 They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen. 26 That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. 27 And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved.
28 Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done. 29 Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. 30 They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents. 31 They refuse to understand, break their promises, are heartless, and have no mercy. 32 They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too.
Friday, July 11, 2008
BLINDNESS » Miraculous healing of (Matthew 9:27-30;11:5;12:22;21:14)
BLINDNESS » The miraculous healing of Bartimaeus (Matthew 20:30-34; Mark 10:46-52)
BLINDNESS » The miraculous healing of a man of Bethsaida (Mark 8:22-25)
BLINDNESS » The miraculous healing of a man born blind ( John 9:1-7)
BRAZEN SERPENT » Made by Moses for the healing of the Israelites (Numbers 21:9)
DUMB (DEAFNESS, MUTE) » Miraculous healing of, by Jesus (Matthew 9:32,33;12:22;15:30,31; Mark 7:37;9:17,25,26)
HAND » In healing (Mark 6:5;7:32;16:18; Luke 4:40; Acts 19:6,11)
JORDAN » Naaman washes in, for the healing of his leprosy (2 Kings 5:10-14)
SPITTING » Jesus used spittle for healing (Mark 7:33;8:23)
DISEASE » INSTANCES OF » Healing of, from God (Exodus 15:26;23:25; Deuteronomy 7:15; 2 Chronicles 16:12; Psalms 103:3;)
DISEASE » INSTANCES OF » Miraculous healing of, a sign to accompany the preaching of the word (Mark 16:18)
DISOBEDIENCE TO GOD » INSTANCES OF » Of the blind men Jesus healed, and ordered them not to proclaim their healing (Matthew 9:30,31)
FAITH » INSTANCES OF FAITH IN CHRIST » Jairus, for the healing of his daughter (Matthew 9:18,23-25)
JAMES » (An intimate companion of Jesus, and present with » At the healing of Peter's mother-in-law (Mark 1:29)
JOHN » The Apostle » The healing of Peter's mother-in-law (Matthew 8:14,15; Mark 1:30,31; Luke 4:38,39)
MIRACLES » OF JESUS, IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER » Healing of the immobile man ( John 5:1-16)
PETER » Present » At the healing of Jairus' daughter (Mark 5:37; Luke 8:51)
PRAYER » ANSWERED » The leper, for healing (Matthew 8:2,3; Mark 1:40-43; Luke 5:12,13)
SYMBOLS AND SIMILITUDES » OF THE HOLY SPIRIT » Healing (Isaiah 1:6; Luke 10:34; Revelations 18:13)
SYNAGOGUE » A phycial place of assembly for Jews and other God » Jesus performed healing in (Matthew 12:9-13; Luke 13:11-14)
ZEAL, RELIGIOUS » INSTANCES OF » Two blind men proclaiming the miracle of healing, contrary to the injunction of Jesus (Matthew 9:30,31)
OTHER SCRIPTURES RELATING TO HIS MESSIAHSHIP » MIRACLES OF » Healing of the diseased people in the land of Gennesaret (Matthew 14:34-36)
OTHER SCRIPTURES RELATING TO HIS MESSIAHSHIP » MIRACLES OF » Healing of the lame, the blind, the deaf, and the maimed, near the Lake Galilee (Matthew 15:30)
OTHER SCRIPTURES RELATING TO HIS MESSIAHSHIP » MIRACLES OF » The healing of Malchus' ear (Luke 22:49-51)
BLINDNESS » The miraculous healing of Bartimaeus (Matthew 20:30-34; Mark 10:46-52)
BLINDNESS » The miraculous healing of a man of Bethsaida (Mark 8:22-25)
BLINDNESS » The miraculous healing of a man born blind ( John 9:1-7)
BRAZEN SERPENT » Made by Moses for the healing of the Israelites (Numbers 21:9)
DUMB (DEAFNESS, MUTE) » Miraculous healing of, by Jesus (Matthew 9:32,33;12:22;15:30,31; Mark 7:37;9:17,25,26)
HAND » In healing (Mark 6:5;7:32;16:18; Luke 4:40; Acts 19:6,11)
JORDAN » Naaman washes in, for the healing of his leprosy (2 Kings 5:10-14)
SPITTING » Jesus used spittle for healing (Mark 7:33;8:23)
DISEASE » INSTANCES OF » Healing of, from God (Exodus 15:26;23:25; Deuteronomy 7:15; 2 Chronicles 16:12; Psalms 103:3;)
DISEASE » INSTANCES OF » Miraculous healing of, a sign to accompany the preaching of the word (Mark 16:18)
DISOBEDIENCE TO GOD » INSTANCES OF » Of the blind men Jesus healed, and ordered them not to proclaim their healing (Matthew 9:30,31)
FAITH » INSTANCES OF FAITH IN CHRIST » Jairus, for the healing of his daughter (Matthew 9:18,23-25)
JAMES » (An intimate companion of Jesus, and present with » At the healing of Peter's mother-in-law (Mark 1:29)
JOHN » The Apostle » The healing of Peter's mother-in-law (Matthew 8:14,15; Mark 1:30,31; Luke 4:38,39)
MIRACLES » OF JESUS, IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER » Healing of the immobile man ( John 5:1-16)
PETER » Present » At the healing of Jairus' daughter (Mark 5:37; Luke 8:51)
PRAYER » ANSWERED » The leper, for healing (Matthew 8:2,3; Mark 1:40-43; Luke 5:12,13)
SYMBOLS AND SIMILITUDES » OF THE HOLY SPIRIT » Healing (Isaiah 1:6; Luke 10:34; Revelations 18:13)
SYNAGOGUE » A phycial place of assembly for Jews and other God » Jesus performed healing in (Matthew 12:9-13; Luke 13:11-14)
ZEAL, RELIGIOUS » INSTANCES OF » Two blind men proclaiming the miracle of healing, contrary to the injunction of Jesus (Matthew 9:30,31)
OTHER SCRIPTURES RELATING TO HIS MESSIAHSHIP » MIRACLES OF » Healing of the diseased people in the land of Gennesaret (Matthew 14:34-36)
