COMBINATION OF [1]  THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2]  THE RARE FRUIT OR VEGETABLE OF THE DAY 


[1]       SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 793A]

He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion.   Jeremiah 10:12, [authorized King James Bible; AV]

Yes, as stated at Genesis 1:1, [AV] “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”  He, as shown by Psalms 24:2, [AV] “For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.”  And reveals that the earth is a sphere and not a flat plane in space as many ancients believed up to the time Christopher Columbus proved otherwise and that the Bible was correct as shown at Isaiah 40:22, [AV] “It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:”
 

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Your Friend in Christ Iris89 

Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to WWW.JW.ORG!

[2]   Here is a Commentary on Bountiful Trees and Vegetables God (YHWH) has provided for mankind, specifically the Averrhoa bilimbi (commonly known as bilimbi, cucumber tree, or tree sorrel[2]) is a fruit-bearing tree of the genus Averrhoa, family Oxalidaceae. It is a close relative of carambola tree.

Description
The bilimbi tree reaches 5–10 m in height. Its trunk is short and quickly divides up into ramifications. Bilimbi leaves, 3–6 cm long, are alternate, imparipinnate and cluster at branch extremities. There are around 11 to 37 alternate or subopposite oblong leaflets. The leaves are quite similar to those of the Otaheite gooseberry. The trunk and branches of tree has to be exposed to sunlight for fruits to form (traditional knowledge), which is achieved by removing leaves except from branch end.

Distribution and habitat
Possibly originated in Moluccas, Indonesia, the species is now cultivated and found throughout the Philippines, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Maldives, Myanmar (Burma) and Malaysia. It is also common in other Southeast Asian countries. In India, where it is usually found in gardens, the bilimbi has gone wild in the warmest regions of the country.[3]

Outside of Asia, the tree is cultivated in Zanzibar. In 1793, the bilimbi was introduced to Jamaica from Timor and after several years, was cultivated throughout Central and South America where it is known as mimbro. In Suriname this fruit is known as lange birambi. Introduced to Queensland at the end of the 19th century, it has been grown commercially in the region since that time.[3] In Guyana, it is called Sourie, One finger, Bilimbi and Kamranga.

This is essentially a tropical tree, less resistant to cold than the carambola, growing best in rich and well-drained soil (but also stands limestone and sand). It prefers evenly distributed rainfall throughout the year, but with a 2- to 3-month dry season. Therefore, the species is not found, for example, in the wettest part of Malaysia. In Florida, where it is an occasional curiosity, the tree needs protection from wind and cold.[3]

Nutritional value for 100 g of edible portion
    • Moisture 94.2-97 g
    • Protein 0.61 g
    • Ash 0.31-0.40 g
    • Fiber 0.6g
    • Phosphorus 11.1 mg
    • Calcium 3.4 mg
    • Iron 1.01 mg
    • Thiamine 0.010 mg
    • Riboflavin 0.026 mg
    • Carotene 0.035 mg
    • Ascorbic Acid 15.5 mg
    • Niacin 0.302 mg

Culinary interest
In the Philippines, where it is commonly found in backyards, the fruits are eaten either raw or dipped in rock salt. It can be either curried or added as a souring agent for common Filipino dishes such as sinigang and paksiw. The uncooked bilimbi is prepared as relish and served with rice and beans in Costa Rica. In the Far East, where the tree originated, it is sometimes added to curry. Bilimbi juice (with a pH of about 4.47) is made into a cooling beverage. In Indonesia, it is added to some dishes, substituting for tamarind or tomato.
Additionally, the fruit can be preserved by pickling,[4] which reduces its acidity. The flowers are also sometimes preserved in sugar.

In another part of Indonesia, Aceh, it is preserved by sun-drying. The sun-dried bilimbi is called asam sunti. Bilimbi and asam sunti are popular in Acehnese cuisine. It can replace mango in making chutney. In Malaysia, it also is made into a rather sweet jam.

In Kerala and Bhatkal, India, it is used for making pickles and to make fish curry, especially with Sardines, while around Karnataka, Maharashtra and Goa the fruit is commonly eaten raw with salt and spice. In Guyana, it is made into achars/pickles too.

In Seychelles, it is often used as an ingredient to give a tangy flavor to many Seychellois creole dishes, especially fish dishes. It is often used in grilled fish and also (almost always) in a shark meat dish, called satini reken. It is also used to make a delicious sauce for grilled ,that consists of chopped onion, chopped tomato ,chopped chili and cooked on low heat. It is a must in our local white fish broth " bouyon blan" When in season we also curred them with salt to be used when it is not available.

Medical interest
In the Philippines, the leaves serve as a paste on itches, swelling, rheumatism, mumps or skin eruptions. Elsewhere, they are used for bites of venomous creatures. A leaf infusion is used as an after-birth tonic, while the flower infusion is used for thrush, cold, and cough. Malaysians use fermented or fresh bilimbi leaves to treat venereal diseases. In French Guiana, syrup made from the fruit is used to treat inflammatory conditions. To date there is no scientific evidence to confirm effectiveness for such uses.

In some villages in the Thiruvananthapuram district of India, the fruit of the bilimbi was used in folk medicine to control obesity. This led to further studies on its antihyperlipidemic properties.[5][6]

The fruit contains high levels of oxalate. Acute kidney failure due to tubular necrosis caused by oxalate has been recorded in several people who drank the concentrated juice on continuous days as treatment for high cholesterol.[7] These people were prompted into consuming this concoction by local media which played up studies done in experimental animals.

References
    1. "The Plant List: A Working List of All Plant Species". Retrieved May 16, 2014.
    2. "Averrhoa bilimbi". Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Agricultural Research Service (ARS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 9 June 2017.
    3. Morton, J. 1987. Bilimbi. p. 128–129 In: Fruits of warm climates. Julia F. Morton, Miami, FL.
    4. Achard bilimbi (Bilimbi pickle)
    5. Pushparaj, Peter Natesan (2004). Evaluation Of The Anti-Diabetic Properties Of Averrhoa bilimbi in Animals with Experimental Diabetes Mellitus (PDF). National University of Singapore. Retrieved 1 Dec 2010.
    6. Ambili, Savithri; Appian, Subramoniam; Nagarajan, Natesan Shanmugam (2009). Studies on the Antihyperlipidemic Properties of Averrhoa bilimbi Fruit in Rats. Planta Med. doi:10.1055/s-0028-1088361.
    7. Jose P P, Bakul G; Unni V N; Seethaleksmy N V; Mathew A; Rajesh R; Kurien G; Rajesh J; Jayaraj P M; Kishore D S; et al. (2013). "Acute oxalate nephropathy due to Averrhoa bilimbi fruit juice ingestion". Indian J Nephrol. 23 (4): 297–300. doi:10.4103/0971-4065.114481. PMC 3741977?. PMID 23960349.
    8. "Averrhoa bilimbi". United World College of South East Asia. Retrieved 16 December 2010.
    9. "Growing Kamias and Its Many Uses". EntrePinoys Atbp. Retrieved 16 December 2010.
       ?[SOURCE - RETRIVED FROM  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Averrhoa_bilimbi    ON  2 / 1 /2018]
For picture of tree and fruit and of seed source, go to,   https://www.amazon.com/Averrhoa-Bilimbi-Cucumber-Pickle-Tropical/dp/B00TJK5JCQ?tag=askinfovinedelta-20

In Genesis 1:11-13, "And God said, Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit-trees bearing fruit after their kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after their kind: and God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, a third day. (American Standard Version, ASV)[for more details, go to  www.jw.org].

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COMBINATION OF [1]  THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2]  DISCOURSE ON ARMAGEDDON, WHY NECESSARY, HOW TO SURVIVE: 


[1]       SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 795A]

As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.   Galatians 6:10,  [authorized King James Bible; AV]

Jesus (Yeshua) demonstrated this ; to wit, the capacity to do good with respect a blind beggar as recorded at John 9:2 – 7, [AV] “And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?  3  Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.  4  I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.  5  As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.  6  When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay,  7  And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.”


