HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE

Lesson Two: Old Testament Overview


The Old Testament consists of the 39 books of the original Jewish Bible, still used by Jewish people today. The word "Testament" means "covenant, agreement, contract". The word "Old" means "older, original," or the way God related to men and women before the Coming of Christ.

The Old Testament contains many observable kinds of information:

The Revelation of the Creation of the World by God, The entry of Sin into the World. The Flood
The History of the Ancient World Through the eyes of God, the division of the languages of the world
The History of the calling and God's dealings with Abraham and his decendents, the People of Israel
The Laws given to Israel, forming their "Constitution" and duties to God and morality of life
The Early history of Israel, the kings and judges and captivity of Israel to Babylon
The Writings of the Prophets, dealing with confronting sin and waywardness from God,
The Prophecies of The Coming Messiah, the Future Resolution of history, end times, and New heaven and earth
The Psalms, Songs of worship and praise and deep teachings about God
The Wisdom Books, Job, Proverbs, Eccelesiastes, Song of Solomon
------------ --------- --------- --------- ------

Perhaps we could title the Bible God's Plan. The Old Testament would be Volume One: The Plan Begins. And the New Testament would be called Volume Two: The Plan Completed.

The Purpose of the Old Testament was to reveal THE PERSON AND WORK OF THE COMING KING! All through the Old Testament the student of the Scriptures can find Jesus.

The Subject/Theme of the Old Testament was to reveal THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND THE COMING KING. All of the Old Testament looks forward to the Messiah and His kingdom.

The General Content of the Old Testament:
Please open your Bibles to the 'Table of Contents' as we work through this material. The Old Testament is neatly divided into three major sections.
a. HISTORY, Genesis to Esther.
b. POETRY, Job to Ecciesiastes
c. PROPHECY, Isaiah to Malachi

The Specific Content of the Old Testament Books.

Historical Books
The first five books of the Old Testament are called "The Pentateuch" and are believed to be written by Moses.

GENESIS is the book of beginnings or origins....of the world, the human race and especially the Hebrew nation. It contains the stories of Creation, Adam and Eve, Noah and the flood, and the biographies of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph.
EXODUS is the book of the deliverance of Israel from Egyptian slavery. It includes the origin of the Passover, the Red Sea crossing, and the Ten Commandments.
LEVITICUS is a detailed description of Jewish religious ceremonies and sacrifices.
NUMBERS records the journeyings of the Israelites from Mount Sinai, where they received the Ten Commandments, to the Jordan River, just before their conquest of the Promised Land.
DEUTERONOMY means 'second law.' It is a of repeat of Leviticus and Numbers.
JOSHUA is about the new generation of Israelites crossing the Jordan River and beginning the conquest of Canaan, or "The Promised Land" under the leadership of Joshua. This book includes the famous story of the battle of Jericho.
JUDGES is the record of thirteen judges or popular leaders. The book records the sad result of man doing what is right in his own eyes. Main characters include Samson and Gideon.
RUTH is a simple but beautiful love story. Ruth is a gentile who becomes the great~grandmother of King.David.
I SAMUEL records the history of Israel from the last judge, Samuel, to the death of Israel's first king, Saul.
2 SAMUEL is the story of Kings David and Solomon.
I KINGS records the history of Israel from David's death, through the reign of Solomon, to the life of the prophet Elijah. After Solomon's death, the Jewish kingdom is divided into Israel, or "the North" and Judah, or "the South."
2 KINGS is about the ongoing civil war between Israel and Judah. Both kingdoms are finally destroyed by the judgment of God.
1,2 CHRONICLES are a kind of repeat of 1,2 Kings, with an emphasis on the history of the southern kingdom, Judah, from the reign of David to the Babylonian Captivity.
EZRA and NEHEMIAH are about the return of the Jews to Israel after 70 years of captivity in Babylon. Ezra is about rebuilding the Jewish temple, while Nehemiah is about rebuilding the wall and city of Jerusalem.