OTHER SCRIPTURES RELATING TO HIS MESSIAHSHIP » MIRACLES OF » Healing of the lame, the blind, the deaf, and the maimed, near the Lake Galilee (Matthew 15:30)
OTHER SCRIPTURES RELATING TO HIS MESSIAHSHIP » MIRACLES OF » The healing of Malchus' ear (Luke 22:49-51)
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Today I received this e-mail from a friend of mine from HOI, Ruth. I think it speaks to a very important issue that I would like to share with you all.
AFTER YEARS OF TELLING PEOPLE CHEMOTHRAPY IS THE ONLY WAY TO TRY (TRY, BEING THE KEY WORD) AND ELIMINATE CANCER JOHNS HOPKINS IS FINALLY STARTING TO TELL YOU THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE WAY
Cancer Update from Johns Hopkins 1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size. 2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person's lifetime. 3. When the person's immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and preventedfrom multiplying and forming tumours. 4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, environmental, food and lifestyle factors. 5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and including supplements will strengthen the immune system.6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastro-intestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.7. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs. 8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction. 9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications. 10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites. 11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply. CANCER CELLS FEED ON:a. Sugar is a cancer-feeder. By cutting off sugar it cuts off one important food supply to the cancer cells. Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal,Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses but only in very small amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in colour. Better alternative is Bragg's aminos or sea salt. b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soy milk cancer cells are being starved. c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little chicken rather than beef or pork. Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer. d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment. About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C). e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine. Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer fighting properties. Water-best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines become putrified and leads to more toxic buildup. 13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body's killer cells to destroy the cancer cells. 14. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Flor-ssence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the body's own killer cells to destroy cancer cells. Other supplements like vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body's normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor. Anger, unforgiveness and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life. 16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells. (PLEASE FORWARD IT TO PEOPLE YOU CARE ABOUT) CANCER UPDATE FROM JOHN HOPKINS HOSPITAL , U S - PLEASE READ1. No plastic containers in micro. 2. No water bottles in freezer. 3. No plastic wrap in microwave.Johns Hopkins has recently sent this out in its newsletters. This information is being circulated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center as well.Dioxin chemicals causes cancer, especially breast cancer. Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies.Don't freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic. Recently, Dr. Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at Castle Hospital , was on a TV program to explain thishealth hazard. He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us. He said that we should not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic containers. This especially applies to foods that contain fat. He said that the combination of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body. Instead, he recommends using glass, such as Corning Ware, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food. You get the same results, only without the dioxin. So such things as TV dinners, instant ramen and soups, etc., should be removed from the container and heated in something else. Paper isn't bad but you don't know what is in the paper. It's just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc. He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper. The dioxin problem is one of the reasons. Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. As the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food. Cover food with a paper towel instead. This is an article that should be sent to anyone important in your life.