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Your Friend in Christ Iris89 

Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to WWW.JW.ORG!

[2]    DISCOURSE ON ARMAGEDDON, WHY NECESSARY, HOW TO SURVIVE:

--INTRODUCTION-


Armageddon is defined in the dictionary as a prophesized as the scene of a great battle between the forces of good and evil, to occur at the end of the world (Funk & Wagnalls Standard College Dictionary).  However, there is no place actually named Armageddon as testified to in William Smith's Dictionary of the Bible, which states, "The scene of the struggle of good and evil is suggested by that battle-field, the plain of Esdraelon, which was famous for two great victories, of Barak over the Canaaanites and of Gideon over the Midianites; and for two great disasters, the deaths of Saul and Josiah.  Hence it signifies in Revelation a place of great slaughter, the scene of a terrible retribution upon the wicked.  The Revised Version gives the name as Har-Magedon, i.e., the hill of Megiddo. (Teacher's Edition of the Bible Dictionary by William Smith, LLD., revised & edited by F.N. & M.A. Peloubet, page 54).

This discussion of Armageddon will have 3 principle parts, an introduction, why necessary, and its sudden arrival.  We shall now consider the first part:

DEMONS HAVE ALIGNED POLITICAL RULERS AGAINST JESUS (YESHUA) AND HIS FATHER (YHWH):

Revelations 16:14-16 brings out how the rulers of the world will be gathered together for this great war against God (YHWH) and his forces, "For they are the spirits of devils, working signs: and they go forth unto the kings of the whole earth, to gather them to battle against the great day of the Almighty God.
(Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible; DRCB); And at Revelation 19:19, " And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies, gathered together to make war with him that sat upon the horse and with his army." (DRCB).  However, true Christians on earth shall have no part in this warfare as shown by 2 Corinthians 10:3-4, " For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty to God, unto the pulling down of fortifications, destroying counsels." (DRCB); And affirmed at Romans 12:19, " Revenge not yourselves, my dearly beloved; but give place unto wrath, for it is written: Revenge is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord." (DRCB).  The fight of true Christians will be with respect resisting the Devil and his deamons wicked influence at shown at Ephesians 6:12, " For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood; but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the world of this darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places." (DRCB).


THIS IS A WAR OF DIVINE EXECUTION:

The fact that this will be a war of divine execution was revealed in the Old Testament by the prophet Jeremiah at Jeremiah 25:31, " The noise is come even to the ends of the earth: for the Lord entereth into judgment with the nations: he entereth into judgment with all flesh; the wicked I have delivered up to the sword, saith the Lord." (DRCB); And affirmed in the New Testament at 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9, " Seeing it is a just thing with God to repay tribulation to them that trouble you: 7 And to you who are troubled, rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with the angels of his power: 8 In a flame of fire, giving vengeance to them who know not God and who obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 Who shall suffer eternal punishment in destruction, from the face of the Lord and from the glory of his power:" (DRCB).  In fact the prophet Zephaniah at Zephaniah 3:8 gave warning to true Christians to keep in expectation, " Wherefore expect me, saith the Lord, in the day of my resurrection that is to come, for my judgment is to assemble the Gentiles, and to gather the kingdoms: and to pour upon them my indignation, all my fierce anger: for with the fire of my jealousy shall all the earth be devoured." (DRCB); And Jude, a servant of Jesus (Yeshua) Christ, stated at Jude 14-15, " And to these also Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, Behold, the Lord came with ten thousands of his holy ones,  15 to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their works of ungodliness which they have ungodly wrought, and of all the hard things which ungodly sinners have spoken against him." (American Standard Version; ASV); And Revelation 6:15-17 gives a picture of how events will be when that day arrives, " And the kings of the earth, and the princes, and the chief captains, and the rich, and the strong, and every bondman and freeman, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains; 16 and they say to the mountains and to the rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:"  (ASV).

A FORWARD LOOK AT THE DESTRUCTION OF THAT DAY:

The Apostle John and the prophets Jeremiah, Zechariah, Ezekiel, and Zephaniah show clearly how great the destruction of that day will be; At Revelation 14:19-20, " And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a great voice, If any man worshippeth the beast and his image, and receiveth a mark on his forehead, or upon his hand, 10 he also shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is prepared unmixed in the cup of his anger; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: " (ASV); And this is affirmed by Jeremiah 25:30-33, " Therefore prophesy thou against them all these words, and say unto them, Jehovah will roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation; he will mightily roar against his fold; he will give a shout, as they that tread [the grapes], against all the inhabitants of the earth. 31 A noise shall come even to the end of the earth; for Jehovah hath a controversy with the nations; he will enter into judgment with all flesh: as for the wicked, he will give them to the sword, saith Jehovah. 32 Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great tempest shall be raised up from the uttermost parts of the earth. 33 And the slain of Jehovah shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the face of the ground." (ASV); And by Zechariah 14:3 & 12, " Then shall Jehovah go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle." (ASV); And at Ezekial 38:18-22, " And it shall come to pass in that day, when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord Jehovah, that my wrath shall come up into my nostrils. 19 For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel; 20 so that the fishes of the sea, and the birds of the heavens, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground. 21 And I will call for a sword against him unto all my mountains, saith the Lord Jehovah: every man's sword shall be against his brother. 22 And with pestilence and with blood will I enter into judgment with him; and I will rain upon him, and upon his hordes, and upon the many peoples that are with him, an overflowing shower, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone. "(ASV); And at Zephaniah 1:14-18, " The great day of Jehovah is near, it is near and hasteth greatly, [even] the voice of the day of Jehovah; the mighty man crieth there bitterly. 15 That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, 16 a day of the trumpet and alarm, against the fortified cities, and against the high battlements. 17 And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against Jehovah; and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as dung. 18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of Jehovah's wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he will make an end, yea, a terrible end, of all them that dwell in the land." (ASV).

--WHY NECESSARY?-

FIRST, IT IS NECESSARY TO SHOW GOD (YHWH) IS THE RIGHTEOUS SOVEREIGN:

It is necessary to show that God (YHWH) is the righteous sovereign with an unquestionable right to rule as shown by Psalms 83:17-18, " Until I went into the sanctuary of God, And considered their latter end. 18 Surely thou settest them in slippery places: Thou castest them down to destruction. " (ASV); And this is affirmed at Daniel 2:44, " And in the days of those kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, nor shall the sovereignty thereof be left to another people; but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. " (ASV); And at Revelation 11:17-18, " For God did put in their hearts to do his mind, and to come to one mind, and to give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God should be accomplished. 18 And the woman whom thou sawest is the great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth." (ASV); And at Isaiah 46:8-11, " Remember this, and show yourselves men; bring it again to mind, O ye transgressors. 9 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; [I am] God, and there is none like me; 10 declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not [yet] done; saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure; 11 calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country; yea, I have spoken, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed, I will also do it." (ASV). 


It will destroy all the entrenched political opposition to God (YHWH) and his kingdom as shown by Psalms 2:2 & 5-6 & 9, " The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together, Against Jehovah, and against his anointed, [saying]," &  " Then will he speak unto them in his wrath, And vex them in his sore displeasure: 6 Yet I have set my king Upon my holy hill of Zion."Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel." (ASV); And detailed in Revelations at Revelation 17:12-14, " And the ten horns that thou sawest are ten kings, who have received no kingdom as yet; but they receive authority as kings, with the beast, for one hour. 13 These have one mind, and they give their power and authority unto the beast.   14 These shall war against the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them, for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings; and they [also shall overcome] that are with him, called and chosen and faithful." (ASV); And at Revelation 19:11 & 16 & 19, " And after the three days and a half the breath of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them that beheld them. " & "And the four and twenty elders, who sit before God on their thrones, fell upon their faces and worshipped God," &  " And there was opened the temple of God that is in heaven; and there was seen in his temple the ark of his covenant; and there followed lightnings, and voices, and thunders, and an earthquake, and great hail."
(ASV).