Hebrew Poetry
The second section or division of the Old Testament is Hebrew poetry. All of these books were written at different times during the historical record of the first 17 books. Psalms, for example, was written by a number of people, most notably David, during the books of Kings and Chronicles.
JOB, the oldest book of the Bible, tries to explain the most difficult question or life: why bad things happen to good people.
PSALMS is a book of prayer and praise.
PROVERBS is a collection of wise sayings.
ECCLESIASTES is about how to trust God and obey his commands, even when life makes no sense and even God seems unfair.
SONG OF SOLOMON is a love story. It has often been understood as a picture of God's love and relationship with us.
Prophecy
The prophetic books have been subdivided into two categories: the Major Prophets, called "major" simply because they are longer books, and the Minor Prophets, or shorter books of prophecy.
Major Prophets
ISAIAH is about the future kingdom of the Messiah. Isaiah is full of beauty and hope. Some of the most familiar passages of Bible prophecy are found in Isaiah.
JEREMIA AND LAMANTATIONS are prophecies of warning and judgment on wayward Israel.
EZEIKEL was written during the Babylonian captivity of Israel. It is about how the glory of God will return one day to the sanctuary in Jerusalem.
DANIEL is history and prophecy concerning Gentile world rule in relation to Israel and the Kingdom of Christ. It includes the famous stories of the three men in the fiery furnace and Daniel in the Lion's den.
Minor Prophets
HOSEA about backsliding and spiritual adultery.
JOEL, the prophet of Pentecost.
AMOS, about judgment on complacency and materialism.
OBADIAH one short chapter on the doom of ancient Edom.
JONAH, and the whale, Of course! But showing a picture of a reluctant evangelist, and a great revival despite him.
MICAH about Israel's sin and God's grace in the promised Messiah.
NAHUM, about the doom of ancient Nineveh.
HABAKKUK, the just shall live by faith.
ZEPHANIAH, on God's judgment and the future of Israel.
HAGGAl, about Zion's temple.
ZECHARIAH, a fairly long "minor" prophet with several chapters on Armageddon and the end of the world.
MALACHI, on robbing God, judgment, and the return of Elijah in the last days.
The Teaching of the Old Testament
(from material prepared by W. P. Ern Baxter).
One word sums up all..Christ. But let's see how this comes to pass. We will imagine a stranger with only an Old Testament in his hand. He opens to Genesis 1 and begins reading verse by verse. Soon he comes to Chapter 3, with its promise of Someone coming. He reads on and finds a repetition of the same promise in almost every book, until as he reads from Isaiah onwards the very Fullness of prophecy appears. But he comes to Malachi 4, the last chapter of the Old Testament, and the promises have not been realized. The reader has now become conscious the Old Testament is ,.. a book of unfulfilled prophecies.
So he turns back to Genesis 1 and starts again. Soon he is conscious of something strange and unusual: sacrifice and offering already in Genesis 4. He wonders what can be the purpose of it again in chapters 9, 12, and 22, and still more clearly in Exodus, until in Leviticus there is an entire organization of sacrifices, offerings, rites and ceremonies. He sees them referred to again and again, with very little explanation of their real meaning, until once more he reaches Malachi 4 without the light he needs. He is now conscious that the Old Testament is also ... a book or unexplained ceremonies.
Once more the reader returns to Genesis, and it is not long before he becomes aware of another great fact: man's great desire and longing for God. He reads of it in chapters 4, 5,15, 28, and 49 and throughout the rest of Bible history, but most of all in Job, Psalms and the Prophets. He reads again and again about people crying out for relationship with the living God and for the blessings God has promised. There are often answers, and there are great moments of satisfaction, but something is still missing. Again, the Old Testament ends without the complete realization of satisfaction in mans relationship with God. And our reader becomes conscious of yet another fact, that the Old Testament is ... a book of unsatisfied longings.
These are three threads running through the Old Testament making it by itself an incomplete book. It ought to be studied from this standpoint and with this perspective if it is to be rightly understood. Only thus will it be appreciated as the foundation of the New Testament.
And we will imagine that someone now gives our stranger a copy of the New Testament. As he begins to read, he finds there the very things he has failed to discover in the Old Testament! On the very first page he reads, 'That it might be fulfilled... ."
And soon he realizes that:
Jesus the Prophet fulfills in His life, the prophecies.
Jesus the Priest explains. in his death, the ceremonies.
Jesus the King satisfies. in his resurrection, the longings.
Jesus, my Prophet, Priest and King, is thus the key to the lock, the perfect explanation of Old Testament history, ceremony and prophecy.
Homepage for this study: http://www.theanswe r.org/biblestudy /inspiration. htm