AFTER YEARS OF TELLING PEOPLE CHEMOTHRAPY IS THE ONLY WAY TO TRY (TRY, BEING THE KEY WORD) AND ELIMINATE CANCER JOHNS HOPKINS IS FINALLY STARTING TO TELL YOU THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE WAY
Cancer Update from Johns Hopkins 1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size. 2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person's lifetime. 3. When the person's immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and preventedfrom multiplying and forming tumours. 4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, environmental, food and lifestyle factors. 5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and including supplements will strengthen the immune system.6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastro-intestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.7. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs. 8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction. 9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications. 10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites. 11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply. CANCER CELLS FEED ON:a. Sugar is a cancer-feeder. By cutting off sugar it cuts off one important food supply to the cancer cells. Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal,Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses but only in very small amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in colour. Better alternative is Bragg's aminos or sea salt. b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soy milk cancer cells are being starved. c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little chicken rather than beef or pork. Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer. d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment. About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C). e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine. Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer fighting properties. Water-best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines become putrified and leads to more toxic buildup. 13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body's killer cells to destroy the cancer cells. 14. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Flor-ssence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the body's own killer cells to destroy cancer cells. Other supplements like vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body's normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor. Anger, unforgiveness and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life. 16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells. (PLEASE FORWARD IT TO PEOPLE YOU CARE ABOUT) CANCER UPDATE FROM JOHN HOPKINS HOSPITAL , U S - PLEASE READ1. No plastic containers in micro. 2. No water bottles in freezer. 3. No plastic wrap in microwave.Johns Hopkins has recently sent this out in its newsletters. This information is being circulated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center as well.Dioxin chemicals causes cancer, especially breast cancer. Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies.Don't freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic. Recently, Dr. Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at Castle Hospital , was on a TV program to explain thishealth hazard. He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us. He said that we should not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic containers. This especially applies to foods that contain fat. He said that the combination of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body. Instead, he recommends using glass, such as Corning Ware, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food. You get the same results, only without the dioxin. So such things as TV dinners, instant ramen and soups, etc., should be removed from the container and heated in something else. Paper isn't bad but you don't know what is in the paper. It's just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc. He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper. The dioxin problem is one of the reasons. Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. As the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food. Cover food with a paper towel instead. This is an article that should be sent to anyone important in your life.
Monday, July 07, 2008
Psalm 5
For the choir director: A psalm of David, to be accompanied by the flute.
1 O Lord, hear me as I pray; pay attention to my groaning. 2 Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for I pray to no one but you. 3 Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.
4 O God, you take no pleasure in wickedness; you cannot tolerate the sins of the wicked. 5 Therefore, the proud may not stand in your presence, for you hate all who do evil. 6 You will destroy those who tell lies. The Lord detests murderers and deceivers.
7 Because of your unfailing love, I can enter your house; I will worship at your Temple with deepest awe. 8 Lead me in the right path, O Lord, or my enemies will conquer me. Make your way plain for me to follow.
9 My enemies cannot speak a truthful word. Their deepest desire is to destroy others. Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave. Their tongues are filled with flattery.[a] 10 O God, declare them guilty. Let them be caught in their own traps. Drive them away because of their many sins, for they have rebelled against you.
11 But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them sing joyful praises forever. Spread your protection over them, that all who love your name may be filled with joy. 12 For you bless the godly, O Lord; you surround them with your shield of love.
For the choir director: A psalm of David, to be accompanied by the flute.
1 O Lord, hear me as I pray; pay attention to my groaning. 2 Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for I pray to no one but you. 3 Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.
4 O God, you take no pleasure in wickedness; you cannot tolerate the sins of the wicked. 5 Therefore, the proud may not stand in your presence, for you hate all who do evil. 6 You will destroy those who tell lies. The Lord detests murderers and deceivers.