SECOND, IT IS NECESSARY TO MAGNIFY GOD'S (YHWH'S) NAME AND CLEAR IT OF REPROACH:

God (YHWH) inspired Ezekiel to make this known that he would magnify himself and clear his name at Ezekiel 38:23, " And I will magnify myself, and sanctify myself, and I will make myself known in the eyes of many nations; and they shall know that I am Jehovah" (ASV); And this fact is affirmed at Psalms 74:10 & 18, " How long, O God, shall the adversary reproach? Shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever?" & "Remember this, that the enemy hath reproached, O Jehovah, And that a foolish people hath blasphemed thy name." (ASV).

THIRD, IT WILL CLEAR WICKEDNESS FROM THE EARTH:

Armageddon will pave the way for a righteous new system of things as foretold at 2 Peter 3:12-13, "  looking for and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God, by reason of which the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? 13 But, according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. "(ASV); And at Psalms 37:10-11, " For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: Yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and he shall not be.  11 But the meek shall inherit the land, And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace." (ASV); And after it, per Proverbs 2:21-22, " For the upright shall dwell in the land, And the perfect shall remain in it. 22 But the wicked shall be cut off from the land, And the treacherous shall be rooted out of it. " (ASV).  Also, it is shown at Psalms 145:20, " Jehovah preserveth all them that love him; But all the wicked will he destroy." (ASV); And at Isaiah 11:1 & 4, " And there shall come forth a shoot out of the stock of Jesse, and a branch out of his roots shall bear fruit."  & "but with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth; and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked." (ASV).

FOURTH, GOD (YHWH) DOES NOT VIOLATE THE PRINCIPLE OF LOVE BY DESTROYING THE WICKED:

Some may say, how can a loving God (YHWH) destroy the wicked and not violate the principle of love, but their destruction actually is an act of love as it eliminates the evil influence that now permeates the entire earth and makes it possible for the righteous to rejoice.  This is shown by Ezekiel 18:23, " Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked? saith the Lord Jehovah; and not rather that he should return from his way, and live?" (ASV); And at Romans 9:22, " What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering vessels of wrath fitted unto destruction:" (ASV); And at 2 Peter 3:9, " The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some count slackness; but is longsuffering to you-ward, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" (ASV); And at Luke 18:7-8, " And shall not God avenge his elect, that cry to him day and night, and [yet] he is longsuffering over them? 8 I say unto you, that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" (ASV).

--ARMAGEDDON WILL COME UNEXPECTEDLY AND CATCH THE WICKED BY SURPRISE-

WHEN WILL ARMAGEDDON COME? 

The Bible clearly shows that it will come at the culmination of the end times as shown at Matthew 24:34-36 & 43-44, " Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all these things be accomplished. 35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. 36 But of that day and hour knoweth no one, not even the angels of heaven, neither the Son, but the Father only." & "But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what watch the thief was coming, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken through. 44 Therefore be ye also ready; for in an hour that ye think not the Son of man cometh." (ASV); Interestingly, even the angels and the Son of God (YHWH), Jesus (Yeshua) are shown at Matthew 24:36, previously quoted, which interestingly also shows that Almighty God (YHWH) and his Son, Jesus (Yeshua) are two distinct beings.

Its coming will be very sudden and the wicked will be caught unexpectedly by this culmination of the end times known as Armageddon as shown at 1 Thessalonians 5:2-3, " For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 3 When they are saying, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall in no wise escape. " (ASV); And affirmed at 2 Peter 3:10, " But the day of the Lord will come as a thief; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are therein shall be burned up." (ASV); And at Luke 21:34-35, " But take heed to yourselves, lest haply your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day come on you suddenly as a snare: 35 for [so] shall it come upon all them that dwell on the face of all the earth. " (ASV); And at Revelation 16:15, " (Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walked naked, and they see his shame.) " (ASV); And at Proverbs 6:12-15, "  A worthless person, a man of iniquity, Is he that walketh with a perverse mouth; 13 That winketh with his eyes, that speaketh with his feet, That maketh signs with his fingers; 14 In whose heart is perverseness, Who deviseth evil continually, Who soweth discord. 15 Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; On a sudden shall he be broken, and that without remedy." (ASV).

However true Christians, the real foot-step followers of Jesus (Yeshua) will be busy in this end times immediately before its culmination in Armageddon preaching the word of God (YHWH) per the directions of his Son found at Matthew 24:14, "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." (Authorized King James Bible; AV). 

NOW HOW IS SURVIVAL POSSIBLE:

The Bible clearly shows we must be meek and obedient to the word of God (YHWH) at Zephaniah 2:2-3, " before the decree bring forth, [before] the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of Jehovah come upon you, before the day of Jehovah's anger come upon you. 3 Seek ye Jehovah, all ye meek of the earth, that have kept his ordinances; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye will be hid in the day of Jehovah's anger. " (ASV); And this is affilmed at Joel 2:32, " And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of Jehovah shall be delivered; for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those that escape, as Jehovah hath said, and among the remnant those whom Jehovah doth call." (ASV).  In fact to be saved, we must be loving God (YHWH) and his commandments as testified to at Psalms 145:20, " Jehovah preserveth all them that love him; But all the wicked will he destroy" (ASV); And at Psalms 2:11-12, "  Serve Jehovah with fear, And rejoice with trembling. 12 Kiss the son, lest he be angry, and ye perish in the way, For his wrath will soon be kindled. Blessed are all they that take refuge in him." (ASV); And at John 3:16, " For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life." (ASV); And at Romans 5:9-10, " Much more then, being now justified by his blood, shall we be saved from the wrath [of God] through him. 10 For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, shall we be saved by his life;" (ASV); And at Ecclesiastes 7:12, " For wisdom is a defence, even as money is a defence; but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom preserveth the life of him that hath it" (ASV); And at Romans 10:10, " for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (ASV); And at Matthew 10:22, " And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved." (ASV).


LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION – BOTH TRUE AND FALSE – AT WWW.JW.ORG

COMBINATION OF [1]  THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2]  DISCOURSE ON HYPOCRISY AND BIGOTRY:

[1]       SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 797A]

As one person so aptly put it " Most of these other people are so obsessed at removing the "scales" from other people's eyes that they miss the "snake" in their own." Which goes along with the scripture at Luke 6:41, "And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?" (American Standard Version; ASV). In fact, Jesus (Yeshua) went on to show individuals acting this way were nothing but hypocrites at Luke 6:42, "Or how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me cast out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote that is in thy brother's eye." (ASV). Now we all know a hypocrite is NOT approved of by Jesus (Yeshua) as aptly testified to at Matthew 23:13, "But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in." (ASV); And at Matthew 23:23, "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone." (ASV); And at Matthew 23:25, "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess." (ASV); And at Matthew 23:27, "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness." (ASV); And at Matthew 24:51, "And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (ASV); And Mark 7:6, "He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me." Clearly showing what hypocrites are; they are those who put on a pretense of godliness but do not live by the word of God (YHWH). They seek continually to degrade others on either false charges or on in-consequentials.

An example of the false accusations or in-consequential charges by hypocrites is as follows, " Charles Taze Russell, founder of the JW`s was a high ranking Freemason. " In making such a ridicules charge they cared naught for the truth of the matter. It is possible that this man who these hypocrites are railing against once was a member of the Freemasons. These same inclined individuals also accused this same man as being a drunkard, but of course offered up no proof as is the practice of hypocrites. The fact is, he may have been both a Freemason and a drunkard at some time in his life before he accepted Jesus (Yeshua) as his savior, but who cares. Take the Apostle Paul, he had committed many very wicked acts in his life before being called to be an Apostle by the resurrected Jesus (Yeshua) as he plainly testified to at Acts 22:19-21, " And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee: 20 And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him. 21 And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles." (ASV), and Jesus (Yeshua) certainly did not hold his earlier actions against him even though they consisted of taking part in the murder of Stephen. Of course, this fact means nothing to hypocrites as they care NOT for truth, but are only interested in 'running others down' and are like the Pharisees mentioned at Matthew 22:23, previously quoted.