------------ --------- --------- ---

--Bible Verses to Ponder--

(Psa 1 KJV)
Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly,
nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
{2} But his delight is in the law of the LORD;
and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
{3} And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water,
that bringeth forth his fruit in his season;
his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

{4} The ungodly are not so:
but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
{5} Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
{6} For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous:
but the way of the ungodly shall perish.


(Deu 17:18-20 KJV)
And it shall be, when he{the earrthly king of Israel} sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom,
that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book
out of that which is before the priests the Levites:
{19} And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life:
that he may learn to fear the LORD his God,
to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them:
{20} That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren,
and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left:
to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom,
he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.

(Josh 1:6-9 KJV)
Be strong and of a good courage:
for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land,
which I sware unto their fathers to give them.
{7} Only be thou strong and very courageous,
that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law,
which Moses my servant commanded thee:
turn not from it to the right hand or to the left,
that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.
{8} This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth;
but thou shalt meditate therein day and night,
that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein:
for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
{9} Have not I commanded thee?
Be strong and of a good courage;
be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed:
for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

(Deu 6:5-9 KJV)
And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart,
and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
{6} And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
{7} And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children,
and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house,
and when thou walkest by the way,
and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
{8} And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand,
and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.
{9} And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.
cclose1944e

HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE

Lesson Two: Old Testament Overview


The Old Testament consists of the 39 books of the original Jewish Bible, still used by Jewish people today. The word "Testament" means "covenant, agreement, contract". The word "Old" means "older, original," or the way God related to men and women before the Coming of Christ.

The Old Testament contains many observable kinds of information:

The Revelation of the Creation of the World by God, The entry of Sin into the World. The Flood
The History of the Ancient World Through the eyes of God, the division of the languages of the world
The History of the calling and God's dealings with Abraham and his decendents, the People of Israel
The Laws given to Israel, forming their "Constitution" and duties to God and morality of life
The Early history of Israel, the kings and judges and captivity of Israel to Babylon
The Writings of the Prophets, dealing with confronting sin and waywardness from God,
The Prophecies of The Coming Messiah, the Future Resolution of history, end times, and New heaven and earth
The Psalms, Songs of worship and praise and deep teachings about God
The Wisdom Books, Job, Proverbs, Eccelesiastes, Song of Solomon
------------ --------- --------- --------- ------

Perhaps we could title the Bible God's Plan. The Old Testament would be Volume One: The Plan Begins. And the New Testament would be called Volume Two: The Plan Completed.

The Purpose of the Old Testament was to reveal THE PERSON AND WORK OF THE COMING KING! All through the Old Testament the student of the Scriptures can find Jesus.

The Subject/Theme of the Old Testament was to reveal THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND THE COMING KING. All of the Old Testament looks forward to the Messiah and His kingdom.

The General Content of the Old Testament:
Please open your Bibles to the 'Table of Contents' as we work through this material. The Old Testament is neatly divided into three major sections.
a. HISTORY, Genesis to Esther.
b. POETRY, Job to Ecciesiastes
c. PROPHECY, Isaiah to Malachi

The Specific Content of the Old Testament Books.

Historical Books
The first five books of the Old Testament are called "The Pentateuch" and are believed to be written by Moses.