7 Because of your unfailing love, I can enter your house; I will worship at your Temple with deepest awe. 8 Lead me in the right path, O Lord, or my enemies will conquer me. Make your way plain for me to follow.
9 My enemies cannot speak a truthful word. Their deepest desire is to destroy others. Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave. Their tongues are filled with flattery.[a] 10 O God, declare them guilty. Let them be caught in their own traps. Drive them away because of their many sins, for they have rebelled against you.
11 But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them sing joyful praises forever. Spread your protection over them, that all who love your name may be filled with joy. 12 For you bless the godly, O Lord; you surround them with your shield of love.
Thursday, July 03, 2008
Book One (Psalms 1–41)
Ps. 1
1 Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. 2 But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. 3 They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.
4 But not the wicked! They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind. 5 They will be condemned at the time of judgment. Sinners will have no place among the godly. 6 For the Lord watches over the path of the godly, but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.
Ps. 1
1 Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. 2 But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. 3 They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.
4 But not the wicked! They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind. 5 They will be condemned at the time of judgment. Sinners will have no place among the godly. 6 For the Lord watches over the path of the godly, but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Could this be the IDA agreement?
NEW CENTURY IDA PROGRAM
Homeownership Policies and Procedures
Letter of Agreement
This Letter of Agreement, between the New Century IDA Partnership (“the partnership”) and the IDA program participant listed at the bottom of this agreement (“the Participant”), details responsibilities of both parties in connection with the New Century IDA program (“the Program”).
New Century IDA Program Responsibilities
The New Century IDA Partnership agrees:
To offer graduates of the New Century IDA Economic Literacy Classes a homeownership training class held by the Center for Homeownership
Upon completion of the homeownership class, IDA participants will be offered personalized homeownership counseling through the Forsyth County Department of Housing.
The County’s homeownership counselor will assist the IDA participant in obtaining first mortgage financing; will review the participants’ eligibility and applicability for various subsidized financing programs; will assistant in preparation for loan closing; will attend the closing; and will provide other personalized counseling services as needed.
To provide IDA participants with a list of certified real estate sales persons who are familiar with the IDA program.
To provide a list of certified mortgage lenders who are familiar with the IDA program.
ESR staff will provide IDA participants with the authorization necessary for the withdrawal of a portion of their IDA savings for good faith deposits.
New Century IDA Participant Responsibilities
The Participant agrees to:
Continue paying all bills on time and to not incur any added debt and to continue paying off old debt.
Attend and earn a certificate of completion from the Center for Homeownership training class.
Make contact with the County’s Homeownership Counselor upon completion of the homeownership training class.
Become pre-qualified by at least three (3) preferred first mortgage lenders and be provided a good faith estimate from these lenders and share this information with the County’s home counselor.
Sign a buyer agency agreement with a real estate agent listed on the IDA preferred agent directory
Search for homes within the price range indicated by the loan pre-qualification.
If a soft second mortgage is requested along with the IDA funds, the purchase price of the home cannot exceed $125,000, with the exception of accommodating a large family in a bigger home.
Notify the county home counselor after finding a suitable affordable home and prior to making an offer on the home.
Notify ESR 24 hours in advance of withdrawing IDA savings for good faith deposit.
New Century IDA First Mortgage Requirements
The IDA program strongly urges participants to use IDA approved first mortgage lenders. These are the mortgage companies that have been certified by the IDA program as being knowledgeable regarding IDA first mortgage requirements and have some quality experience working with IDA clients and the City and County’s second mortgage products.
The IDA program requires the first mortgage to be a 30 year fixed mortgage at a fixed rate of interest. A buy-down program maybe acceptable in situations where the terms are reasonable and fully understood by the buyer and does not have the potential for subjecting the buyer to payments that will become more than the buyer can financially manage.
The lender cannot charge more than 1% origination fee and cannot collect any discount fees from the buyer. Excessive or non-traditional fees will not be allowed.
Housing Debt to Income should be no more than 32%
Total Debt to Income should be no higher than 41%
The interest rate should be competitive and similar to what other lenders would charge based on the credit of the participant.
IDA funds can only be used for down-payment assistance, closing costs or pre-paid items. In some instances the buyer may use the IDA funds for the purchase of appliances if they are included into the contract amount. The buyer cannot walk away from closing with any cash.