Now with respect to drinking and being drunk the Bible says of John the Baptist, at Luke 7:33, "For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil." (ASV), where these hypocrites tried to degrade John the Baptist because he did not eat bread or drink wine by saying in effect that he was not normal but 'hath a devil.' When the Son of God, Jesus (Yeshua) came, these same hypocritical individuals accused him of being a gluttonous man and a winebibber as recorded at Luke 7:34, "The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!" (ASV). Clearly they were NOT the least bit interested in the truth, but were just plain bigots as shown by their action and words. Of course, this is the way of hypocrites, they are always derogatory about others who they do not care for. So why should we be surprised when the modern hypocrites act in the same way as the hypocrites of old? They love to speak negatively about others ir-regardless of what the truth is.

As one person aptly put it, " They should take the advice their own 'messiah' gave, rather than 'do as I say, not as I do" mentality.'" This same individual stated, " "Not all fruits are the same, just as all organizations are the same."; made in reply to another's statement, " Not all fruits are the same, just as all organizations are the same." To which one of these hypocritical so called superfine Christians responded, "... the discussion wasn't about other organizations but JW's and the Watchtower Society." Clearly showing bigotry since if a thing is not wrong per the Bible it is NOT wrong period, and if it is wrong per the Bible, it is wrong no matter what organization or individual does it so it is clear that ones making this type of statement is both a bigot and a hypocrite, prima facia. These types of hypocritical individuals clearly forget what the scriptures say at 1 Peter 4:3, "For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:" (ASV), which shows that if we turn our lives around and accept Jesus (Yeshua) as our savior and no longer walk in lasciviousness, lusts, excesses of wine, etc. we can become acceptable to Jesus (Yeshua). This point is made clear in the qualifications for bishop at 1 Timothy 3:2, "A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;" (ASV) which states the qualifications without any mention of what the person may have been before accepting Jesus (Yeshua) as his personal savior.

No more are these hypocrites shown to be unreasonable ones than by the fact they make much ado about inconsequential trivials, but gloss over major wrongs without mention by so called religious leaders such as murder by genocide of over one million individuals, burning individuals at the stake who did not agree with them, etc. Therefore as one individual so apthy put it, as previously quoted, " Most of these other people are so obssesed at removing the "scales" from other people's eyes that they miss the "snake" in their own"

[1]       SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 797A]

One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.  41  He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.  John 1:40 – 41, [authorized King James Bible; AV]

Yes, way back in the book of Daniel, the coming of the messiah was fortold as follows, Daniel 9:25, [AV] “Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.”  But here the brothers have found the messiah.  Later his friend Lazarus had died, and he proved once more that he was the messiah by performing a miracle in that he resurrected his friend as recorded at John 11:20 - 44, [AV] “Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house.  21  Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.  22  But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.  23  Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.  24  Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.  25  Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:  26  And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?  27  She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.  28  And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee.  29  As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him.  30  Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him.  31  The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there.  32  Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.   33  When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled,  34  And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.  35  Jesus wept.  36  Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!  37  And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?  38  Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.  39  Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.  40  Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?  41  Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.  42  And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.  43  And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.  44  And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.”
 

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RELIGION AND THE BIBLE, GO TO, 

1) http://iris89.conforums.com/ 

2) http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/ 

3) http://religioustruths.lefora.com/ 

4) http://religioustruths.boardhost.com/ 

5) http://religioustruths.forumsland.com/ 

6) http://religioustruthsbyiris.createmybb3.com/ 

7) http://religioustruths.forumotion.com/ 

To enjoy an online Bible study called “Follow the Christ” go to,http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/thread/1417398076/last-1417398076/Digital+Book+On+18+Part+Follow+Christ+Bible+Study 

Your Friend in Christ Iris89 

Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to WWW.JW.ORG!

[2]   Discourse on Hypocrisy and Bigotry:

As one person so aptly put it " Most of these other people are so obsessed at removing the "scales" from other people's eyes that they miss the "snake" in their own." Which goes along with the scripture at Luke 6:41, "And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?" (American Standard Version; ASV). In fact, Jesus (Yeshua) went on to show individuals acting this way were nothing but hypocrites at Luke 6:42, "Or how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me cast out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote that is in thy brother's eye." (ASV). Now we all know a hypocrite is NOT approved of by Jesus (Yeshua) as aptly testified to at Matthew 23:13, "But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in." (ASV); And at Matthew 23:23, "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone." (ASV); And at Matthew 23:25, "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess." (ASV); And at Matthew 23:27, "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness." (ASV); And at Matthew 24:51, "And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (ASV); And Mark 7:6, "He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me." Clearly showing what hypocrites are; they are those who put on a pretense of godliness but do not live by the word of God (YHWH). They seek continually to degrade others on either false charges or on in-consequentials.

An example of the false accusations or in-consequential charges by hypocrites is as follows, " Charles Taze Russell, founder of the JW`s was a high ranking Freemason. " In making such a ridicules charge they cared naught for the truth of the matter. It is possible that this man who these hypocrites are railing against once was a member of the Freemasons. These same inclined individuals also accused this same man as being a drunkard, but of course offered up no proof as is the practice of hypocrites. The fact is, he may have been both a Freemason and a drunkard at some time in his life before he accepted Jesus (Yeshua) as his savior, but who cares. Take the Apostle Paul, he had committed many very wicked acts in his life before being called to be an Apostle by the resurrected Jesus (Yeshua) as he plainly testified to at Acts 22:19-21, " And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee: 20 And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him. 21 And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles." (ASV), and Jesus (Yeshua) certainly did not hold his earlier actions against him even though they consisted of taking part in the murder of Stephen. Of course, this fact means nothing to hypocrites as they care NOT for truth, but are only interested in 'running others down' and are like the Pharisees mentioned at Matthew 22:23, previously quoted.

Now with respect to drinking and being drunk the Bible says of John the Baptist, at Luke 7:33, "For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil." (ASV), where these hypocrites tried to degrade John the Baptist because he did not eat bread or drink wine by saying in effect that he was not normal but 'hath a devil.' When the Son of God, Jesus (Yeshua) came, these same hypocritical individuals accused him of being a gluttonous man and a winebibber as recorded at Luke 7:34, "The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!" (ASV). Clearly they were NOT the least bit interested in the truth, but were just plain bigots as shown by their action and words. Of course, this is the way of hypocrites, they are always derogatory about others who they do not care for. So why should we be surprised when the modern hypocrites act in the same way as the hypocrites of old? They love to speak negatively about others ir-regardless of what the truth is.

As one person aptly put it, " They should take the advice their own 'messiah' gave, rather than 'do as I say, not as I do" mentality.'" This same individual stated, " "Not all fruits are the same, just as all organizations are the same."; made in reply to another's statement, " Not all fruits are the same, just as all organizations are the same." To which one of these hypocritical so called superfine Christians responded, "... the discussion wasn't about other organizations but JW's and the Watchtower Society." Clearly showing bigotry since if a thing is not wrong per the Bible it is NOT wrong period, and if it is wrong per the Bible, it is wrong no matter what organization or individual does it so it is clear that ones making this type of statement is both a bigot and a hypocrite, prima facia. These types of hypocritical individuals clearly forget what the scriptures say at 1 Peter 4:3, "For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:" (ASV), which shows that if we turn our lives around and accept Jesus (Yeshua) as our savior and no longer walk in lasciviousness, lusts, excesses of wine, etc. we can become acceptable to Jesus (Yeshua). This point is made clear in the qualifications for bishop at 1 Timothy 3:2, "A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;" (ASV) which states the qualifications without any mention of what the person may have been before accepting Jesus (Yeshua) as his personal savior.