GENESIS is the book of beginnings or origins....of the world, the human race and especially the Hebrew nation. It contains the stories of Creation, Adam and Eve, Noah and the flood, and the biographies of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph.
EXODUS is the book of the deliverance of Israel from Egyptian slavery. It includes the origin of the Passover, the Red Sea crossing, and the Ten Commandments.
LEVITICUS is a detailed description of Jewish religious ceremonies and sacrifices.
NUMBERS records the journeyings of the Israelites from Mount Sinai, where they received the Ten Commandments, to the Jordan River, just before their conquest of the Promised Land.
DEUTERONOMY means 'second law.' It is a of repeat of Leviticus and Numbers.
JOSHUA is about the new generation of Israelites crossing the Jordan River and beginning the conquest of Canaan, or "The Promised Land" under the leadership of Joshua. This book includes the famous story of the battle of Jericho.
JUDGES is the record of thirteen judges or popular leaders. The book records the sad result of man doing what is right in his own eyes. Main characters include Samson and Gideon.
RUTH is a simple but beautiful love story. Ruth is a gentile who becomes the great~grandmother of King.David.
I SAMUEL records the history of Israel from the last judge, Samuel, to the death of Israel's first king, Saul.
2 SAMUEL is the story of Kings David and Solomon.
I KINGS records the history of Israel from David's death, through the reign of Solomon, to the life of the prophet Elijah. After Solomon's death, the Jewish kingdom is divided into Israel, or "the North" and Judah, or "the South."
2 KINGS is about the ongoing civil war between Israel and Judah. Both kingdoms are finally destroyed by the judgment of God.
1,2 CHRONICLES are a kind of repeat of 1,2 Kings, with an emphasis on the history of the southern kingdom, Judah, from the reign of David to the Babylonian Captivity.
EZRA and NEHEMIAH are about the return of the Jews to Israel after 70 years of captivity in Babylon. Ezra is about rebuilding the Jewish temple, while Nehemiah is about rebuilding the wall and city of Jerusalem.

Hebrew Poetry
The second section or division of the Old Testament is Hebrew poetry. All of these books were written at different times during the historical record of the first 17 books. Psalms, for example, was written by a number of people, most notably David, during the books of Kings and Chronicles.
JOB, the oldest book of the Bible, tries to explain the most difficult question or life: why bad things happen to good people.
PSALMS is a book of prayer and praise.
PROVERBS is a collection of wise sayings.
ECCLESIASTES is about how to trust God and obey his commands, even when life makes no sense and even God seems unfair.
SONG OF SOLOMON is a love story. It has often been understood as a picture of God's love and relationship with us.
Prophecy
The prophetic books have been subdivided into two categories: the Major Prophets, called "major" simply because they are longer books, and the Minor Prophets, or shorter books of prophecy.
Major Prophets
ISAIAH is about the future kingdom of the Messiah. Isaiah is full of beauty and hope. Some of the most familiar passages of Bible prophecy are found in Isaiah.
JEREMIA AND LAMANTATIONS are prophecies of warning and judgment on wayward Israel.
EZEIKEL was written during the Babylonian captivity of Israel. It is about how the glory of God will return one day to the sanctuary in Jerusalem.
DANIEL is history and prophecy concerning Gentile world rule in relation to Israel and the Kingdom of Christ. It includes the famous stories of the three men in the fiery furnace and Daniel in the Lion's den.
Minor Prophets
HOSEA about backsliding and spiritual adultery.
JOEL, the prophet of Pentecost.
AMOS, about judgment on complacency and materialism.
OBADIAH one short chapter on the doom of ancient Edom.
JONAH, and the whale, Of course! But showing a picture of a reluctant evangelist, and a great revival despite him.
MICAH about Israel's sin and God's grace in the promised Messiah.
NAHUM, about the doom of ancient Nineveh.
HABAKKUK, the just shall live by faith.
ZEPHANIAH, on God's judgment and the future of Israel.
HAGGAl, about Zion's temple.
ZECHARIAH, a fairly long "minor" prophet with several chapters on Armageddon and the end of the world.
MALACHI, on robbing God, judgment, and the return of Elijah in the last days.
The Teaching of the Old Testament
(from material prepared by W. P. Ern Baxter).
One word sums up all..Christ. But let's see how this comes to pass. We will imagine a stranger with only an Old Testament in his hand. He opens to Genesis 1 and begins reading verse by verse. Soon he comes to Chapter 3, with its promise of Someone coming. He reads on and finds a repetition of the same promise in almost every book, until as he reads from Isaiah onwards the very Fullness of prophecy appears. But he comes to Malachi 4, the last chapter of the Old Testament, and the promises have not been realized. The reader has now become conscious the Old Testament is ,.. a book of unfulfilled prophecies.
So he turns back to Genesis 1 and starts again. Soon he is conscious of something strange and unusual: sacrifice and offering already in Genesis 4. He wonders what can be the purpose of it again in chapters 9, 12, and 22, and still more clearly in Exodus, until in Leviticus there is an entire organization of sacrifices, offerings, rites and ceremonies. He sees them referred to again and again, with very little explanation of their real meaning, until once more he reaches Malachi 4 without the light he needs. He is now conscious that the Old Testament is also ... a book or unexplained ceremonies.
Once more the reader returns to Genesis, and it is not long before he becomes aware of another great fact: man's great desire and longing for God. He reads of it in chapters 4, 5,15, 28, and 49 and throughout the rest of Bible history, but most of all in Job, Psalms and the Prophets. He reads again and again about people crying out for relationship with the living God and for the blessings God has promised. There are often answers, and there are great moments of satisfaction, but something is still missing. Again, the Old Testament ends without the complete realization of satisfaction in mans relationship with God. And our reader becomes conscious of yet another fact, that the Old Testament is ... a book of unsatisfied longings.
These are three threads running through the Old Testament making it by itself an incomplete book. It ought to be studied from this standpoint and with this perspective if it is to be rightly understood. Only thus will it be appreciated as the foundation of the New Testament.
And we will imagine that someone now gives our stranger a copy of the New Testament. As he begins to read, he finds there the very things he has failed to discover in the Old Testament! On the very first page he reads, 'That it might be fulfilled... ."
And soon he realizes that:
Jesus the Prophet fulfills in His life, the prophecies.
Jesus the Priest explains. in his death, the ceremonies.
Jesus the King satisfies. in his resurrection, the longings.
Jesus, my Prophet, Priest and King, is thus the key to the lock, the perfect explanation of Old Testament history, ceremony and prophecy.
Homepage for this study: http://www.theanswe r.org/biblestudy /inspiration. htm