Participants are encouraged to seek out NCHFA Single-Family Revenue (MRB) first mortgages when it is in their best interests.
When buying in the rural areas of Forsyth County, buyers should be encouraged to participate in the United States Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development Subsidized Program.
IDA participants are discouraged from purchasing credit life insurance on their first mortgage.
New Century IDA Real Estate Location, Type, & Other Characteristics
The home must be located in Forsyth County. It can be in or outside the city limits of Winston-Salem
The home must be inspected by a professional home inspector. If the home is new construction a professional inspection may not be required. The IDA staff will work with the participant to determine the items that must be repaired by the seller prior to closing. If the home is not under a licensed termite bond then it must be inspected for termites by a licensed pest control company.
The IDA participant may choose to purchase a new or existing home. Also, the IDA participant may choose to have a new home constructed. However, if the IDA buyer chooses to have a home built, only funds saved by the IDA buyer can be used for the good faith deposit. The IDA funds from the New Century program and the City’s and County’s matching funds can only be presented at the closing of the home upon its completion and its issuance of a certificate of occupancy.
Single family, condominiums, and townhouses are allowed to be purchased under the IDA program. Modular homes built to NC Building Code Standards are allowed, but manufactured housing cannot be purchased with IDA funds.
Certification
I have read and understand the contents of this agreement and I agree to meet my responsibilities under it. I also understand that any violations of the above statements will result in expulsion from the New Century IDA Program Home Ownership Policies and Procedures Letter of Agreement. I understand that nothing in this Participation Letter of Agreement holds members of the New Century IDA Partnership liable for the success of each individual participant. I understand it is my responsibility as a Home-Ownership New Century IDA participant to meet the eligibility requirements of the local lenders to qualify for a first mortgage.
Participant’s Name (please print): _________________________________________________
Participant’s Signature: ______________________________________
Date: ____________
New Century IDA Partnership Representative (please print):
Representative’s Signature: ___________________________________
Date: ____________
NEW CENTURY IDA PROGRAM
Homeownership Policies and Procedures
Letter of Agreement
This Letter of Agreement, between the New Century IDA Partnership (“the partnership”) and the IDA program participant listed at the bottom of this agreement (“the Participant”), details responsibilities of both parties in connection with the New Century IDA program (“the Program”).
New Century IDA Program Responsibilities
The New Century IDA Partnership agrees:
To offer graduates of the New Century IDA Economic Literacy Classes a homeownership training class held by the Center for Homeownership
Upon completion of the homeownership class, IDA participants will be offered personalized homeownership counseling through the Forsyth County Department of Housing.
The County’s homeownership counselor will assist the IDA participant in obtaining first mortgage financing; will review the participants’ eligibility and applicability for various subsidized financing programs; will assistant in preparation for loan closing; will attend the closing; and will provide other personalized counseling services as needed.
To provide IDA participants with a list of certified real estate sales persons who are familiar with the IDA program.
To provide a list of certified mortgage lenders who are familiar with the IDA program.
ESR staff will provide IDA participants with the authorization necessary for the withdrawal of a portion of their IDA savings for good faith deposits.
New Century IDA Participant Responsibilities
The Participant agrees to:
Continue paying all bills on time and to not incur any added debt and to continue paying off old debt.
Attend and earn a certificate of completion from the Center for Homeownership training class.
Make contact with the County’s Homeownership Counselor upon completion of the homeownership training class.
Become pre-qualified by at least three (3) preferred first mortgage lenders and be provided a good faith estimate from these lenders and share this information with the County’s home counselor.
Sign a buyer agency agreement with a real estate agent listed on the IDA preferred agent directory
Search for homes within the price range indicated by the loan pre-qualification.
If a soft second mortgage is requested along with the IDA funds, the purchase price of the home cannot exceed $125,000, with the exception of accommodating a large family in a bigger home.
Notify the county home counselor after finding a suitable affordable home and prior to making an offer on the home.
Notify ESR 24 hours in advance of withdrawing IDA savings for good faith deposit.
New Century IDA First Mortgage Requirements
The IDA program strongly urges participants to use IDA approved first mortgage lenders. These are the mortgage companies that have been certified by the IDA program as being knowledgeable regarding IDA first mortgage requirements and have some quality experience working with IDA clients and the City and County’s second mortgage products.