No more are these hypocrites shown to be unreasonable ones than by the fact they make much ado about inconsequential trivials, but gloss over major wrongs without mention by so called religious leaders such as murder by genocide of over one million individuals, burning individuals at the stake who did not agree with them, etc. Therefore as one individual so apthy put it, as previously quoted, " Most of these other people are so obssesed at removing the "scales" from other people's eyes that they miss the "snake" in their own"



As one person so aptly put it " Most of these other people are so obsessed at removing the "scales" from other people's eyes that they miss the "snake" in their own." Which goes along with the scripture at Luke 6:41, "And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?" (American Standard Version; ASV). In fact, Jesus (Yeshua) went on to show individuals acting this way were nothing but hypocrites at Luke 6:42, "Or how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me cast out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote that is in thy brother's eye." (ASV). Now we all know a hypocrite is NOT approved of by Jesus (Yeshua) as aptly testified to at Matthew 23:13, "But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in." (ASV); And at Matthew 23:23, "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone." (ASV); And at Matthew 23:25, "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess." (ASV); And at Matthew 23:27, "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness." (ASV); And at Matthew 24:51, "And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (ASV); And Mark 7:6, "He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me." Clearly showing what hypocrites are; they are those who put on a pretense of godliness but do not live by the word of God (YHWH). They seek continually to degrade others on either false charges or on in-consequentials.

An example of the false accusations or in-consequential charges by hypocrites is as follows, " Charles Taze Russell, founder of the JW`s was a high ranking Freemason. " In making such a ridicules charge they cared naught for the truth of the matter. It is possible that this man who these hypocrites are railing against once was a member of the Freemasons. These same inclined individuals also accused this same man as being a drunkard, but of course offered up no proof as is the practice of hypocrites. The fact is, he may have been both a Freemason and a drunkard at some time in his life before he accepted Jesus (Yeshua) as his savior, but who cares. Take the Apostle Paul, he had committed many very wicked acts in his life before being called to be an Apostle by the resurrected Jesus (Yeshua) as he plainly testified to at Acts 22:19-21, " And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee: 20 And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him. 21 And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles." (ASV), and Jesus (Yeshua) certainly did not hold his earlier actions against him even though they consisted of taking part in the murder of Stephen. Of course, this fact means nothing to hypocrites as they care NOT for truth, but are only interested in 'running others down' and are like the Pharisees mentioned at Matthew 22:23, previously quoted.

Now with respect to drinking and being drunk the Bible says of John the Baptist, at Luke 7:33, "For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil." (ASV), where these hypocrites tried to degrade John the Baptist because he did not eat bread or drink wine by saying in effect that he was not normal but 'hath a devil.' When the Son of God, Jesus (Yeshua) came, these same hypocritical individuals accused him of being a gluttonous man and a winebibber as recorded at Luke 7:34, "The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!" (ASV). Clearly they were NOT the least bit interested in the truth, but were just plain bigots as shown by their action and words. Of course, this is the way of hypocrites, they are always derogatory about others who they do not care for. So why should we be surprised when the modern hypocrites act in the same way as the hypocrites of old? They love to speak negatively about others ir-regardless of what the truth is.

As one person aptly put it, " They should take the advice their own 'messiah' gave, rather than 'do as I say, not as I do" mentality.'" This same individual stated, " "Not all fruits are the same, just as all organizations are the same."; made in reply to another's statement, " Not all fruits are the same, just as all organizations are the same." To which one of these hypocritical so called superfine Christians responded, "... the discussion wasn't about other organizations but JW's and the Watchtower Society." Clearly showing bigotry since if a thing is not wrong per the Bible it is NOT wrong period, and if it is wrong per the Bible, it is wrong no matter what organization or individual does it so it is clear that ones making this type of statement is both a bigot and a hypocrite, prima facia. These types of hypocritical individuals clearly forget what the scriptures say at 1 Peter 4:3, "For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:" (ASV), which shows that if we turn our lives around and accept Jesus (Yeshua) as our savior and no longer walk in lasciviousness, lusts, excesses of wine, etc. we can become acceptable to Jesus (Yeshua). This point is made clear in the qualifications for bishop at 1 Timothy 3:2, "A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;" (ASV) which states the qualifications without any mention of what the person may have been before accepting Jesus (Yeshua) as his personal savior.

No more are these hypocrites shown to be unreasonable ones than by the fact they make much ado about inconsequential trivials, but gloss over major wrongs without mention by so called religious leaders such as murder by genocide of over one million individuals, burning individuals at the stake who did not agree with them, etc. Therefore as one individual so apthy put it, as previously quoted, " Most of these other people are so obssesed at removing the "scales" from other people's eyes that they miss the "snake" in their own"


LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION – BOTH TRUE AND FALSE – AT WWW.JW.ORG

COMBINATION OF [1]  THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2]   DISCOURSE ON JOHN CHAPTER 17, “THE LONGEST PRAYER BY JESUS”: 


[1]       SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 799A]

King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.  28  Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.  29  And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.   Acts 26:27 – 29,  [authorized King James Bible; AV]

Here, the Apostle Paul is appearing before King Agrippa to make his defense for spreading the truth of Almighty God (YHWH) to many in ancient Jerusalem.  In his defense as recorded at Acts 26:1 - 8, [AV] he says, “Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself:  2  I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews:  3  Especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.  4  My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;  5  Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.  6  And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers:  7  Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope’s sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.  8  Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?” 

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RELIGION AND THE BIBLE, GO TO, 

1) http://iris89.conforums.com/ 

2) http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/ 

3) http://religioustruths.lefora.com/ 

4) http://religioustruths.boardhost.com/ 

5) http://religioustruths.forumsland.com/ 

6) http://religioustruthsbyiris.createmybb3.com/ 

7) http://religioustruths.forumotion.com/ 

To enjoy an online Bible study called “Follow the Christ” go to,http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/thread/1417398076/last-1417398076/Digital+Book+On+18+Part+Follow+Christ+Bible+Study 

Your Friend in Christ Iris89 

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[2]   DISCOURSE ON JOHN CHAPTER 17, “THE LONGEST PRAYER BY JESUS”:

1 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:<[ These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes--"John very seldom depicts the gestures or looks of our Lord, as here. But this was an occasion of which the impression was indelible, and the upward look could not be passed over" [ALFORD].   Father, the hour is glorify thy Son--Put honor upon Thy Son, by countenancing, sustaining, and carrying Him through that "hour." (a) At John 17:5, Jesus asks for, “And now glorify thou me, O Father, with thyself, with the glory which I had, before the world was, with thee.” (The Douay-Rheims Bible), “Jesus said to them: Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham was made, I AM.” .” (John 8:58 The Douay-Rheims Bible), “If then you shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?” (John 6:62 The Douay-Rheims Bible).  As can clearly be seen, Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) had been in heaven with his Father, Almighty God (YHWH) before he came down to earth to prove himself faithful under temptation, and here he was asking his Father (YHWH) for what he had had before in heaven.   This clearly shows two individuals, one a superior being prayed to and a subordinate asking the superior for what he had had before in heaven. (b)  ]>
2  As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. <[ given--gavest him power over all give eternal life to as many as, &c.--literally, "to all that which thou hast given him." (a) “27  For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.  28  And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.” (1 Corinthians 15:28 AV) Here we clearly see God has given his Son, Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves)  jurisdiction over all things except himself, Almighty God (YHWH) and after he, the Son, has accomplished all the work his Father has given him, he will, “then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.”  This once more clearly shows they are two separate entities in heaven with one the superior, Almighty God (YHWH) and the other the subordinate, Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves)  (b) ]>
3  And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. <[this is--that.  life eternal, that they might--may.  know, &c.--This life eternal, then, is not mere conscious and unending existence,.but a life of acquaintance with God in Christ (Job 22:21). (a)   Notice here that Almighty God (YHWH) sent his Son, Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves)  to earth to do his, the Father’s will.   Clearly the sender is the superior one. (b) ]>
4  I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. <[I have glorified thee on the earth--rather, "I glorified" (for the thing is conceived as now past).  I have finished--I finished.   the work which thou gavest me to do--It is very important to preserve in the translation the past tense, used in the original, otherwise it might be thought that the work already "finished" was only what He had done before uttering that prayer; whereas it will be observed that our Lord speaks throughout as already beyond this present scene (John 17:12, &c.), and so must be supposed to include in His "finished work" the "decease which He was to accomplish at Jerusalem." (a)  Here the Son, Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves), clearly tells his Father, Almighty God (YHWH) that he has accomplished all the work that he had assigned to him to do while on earth in flesh and blood.  He, the Son, states, “I have glorified thee on the earth:” {glory – from Strong’s Concordance and Hebrew-Chaldean Dictionary is ‘AV-glory 145, glorious 10, honour 6, praise 4, dignity 2, worship 1; 168’}.  This clearly shows that the Son was doing the work assigned to him by his Father once more; therefore they would have to be two distinct entities, one the superior and the other the subordinate.  (b) ]>
5  And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. <[And now--in return.  glorify thou me--The "I Thee" and "Thou Me" are so placed in the original, each beside its fellow, as to show that A PERFECT RECIPROCITY OF SERVICES of the Son to the Father first, and then of the Father to the Son in return, is what our Lord means here to express.   with the glory which I had with thee before the world was--when "in the beginning the Word was with God" (John 1:1), "the only-begotten Son in the bosom of the Father" (John 1:18). With this pre-existent glory, which He veiled on earth, He asks to be reinvested, the design of the veiling being accomplished--not, however, simply as before, but now in our nature. (a) As can clearly be seen, Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) had been in heaven with his Father, Almighty God (YHWH) before he came down to earth to prove himself faithful under temptation, and here he was asking his Father (YHWH) for what he had had before in heaven.   This clearly shows two individuals, one a superior being prayed to and a subordinate asking the superior for what he had had before in heaven. (b)    ]>
6 ¶ I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. <[ From praying for Himself He now comes to pray for His disciples.   I have manifested--I manifested.  thy name--His whole character towards mankind.   to the men thou gavest me out of the  (a)    Here the Son, Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves)  acknowledges that the men belonged to Almighty God (YHWH), but he gave them to his son, “thou gavest them me; “ clearly showing two individuals, a superior who can give things to a Son, and a Son who can receive things from his father; not two individuals in one Godhead as proclaimed by the Cathars.  (b) ]>
7  Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.   <[Here, the Son, is acknowledging the gifts from his Father, and stating that the gifts are of thee, the Father, “are of thee.”  Obviously an interaction between two individuals, one the superior, the Father, the giver, and the subordinate, the Son, the receiver of the gifts.  (b) ]>
8  For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me. <[they . . . have known surely that I came out from  (a)  Here he, the Son, Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) , mentions that he has given to his followers, “the words which thou gavest me,” and his followers, “and they have received them.”  Then he, the Son, continues, “and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me,” showing that his followers would surely know that they were one is purpose, “12  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 14  That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.”  (Ephesians 4:12-16 AV) and “9  And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: 10  To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, 11  According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:
12  In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.  13  Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.
14 ¶ For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,” (Ephesians 3:9-14 AV).  These clearly show that Almighty God (YHWH) and Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves)  although not one in body, are one in purpose, and since the Father has given mankind to the Son for the present time,  we should all recognize the Son as the only mediator between God and mankind, “ For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;” (1 Timothy 2:5 AV). (b) ]>
9  I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. <[I pray for them--not as individuals merely, but as representatives of all such in every succeeding age not for the world--for they had been given Him "out of the world" (John 17:6), and had been already transformed into the very opposite of it. The things sought for them, indeed, are applicable only to such. (a)  Jesus, here, prays on behalf of all of his followers to his Father, Almighty God (YHWH), clearly showing that the Son recognized his Father as supreme.  (b) ]>
10  And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them. <[all mine are thine, and thine are mine--literally, "All My things are Thine and Thy things are Mine." (On this use of the neuter gender, Absolute COMMUNITY OF PROPERTY between the Father and the Son is here expressed as nakedly as words can do it.  (a)     Here Jesus clearly recognizes that everything he has really belongs onto his Father in keeping with, “27  For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.  28  And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.” (1 Corinthians 15:27-28 AV) (b)                                             ]>
11 ¶ And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. <[I am no more in the but these are in the world--that is, Though My struggles are at an end, theirs are not; though I have gotten beyond the scene of strife, I cannot sever Myself in spirit from them, left behind and only just entering on their great conflict.  Holy Father--an expression He nowhere else uses. "Father" is His wonted appellation, but "Holy" is here prefixed, because His appeal was to that perfection of the Father's nature, to "keep" or preserve them from being tainted by the unholy atmosphere of "the world" they were still in.   keep through thine own name--rather, "in thy name"; in the exercise of that gracious and holy character for which He was known.

that they may be  (a) Here he, the Son, Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) , says after returning to his Father, “¶ And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world,” and asks that they, his followers, “be one, as we are,” one.  ”  Then he, the Son, continues,  “and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me,” (part of John 17:8 AV) showing that his followers would surely know that they were one is purpose, “12  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 14  That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.”  (Ephesians 4:12-16 AV) and “9  And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: 10  To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, 11  According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: 12  In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.  13  Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.
14 ¶ For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,” (Ephesians 3:9-14 AV).  These clearly show that Almighty God (YHWH) and Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves)  although not one in body, are one in purpose, and since the Father has given mankind to the Son for the present time,  we should all recognize the Son as the only mediator between God and mankind, “ For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;” (1 Timothy 2:5 AV). (b) ]>
12  While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. <[I kept--guarded.   them in thy name--acting as Thy Representative on earth.