------------ --------- --------- ---

--Bible Verses to Ponder--

(Psa 1 KJV)
Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly,
nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
{2} But his delight is in the law of the LORD;
and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
{3} And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water,
that bringeth forth his fruit in his season;
his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

{4} The ungodly are not so:
but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
{5} Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
{6} For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous:
but the way of the ungodly shall perish.


(Deu 17:18-20 KJV)
And it shall be, when he{the earrthly king of Israel} sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom,
that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book
out of that which is before the priests the Levites:
{19} And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life:
that he may learn to fear the LORD his God,
to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them:
{20} That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren,
and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left:
to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom,
he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.

(Josh 1:6-9 KJV)
Be strong and of a good courage:
for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land,
which I sware unto their fathers to give them.
{7} Only be thou strong and very courageous,
that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law,
which Moses my servant commanded thee:
turn not from it to the right hand or to the left,
that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.
{8} This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth;
but thou shalt meditate therein day and night,
that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein:
for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
{9} Have not I commanded thee?
Be strong and of a good courage;
be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed:
for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

(Deu 6:5-9 KJV)
And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart,
and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
{6} And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
{7} And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children,
and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house,
and when thou walkest by the way,
and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
{8} And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand,
and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.
{9} And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.
cclose1944e

Signs And Plagues

Part 1 of 8
We are used to thinking that Yahveh struck Egypt with ten plagues. It is interesting, therefore, to discover that this number is mentioned nowhere in Torah, unlike the Ten Commandments, whose number is explicitly noted.
At the burning bush, Yahveh gave Moses three signs: the staff turning into a serpent, the hand that became leprous, and the water that turned into blood. These signs were given, originally, so that Israel will believe Moses, but Yahveh commanded him explicitly to also display them before Pharaoh: "See all the wonders that I have placed in your hand - and you shall perform them before Pharaoh." Exodus 4:21

Surprisingly, Moses showed Pharaoh only the signs of the staff and of the blood. Moses never showed him the sign of leprosy, and even the two signs that were displayed did not match the command concerning them. At the burning bush the staff turned into a snake, while before Pharaoh it became a crocodile. At the burning bush Moses was commanded to take some of the water from the Nile and to pour it onto the dry land; when Moses actually carried out the plague of blood, all the water of the Nile (and all the other water in Egypt) turns into blood.