The IDA program requires the first mortgage to be a 30 year fixed mortgage at a fixed rate of interest. A buy-down program maybe acceptable in situations where the terms are reasonable and fully understood by the buyer and does not have the potential for subjecting the buyer to payments that will become more than the buyer can financially manage.
The lender cannot charge more than 1% origination fee and cannot collect any discount fees from the buyer. Excessive or non-traditional fees will not be allowed.
Housing Debt to Income should be no more than 32%
Total Debt to Income should be no higher than 41%
The interest rate should be competitive and similar to what other lenders would charge based on the credit of the participant.
IDA funds can only be used for down-payment assistance, closing costs or pre-paid items. In some instances the buyer may use the IDA funds for the purchase of appliances if they are included into the contract amount. The buyer cannot walk away from closing with any cash.
Participants are encouraged to seek out NCHFA Single-Family Revenue (MRB) first mortgages when it is in their best interests.
When buying in the rural areas of Forsyth County, buyers should be encouraged to participate in the United States Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development Subsidized Program.
IDA participants are discouraged from purchasing credit life insurance on their first mortgage.
New Century IDA Real Estate Location, Type, & Other Characteristics
The home must be located in Forsyth County. It can be in or outside the city limits of Winston-Salem
The home must be inspected by a professional home inspector. If the home is new construction a professional inspection may not be required. The IDA staff will work with the participant to determine the items that must be repaired by the seller prior to closing. If the home is not under a licensed termite bond then it must be inspected for termites by a licensed pest control company.
The IDA participant may choose to purchase a new or existing home. Also, the IDA participant may choose to have a new home constructed. However, if the IDA buyer chooses to have a home built, only funds saved by the IDA buyer can be used for the good faith deposit. The IDA funds from the New Century program and the City’s and County’s matching funds can only be presented at the closing of the home upon its completion and its issuance of a certificate of occupancy.
Single family, condominiums, and townhouses are allowed to be purchased under the IDA program. Modular homes built to NC Building Code Standards are allowed, but manufactured housing cannot be purchased with IDA funds.
Certification
I have read and understand the contents of this agreement and I agree to meet my responsibilities under it. I also understand that any violations of the above statements will result in expulsion from the New Century IDA Program Home Ownership Policies and Procedures Letter of Agreement. I understand that nothing in this Participation Letter of Agreement holds members of the New Century IDA Partnership liable for the success of each individual participant. I understand it is my responsibility as a Home-Ownership New Century IDA participant to meet the eligibility requirements of the local lenders to qualify for a first mortgage.
Participant’s Name (please print): _________________________________________________
Participant’s Signature: ______________________________________
Date: ____________
New Century IDA Partnership Representative (please print):
Representative’s Signature: ___________________________________
Date: ____________
You might ask me what is IDA? Here is the answer.
History...
The IDA and Asset Building Collaborative of North Carolina was initially formed in 1996 as a working group of diverse organizations and individuals interested in demonstrating Individual Development Accounts, a new asset-building strategy, in North Carolina. Early supporters and members of the working group included leading institutions in the state's extensive community and economic development network as well as state government officials, affordable housing groups and community development financial institutions.
In 1997, NC IDA Collaborative secured funding from the N.C General Assembly through the Department of Labor to administer a two-year demonstration of IDAs. In addition, the Division of Community Assistance allocated funds from the Small Cities Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) for a homeownership IDA demonstration. Along with operating support from the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation and the Fannie Mae Foundation, NC IDA Collaborative worked to develop the demonstration program for the state and award grants for the first IDA program sites in North Carolina.
Since that time, NC IDA Collaborative has expanded both its network of partners and of operating IDA programs. Program expansion has primarily been possible with additional funding secured through the federal Assets for Independence Act, the North Carolina Housing Finance agency, and significant in-kind support from program practitioners and other partners.
After six years of demonstration, the role of NC IDA Collaborative has evolved from program development and public awareness to policy development, networking, fundraising and technical assistance. In 2002, as a state network supporting one the nation's largest IDA programs with almost 700 active accounts and 25 program sites, NC IDA Collaborative moved to establish itself as a formal, non-profit organization.
With support from the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, NC IDA Collaborative was able to hire an executive director in the fall of 2002 and apply for and receive its 501 (c) 3 designation in early 2003. Currently NC IDA Collaborative performs vital tasks that advocate and support the efforts of the local IDA program providers to include resource leveraging, policy development, public information and awareness, technical support, evaluation and accountability.