none of them is lost, but the son of perdition--It is not implied here that the son of perdition was one of those whom the Father had given to the Son, but rather the contrary (John 13:18) [WEBSTER and WILKINSON]. It is just as in Luke 4:26,27, where we are not to suppose that the woman of Sarepta (in Sidon) was one of the widows of Israel, nor Naaman the Syrian one of the lepers in Israel, though the language--the same as here--might seem to express it.    son of perdition--doomed to it (2 Thessalonians 2:3, 14:21).  (a) ]>
13  And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. <[I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves--that is, Such a strain befits rather the upper sanctuary than the scene of conflict; but I speak so "in the world," that My joy, the joy I experience in knowing that such intercessions are to be made for them by their absent Lord, may be tasted by those who now hear them, and by all who shall hereafter read the record of them,   (a)    Here Jesus speaks of his ascending back to heaven and that his followers should be happy as he has provided the ransom sacrifice for all his followers that they may have life. “ Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:28 AV), as he was, “ What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?” (John 6:62 AV) to be figuratively speaking to show that he was second in heaven “ Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;” (Hebrews 8:1 AV) (b) ]>                       
14  I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.<[ Here Jesus tells his Father in heaven that he has given his followers his Fathers word, but the world hated them because they were no longer part of the world, “ Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” (James 4:4 AV) (b) ]>
15  I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. <[ I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world--for that, though it would secure their own safety, would leave the world unblessed by their testimony.   but . . . keep them from the evil--all evil in and of the world.  (a)  Here Jesus showed that his followers would not be popular and asked his Father to protect them against evil showing he recognized his Father as the superior.  Clearly they would not be poplar and would be small in number as shown “13  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14 AV) (b) ]>
16  They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. <[ They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world--(See John 5:18,19).  This is reiterated here, to pave the way for the prayer which follows  (a) ]>
17 ¶ Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. <[ Sanctify them--As the former prayer, "Keep them," was "negative," asking protection for them from the poisonous element which surrounded and pressed upon their renewed nature, so this prayer, "Sanctify them," is positive, asking the advancement and completion of their begun sanctification.   through--in.   thy truth--God's revealed truth, as the medium or element of sanctification; a statement this of immense importance.    thy word is truth--(Compare John 15:3, Colossians 1:5, Ephesians 1:13).  (a)  Here  he request that his Father (YHWH) sanctify his followers through his word as Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) clearly shows that he knows that his Father’s word is “thy word is truth.”  (b) ]>                                     
18  As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. <[ As thou hast sent--sentest.   me into the world, even so have I also sent them--sent I also them.   into the world--As their mission was to carry into effect the purposes of their Master's mission, so our Lord speaks of the authority in both cases as co-ordinate.   (a)  Once more, Jesus emphases that he was sent by his Father (YHWH), the superior, for a purpose and also emphases that he, Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) has sent them into the world to continue with his work in keeping with “ And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” (Matthew 24:14 AV) (b)  ]>
19  And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. <[ And for their sakes I sanctify--consecrate.   myself that they also might--may.   be sanctified--consecrated. The only difference between the application of the same term to Christ and the disciples is, as applied to Christ, that it means only to "consecrate"; whereas, in application to the disciples, it means to consecrate with the additional idea of previous sanctification, since nothing but what is holy can be presented as an offering. The whole self-sacrificing work of the disciples appears here as a mere result of the offering of Christ [OLSHAUSEN].   through--in.   the truth--Though the article is wanting in the original here, we are not to translate, as in the Margin, "truly sanctified"; for the reference seems plainly to be "the truth" mentioned in John 17:17.   (a) ]>                                         
20 ¶ Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; <[ Neither pray I for these alone--This very important explanation, uttered in condescension to the hearers and readers of this prayer in all time, is meant not merely of what follows, but of the whole prayer.   them also which shall believe--The majority of the best manuscripts read "which believe," all future time being viewed as present, while the present is viewed as past and gone.  (a) ]>
21  That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. <[ that they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they may be one in us--The indwelling Spirit of the Father and the Son is the one perfect bond of union, knitting up into a living unity, first all believers amongst themselves; next, this unity into one still higher, with the Father and the Son. (Observe, that Christ never mixes Himself up with His disciples as He associates Himself with the Father, but says I in THEM and THEY in US).

that the world may believe that thou hast sent me--sentest me. So the grand impression upon the world at large, that the mission of Christ is divine, is to be made by the unity of His disciples. Of course, then, it must be something that shall be visible or perceptible to the world. What is it, then? Not certainly a merely formal, mechanical unity of ecclesiastical machinery. For as that may, and to a large extent does, exist in both the Western and Eastern churches, with little of the Spirit of Christ, yea much, much with which the Spirit of Christ cannot dwell so instead of convincing the world beyond its own pale of the divinity of the Gospel, it generates infidelity to a large extent within its own bosom. But the Spirit of Christ, illuminating, transforming, and reigning in the hearts of the genuine disciples of Christ, drawing them to each other as members of one family, and prompting them to loving co-operation for the good of the world--this is what, when sufficiently glowing and extended, shall force conviction upon the world that Christianity is divine. Doubtless, the more that differences among Christians disappear--the more they can agree even in minor matters--the impression upon the world may be expected to be greater. But it is not dependent upon this; for living and loving oneness in Christ is sometimes more touchingly seen even amidst and in spite of minor differences, than where no such differences exist to try the strength of their deeper unity. Yet till this living brotherhood in Christ shall show itself strong enough to destroy the sectarianism, selfishness, carnality, and apathy that eat out the heart of Christianity in all the visible sections of it, in vain shall we expect the world to be overawed by it. It is when "the Spirit shall be poured upon us from on high," as a Spirit of truth and love, and upon all parts of the Christian territory alike, melting down differences and heart burnings, kindling astonishment and shame at past unfruitfulness, drawing forth longings of catholic affection, and yearnings over a world lying in wickedness, embodying themselves in palpable forms and active measures--it is then that we may expect the effect here announced to be produced, and then it will be irresistible. Should not Christians ponder these things? Should not the same mind be in them which was also in Christ Jesus about this matter? Should not His prayer be theirs?  (a) Here he, the Son, Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves),  then he, the Son, continues, “ For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.” (John 17:8 AV),
showing that his followers would surely know that they were one is purpose, “12  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 14  That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.”  (Ephesians 4:12-16 AV) and “9  And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: 10  To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, 11  According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:
12  In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.  13  Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.
14 ¶ For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,” (Ephesians 3:9-14 AV).  These clearly show that Almighty God (YHWH) and Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves)  although not one in body, are one in purpose, and since the Father has given mankind to the Son for the present time,  we should all recognize the Son as the only mediator between God and mankind, “ For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;” (1 Timothy 2:5 AV). (b) ]>
22  And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: <[ And the glory which thou gavest--hast given.   me I have given them, that they may be one, even as we are one--The last clause shows the meaning of the first. It is not the future glory of the heavenly state, but the secret of that present unity just before spoken of; the glory, therefore, of the indwelling Spirit of Christ; the glory of an accepted state, of a holy character, of every grace.   (a)   See second comment on John 17:21 above (b) ]>
23  I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. <[ I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in  (a)   Once more Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) emphasis that his followers should be one in purpose just as he is one in purpose with his Father (YHWH), for more details see second comment on John 17:21 above. (b)]>
24 ¶ Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. <[ Father, I will--The majesty of this style of speaking is quite transparent. No petty criticism will be allowed to fritter it away in any but superficial or perverted readers.  be with me where I  that they may behold my glory which thou hast given Christ regards it as glory enough for us to be admitted to see and gaze for ever upon His glory! This is "the beatific vision"; but it shall be no mere vision, for "we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is" (1 John 3:2).  (a) ]>                                               
25  O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. <[ O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee--knew thee not.  but I have known thee--knew thee.   and these have known--knew.   that thou hast sent--sentest   me--As before He said "Holy Father," when desiring the display of that perfection on His disciples (John 17:11), so here He styles Him "Righteous Father," because He is appealing to His righteousness or justice, to make a distinction between those two diametrically opposite classes--"the world," on the one hand, which would not "know the Father, though brought so nigh to it in the Son of His love, and, on the other, Himself, who recognized and owned Him, and even His disciples, who owned His mission from the Father.  (a) ]>
26  And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them. <[ And I have declared--I made known or communicated.   thy name--in His past ministry.   and will declare it--in yet larger measure, by the gift of the Holy Ghost at Pentecost and through all succeeding ages.  that the love wherewith thou hast loved--lovedst.   me may be in them, and I in them--This eternal love of the Father, resting first on Christ, is by His Spirit imparted to and takes up its permanent abode in all that believe in Him; and "He abiding in them and they in Him" (John 15:5), they are "one Spirit." "With this lofty thought the Redeemer closes His prayer for His disciples, and in them for His Church through all ages. He has compressed into the last moments given Him for conversation with His own the most sublime and glorious sentiments ever uttered by mortal lips. But hardly has the sound of the last word died away, when He passes with the disciples over the brook Kedron to Gethsemane--and the bitter conflict draws on. The seed of the new world must be sown in Death, that thence Life may spring up" [OLSHAUSEN].  (a)]>

    (a) - Brown, David, D.D. "Commentary on John 17". "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, 1871.

(b) – Iris the Preacher, 2002. 

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COMBINATION OF [1]  THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2]   DISCOURSE ON MATTHEW 16:18: [3]  HUMOUR OF THE DAY PLAY ON WORDS: 


[1]       SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 801A]

A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish man despiseth his mother.  Proverbs 15:20,  [authorized King James Bible; AV]

This thought is amplified at 1 Kings 1:48, [AV] “And also thus said the king, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which hath given one to sit on my throne this day, mine eyes even seeing it.”  And at Proverbs 10:1, [AV] “The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.” 

