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December 2 - Evening
"But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money,boastful, proud, abusive...You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings"
- Second Timothy 3:1-2,10-11 |
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| Contrasting the Fruit of Godless Chatter with the Fruit of the Word of Truth |
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Paul has confronted false teaching (“godless chatter,” “things taught by demons,” “foolish and stupid arguments,” etc.) in both letters to Timothy. Now in chapter 3 of Second Timothy Paul makes a contrast of the fruit of corrupt teaching, with what Timothy has seen in Paul’s life that has resulted from teaching and hearing the truth (“word of truth,” “the faith,” etc.)
In the “last days” the fruit of these teachings will be manifest in an amplified condition to the extent that Paul says, “their folly will be clear to everyone.” From the false teachers who are “always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth,” Paul lists at least eighteen vices that grow and spread among believers through teaching that is called knowledge, but is not the Word of Truth.
In contrast Paul draws attention to his life and tells Timothy, “You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings.” The contrast is obvious. False teaching is focused on self, which is compared to the teaching of the Word of Truth which prepares a person for service. Mere knowledge and points of application prepares a person for self-love; the Truth prepares a person for a lifestyle of service through love. |
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| "You can measure a person’s opinion of God by his or her opinion of God’s Word. That’s why a person who loves God loves His Word, and the person who hates God rejects what God has spoken. God’s Word is an extension of Himself – His identity, purposes, affections, and power." - Jonathan Leeman |
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Zechariah prophecies these three things fulfilled by Jesus in his final week:
1) "Your kings comes...riding on donkey." (Zec.9:9/Matt.21:9)
2) Thirty pieces of silver for the Good shepherd, but "Throw it to the potter." (Zech11:13/Matt27:7)
3) "Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered." (Zech13:7/Matt26:31)
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Epainos (Gr) - Praise (Eng) - epainos is a compound Greek word made of epi meaning "upon"
and ainos which means "praise." Together epi - ainos or epainos means "approbation," "commendation," "praise," and "applause." |
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The Assyrians destroyed northern Israel in 722 BC and conquered the city of Lachish in the land of Judah in 701 BC before the Angel of the Lord stopped them in 2 Kings 19:35 (Isaiah 37:36). Etched in the stone walls of the Assyrian king's palace in Nineveh are images of the Jewish prisoners of war impaled on stakes with the following historical description written on the walls of the palace in Nineveh:
"Their men, young and old, I took as prisoners. Of some I cut off the feet and hands. Of others I cut off the noses, ears and lips. Of the young men's ears I made a mound. Of the old men's heads I built a minaret tower."
image of impaled Jews of Lachish here
Below is an image of the Assyrian siege at Lachish in Judah found on the walls of the royal palace of the Assyrian kings in Nineveh. Notice the siege engine
being rolled up the ramp
to the walls of Lachish. This actual ramp and walls can still be seen at Lachish today
(click image for larger image):
Below is a photo of the ramp and wall that are still at Lachish. The photo below shows the ramp that the Assyrians used to roll their siege engines up as seen in the image above from the royal palace of Assyria in Nineveh
(click image for larger image):
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Do I hear the Word of Truth or do I hear information to make my life better?
I will pursue the transforming power of the Word of God.
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"You will walk in the ways of good men and keep to the paths of the righteous. For the upright will live in the land, an the blameless will remain in it; but the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the unfaithful will be torn from it."
- Proverbs 2:20-22 |
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| Spiritual enlightenment |
Revival |
Freedom of Religion |
Ukraine |
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| Reps & Sets is a daily Bible devotional for Christians from Generation Word Bible Teaching used each morning and evening. |
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