Today, NC IDA Collaborative continues to develop its capacity to serve as the voice for IDA and asset building strategies in North Carolina. As the excitement of the success achieved by existing IDAs programs continues to grow in the communities and homes of North Carolina families, NC IDA Collaborative will strive to make IDAs available to a greater number of eligible working families. In addition, NC IDA Collaborative continues to explore new and innovative approaches to asset-building that promote long-term economic self-sufficiency for North Carolina families.
Current Board of Directors
The IDA and Asset Building Collaborative of North Carolina is currently governed by a nine member Board of Directors representing several of the founding organizations of NC IDA Collaborative as well as IDA program partners and members of North Carolinas community development network.
Who is responsible when something goes terribly wrong with the process?
Nam Douglass, Co-chairConsultant
Dan Kornelis, Co-chairDirector of Housing, Forsyth County
Lucy Gorham, SecretaryDirector of EITC Carolinas, MDC Inc.
Linda Shaw, TreasurerConsultant
Vickie MillerDepartment of CommerceDivision of Community Assistance
Elaine C. RideoutWISERsystems, Inc.
Carl ManningKingdom CDC
LaTasha Best-GaddyNC Institute of Minority Economic Development
NC IDA Collaborative Staff
Linda ShawInterim Executive Director info@ncidacollaborative.org
Monica CopelandPolicy and Outreach Associatemcopeland@ncidacollaborative.org
Ronnica RotheOffice Managerinfo@ncidacollaborative.org
JExperiment in Self-RelianceContact: Danny Haire or
Barbara Johnson Phone: 336.722.9400 ext.404 or ext.410 Counties: City of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County Judy Ford, Controller
History...
The IDA and Asset Building Collaborative of North Carolina was initially formed in 1996 as a working group of diverse organizations and individuals interested in demonstrating Individual Development Accounts, a new asset-building strategy, in North Carolina. Early supporters and members of the working group included leading institutions in the state's extensive community and economic development network as well as state government officials, affordable housing groups and community development financial institutions.
In 1997, NC IDA Collaborative secured funding from the N.C General Assembly through the Department of Labor to administer a two-year demonstration of IDAs. In addition, the Division of Community Assistance allocated funds from the Small Cities Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) for a homeownership IDA demonstration. Along with operating support from the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation and the Fannie Mae Foundation, NC IDA Collaborative worked to develop the demonstration program for the state and award grants for the first IDA program sites in North Carolina.
Since that time, NC IDA Collaborative has expanded both its network of partners and of operating IDA programs. Program expansion has primarily been possible with additional funding secured through the federal Assets for Independence Act, the North Carolina Housing Finance agency, and significant in-kind support from program practitioners and other partners.
After six years of demonstration, the role of NC IDA Collaborative has evolved from program development and public awareness to policy development, networking, fundraising and technical assistance. In 2002, as a state network supporting one the nation's largest IDA programs with almost 700 active accounts and 25 program sites, NC IDA Collaborative moved to establish itself as a formal, non-profit organization.
With support from the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, NC IDA Collaborative was able to hire an executive director in the fall of 2002 and apply for and receive its 501 (c) 3 designation in early 2003. Currently NC IDA Collaborative performs vital tasks that advocate and support the efforts of the local IDA program providers to include resource leveraging, policy development, public information and awareness, technical support, evaluation and accountability.
Today, NC IDA Collaborative continues to develop its capacity to serve as the voice for IDA and asset building strategies in North Carolina. As the excitement of the success achieved by existing IDAs programs continues to grow in the communities and homes of North Carolina families, NC IDA Collaborative will strive to make IDAs available to a greater number of eligible working families. In addition, NC IDA Collaborative continues to explore new and innovative approaches to asset-building that promote long-term economic self-sufficiency for North Carolina families.
Current Board of Directors
The IDA and Asset Building Collaborative of North Carolina is currently governed by a nine member Board of Directors representing several of the founding organizations of NC IDA Collaborative as well as IDA program partners and members of North Carolinas community development network.
Who is responsible when something goes terribly wrong with the process?