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[2]   DISCOURSE ON MATTHEW 16:18:

THE SCRIPTURE – MATTHEW 16:18:

Let’s first look at the scripture in several different translations:

“ And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18 AV – Authorized King James Version)

“And I also say unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18 ASV – American Standard Version)

“And, I also, unto thee, say—Thou, art Peter,—and, upon this rock, will I build my assembly, and, the gates of hades, shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18 Rotherham Bible)

“‘And I also say to thee, that thou art a rock, and upon this rock I will build my assembly, and gates of Hades shall not prevail against it;” (Matthew 16:18 Youngs Literal Bible)

As clearly can be seen here some translations say “I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” and others say “upon this rock, I will [will I] build my assembly, and [the] gates of hades, shall not prevail against it.”   Two different renderings, but of the same basic significance.  Now what is that significance?

TWO DIFFERENT ROCKS – ‘PETROS’ AND ‘PETRA’, DEFINED:

Let’s see how one renown Bible Scholar, Theodore Baez, differentiated the two different rock entities and who they apply to as this is very important in understanding what Jesus is saying as English word ‘rock’ leaves a lot of the meaning out:

16:18 5 And I say also unto thee, That thou art l Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the m gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
(5) That is true faith, which confesses Christ, the virtue of which is invincible.

(l) Christ spoke in the Syrian tongue, and therefore did not use this discourse to distinguish between Petros, which signifies Peter, and Petra, which signifies a rock, but in both places used the word Cephas: but his meaning is what is written in Greek, in which the different word endings distinguish between Peter, who is a piece of the building, and Christ the Petra, that is, the rock and foundation: or else he named him Peter because of the confession of his faith, which is the Church’s as well as his, as the old fathers witness, for so says Theophylact. That confession which you have made, shall be the foundation of the believers.

(m) The enemies of the Church are compared to a strong kingdom, and therefore by "gates" are meant cities which are made strong with wise preparation and fortifications, and this is the meaning: whatever Satan can do by cunning or strength. So does Paul, calling them strongholds; (2 Corinthians 10:4).  [Beza, Theodore. "Commentary on Matthew 16". "The 1599 Geneva Study Bible". 1600-1645].
Another, renown Bible scholar, Barton W Johnson, stated it evem more clearly:
18. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church. This is the first time Jesus speaks of his church, and here, as not yet founded. Three terms are to be noted: (1) Peter, in the Greek, Petros, meaning a single stone; (2) Rock, in the Greek, Petra, which means the solid, immovable bed-rock, a great mass like a cliff, and (3) church, Greek, ecclesia, those "called out," the fellowship of believers, the organized society of Christ, the kingdom of heaven on earth. There is probably no passage in the word of God that has called forth more discussion. The Papal church insists that Peter is the rock upon which Christ founded his church. The Catholic position is based upon the fact that Peter means a stone (see John 1:42), and the Savior's language might be rendered, "Thou art a stone, and upon this rock I will build my church." The Catholic view is untenable, for 1. The Savior does not say, "Thou art a stone, and upon thee I will build," etc., or "Thou art a rock, and upon this rock I will build." He changes the word in the Greek from Petros (Peter, a stone) to Petra, a rock, or ledge of rock--a solid bed-rock. 2. Every saint is a stone (see 1 Peter 2:5). The Lord declares that Peter is one these living stones, made such by his confession of faith, and ready to be built into the church, the spiritual temple, formed of living stones, and built upon the rock. So is every confessor of Christ. In order to settle what the Savior does mean by the rock, we must consider the 18 and 19th. verses together, and keep in mind the entire figure. This figure portrays (1) a Builder, Christ; (2) a temple to be built, composed of lively stones, the church; (3) a foundation for that temple, the rock; (4) the gates of an unfriendly city or power which shall seek its destruction, hell, or more correctly, Hades, the unseen abode of the dead, the grave; (5) a door-keeper of the church, or spiritual temple, with his keys, Peter. Peter's place in the figure is not that of the foundation, but that of the key-holder, or turnkey. The only difficulty is in settling what the Lord means by the rock. Since this rock is the foundation of the church, the central principle, the fundamental idea, we are aided to a correct decision by the teachings of the Word elsewhere. We learn from 1 Corinthians 3:11, "That other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ." This excludes Peter or any human platform. Christ is often called a stone: "the stone that the builders rejected," "the chief corner stone," "the stone that is the head of the corner," "the spiritual rock which is Christ." Faith in Christ held in the heart, and confessed with the lips is the very foundation of the spiritual life and of the church. This constituted the fundamental difference in apostolic days between Christians and unbelievers, the church and the world. It does still. It is the essence of the teaching of the New Testament that the platform or foundation of the Christian society, the church, is this belief that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. It is then Peter's grand confession, faith in the Spiritual Rock, the faith that lays hold of Christ, belief that he is the Anointed of God, the Divine Savior, that the Lord pronounces the rock upon which he will found his church. That this view is correct is shown by a correct understanding of the declaration, The gates of hades shall not prevail against it. From the gates of the city always marched forth its armies. The powers of hades are represented by its gates. Hades is not hell (Gehenna), but the unseen abode of the dead that holds the departed within its gates. Just after these words the Lord talks of his death, or entering hades. Six months later the Sanhedrim sent him to death for making the same confession Peter had just made. See Matthew 26:64-67. They expected to demonstrate that the confession of his divinity which he had made was false by sending him to hades, which they supposed would hold him and prevail against the confession of the ROCK. He was sent there from the cross, but the gates of hades did not prevail, for they could not hold him, and the living Savior, rising triumphant from the tomb, was the unanswerable argument that his own and Peter's confession was a rock that could never be moved. His resurrection demonstrated that he is the Rock. Hades did not prevail.
[Johnson, Barton W. "Commentary on Matthew 16". "People's New Testament". 1891].
CONCLUSION:
It is clear that in the original language that Jesus (Yeshua or YHWH saves) spoke in there are two different words with entirely different meanings that are commonly, but wrongly, translated as ‘rock’ which causes them to lose their true meaning and significance.  This is quite unfortunate for genuine followers of Christ as whole religions base their doctrine and existence on translations that do not correctly differentiate the very significant difference between the two words translated by one word in many languages that does NOT carry in any way the meanings of the original two words, ‘petros’ –  stones and ‘petra’ – rock mass.

Jesus Christ (Yeshua or YHWH saves) was clearly saying in the original language,
“And, also I say to you, you are Peter [the stone or ‘petros’], and on this rock mass [Jesus Christ (Yeshua or YHWH saves) or ‘petra’] I will build my assembly [congregation] and, the gates of Hades will not overpower it” clearly showing that he was the rock mass [‘petra’] upon which the assembly or congregation of his would be built.  This is important to understand as our salvation depends on becoming and remaining a faithful follower of Jesus Christ (Yeshua or YHWH saves) the only mediator between God Almighty (YHWH) saves and mankind, “ For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;” (1 Timothy 2:5 AV)

He, is the mediator of a new covenant that makes our salvation possible, “ And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.” (Hebrews 9:15 AV).  He initiated this covenant by permitting his execution as a human [flesh and blood] ; thereby, giving up his life to provide a ransom sacrifice that made our salvation possible  “ Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:28 AV) and  “ For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45 AV) and  “ Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” (1 Timothy 2:6 AV).

After his execution, he  “ What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?” (John 6:62 AV), and takes his rightful place at the right hand of his Father, Almighty God (YHWH) “ Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;” (Hebrews 8:1 AV).  Here is is able to make intercessions on our behalf directly to his Father (YHWH) on our behalf in his role as the ONLY mediator between mankind and Almighty God (YHWH).  This fact is vitally important as our [genuine Christian] salvation depends on it.

[3]  HUMOUR OF THE DAY PLAY ON WORDS: A vulture walked up to an airline ticket counter to purchase a ticket.  The counter person noticed that  the vulture was carrying a coyote carcass with him and asked, “Do you want to check that?”  “No thanks, replied the vulture, “It’s carrion.”
 

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