Nam Douglass, Co-chairConsultant
Dan Kornelis, Co-chairDirector of Housing, Forsyth County
Lucy Gorham, SecretaryDirector of EITC Carolinas, MDC Inc.
Linda Shaw, TreasurerConsultant
Vickie MillerDepartment of CommerceDivision of Community Assistance
Elaine C. RideoutWISERsystems, Inc.
Carl ManningKingdom CDC
LaTasha Best-GaddyNC Institute of Minority Economic Development
NC IDA Collaborative Staff
Linda ShawInterim Executive Director info@ncidacollaborative.org
Monica CopelandPolicy and Outreach Associatemcopeland@ncidacollaborative.org
Ronnica RotheOffice Managerinfo@ncidacollaborative.org
JExperiment in Self-RelianceContact: Danny Haire or
Barbara Johnson Phone: 336.722.9400 ext.404 or ext.410 Counties: City of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County Judy Ford, Controller
Acts 21
Paul’s Journey to Jerusalem 1 After saying farewell to the Ephesian elders, we sailed straight to the island of Cos. The next day we reached Rhodes and then went to Patara. 2 There we boarded a ship sailing for Phoenicia. 3 We sighted the island of Cyprus, passed it on our left, and landed at the harbor of Tyre, in Syria, where the ship was to unload its cargo.
4 We went ashore, found the local believers,[a] and stayed with them a week. These believers prophesied through the Holy Spirit that Paul should not go on to Jerusalem. 5 When we returned to the ship at the end of the week, the entire congregation, including women[b] and children, left the city and came down to the shore with us. There we knelt, prayed, 6 and said our farewells. Then we went aboard, and they returned home.
7 The next stop after leaving Tyre was Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and sisters[c] and stayed for one day. 8 The next day we went on to Caesarea and stayed at the home of Philip the Evangelist, one of the seven men who had been chosen to distribute food. 9 He had four unmarried daughters who had the gift of prophecy.
10 Several days later a man named Agabus, who also had the gift of prophecy, arrived from Judea. 11 He came over, took Paul’s belt, and bound his own feet and hands with it. Then he said, “The Holy Spirit declares, ‘So shall the owner of this belt be bound by the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem and turned over to the Gentiles.’” 12 When we heard this, we and the local believers all begged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.
13 But he said, “Why all this weeping? You are breaking my heart! I am ready not only to be jailed at Jerusalem but even to die for the sake of the Lord Jesus.” 14 When it was clear that we couldn’t persuade him, we gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”
Suffering for the LORD, that's a big question. Paul was not only willing to suffer, go to jail, be beaten, but also die for the Lord Jesus Christ. What are willing to do?
Paul’s Journey to Jerusalem 1 After saying farewell to the Ephesian elders, we sailed straight to the island of Cos. The next day we reached Rhodes and then went to Patara. 2 There we boarded a ship sailing for Phoenicia. 3 We sighted the island of Cyprus, passed it on our left, and landed at the harbor of Tyre, in Syria, where the ship was to unload its cargo.
4 We went ashore, found the local believers,[a] and stayed with them a week. These believers prophesied through the Holy Spirit that Paul should not go on to Jerusalem. 5 When we returned to the ship at the end of the week, the entire congregation, including women[b] and children, left the city and came down to the shore with us. There we knelt, prayed, 6 and said our farewells. Then we went aboard, and they returned home.
7 The next stop after leaving Tyre was Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and sisters[c] and stayed for one day. 8 The next day we went on to Caesarea and stayed at the home of Philip the Evangelist, one of the seven men who had been chosen to distribute food. 9 He had four unmarried daughters who had the gift of prophecy.
10 Several days later a man named Agabus, who also had the gift of prophecy, arrived from Judea. 11 He came over, took Paul’s belt, and bound his own feet and hands with it. Then he said, “The Holy Spirit declares, ‘So shall the owner of this belt be bound by the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem and turned over to the Gentiles.’” 12 When we heard this, we and the local believers all begged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.
13 But he said, “Why all this weeping? You are breaking my heart! I am ready not only to be jailed at Jerusalem but even to die for the sake of the Lord Jesus.” 14 When it was clear that we couldn’t persuade him, we gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”
Suffering for the LORD, that's a big question. Paul was not only willing to suffer, go to jail, be beaten, but also die for the Lord Jesus Christ. What are willing to do?
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