Hope Of Israel Websites:

Torah Studies:
http://rinahshal. tripod.com/

Times of Refreshing:
http://rinah- -shalom.tripod. com/

Wisdom For Living:
http://rinahshal. tripod.com/ wisdomforliving

Step By Step:
http://rinah- -shalom.tripod. com/stepbystep/

Moadim - Jewish Holidays:
http://rinah- shalom.tripod. com/
cclose1944e

Confidence

3John12 When others speak well of you, you have acceptance; but when
the truth speaks well of you, you have character. Character is
simply confidence dressed in humility. It keeps its work, its temper,
and its friends.

(Quote taken from a daily devotional titled When the Truth Speaks
Well of You)

I'm learning that confidence has the ability to become stronger and
better everyday. I'm also able to see, experience, and best of all…
accept my own lessons in self-confidence; which continues to become
stronger and better every day. I believe of my confidence – at least
some of it - is definitely "dressed in humility." Through the various
areas God has taken me, I'm a gaining a confidence in myself. And
more than that, God's ability to provide for my areas of weaknesses -
areas where I am not comfortable enough or feel I need … to learn
more, work harder, etc. Most especially because these areas are not
at a greater level than I feel they should be, I know I must get out
of the boat and walk on the water. I must, to put it simply, trust
God's will and do as He commands and trust that He will provide
through me. I believe this is a healthy humility in Christ and is
available for all. I also believe that God wants this for all of us…
to be able to look upon ourselves in honesty, see our strengths and
weaknesses, gifts and the areas we need to grow and then trust in Him
to provide the rest. It's about realizing that it's not about us,
but about the God of glory that we serve.

You may wonder where such confidence can come from or how it comes
from within. It comes when God has taught you that loving yourself
for who you are is a good thing…something which glorifies Him. After
all, He took special care to create you. You cannot have a God-
glorifying self-confidence without that most important ingredient.
For some, it may be hard to come by. But I believe that for those of
you that struggle with this very issue, it is imperative that you
begin to listen to the voice of your loving Father and choose to
refuse those thoughts that haunt you only to bring you down. Little
by little it may come, while for others it may be instantaneous.
It's ok. However you get there…go!

So, come on, take His hand; trust in Him. Take His hand and let Him
lead you out of the boat of safety onto unknown waters, where you can
walk with Him side-by-side.

Father, Help us to know and understand Your love for us. Give us the
ability to love ourselves truly. Mostly, Lord Jesus, fill us with
our own sense of self-confidence, knowing You will never let us sink
or make us swim. You will provide, and through You, we can – faults
and all – glorify Your name. It is in Your most precious name we
pray, AMEN.

SATAN’S WORK AS AN ANGEL OF LIGHT.... (FATIMA)

During the last days Satan will fight by any means so that souls will commit themselves to him and go astray. And his trick is to involve them in error, to let them believe that they are on the right path, and yet to entangle their paths such that they do not notice that they will lead into the abyss, because they do not really desire to take the path of ascent. People are satisfied with being told that ‘the path is ascending….’ but they do not pay attention to it themselves or they would certainly notice that it is descending. And he uses many means for deception, all divert from the truth, all are but a tangle of fraud yet so well camouflaged that a person has to be attentive as not to be taken in by him. And he deems the mother of Jesus to be the best means, which he first puts into the forefront of people so that they, due to their veneration and glorification, forget their real purpose of earthly life: to attain the bond with Jesus Christ Himself, which is the only guarantee for the person’s salvation of soul…. Thus people carry out an apparently righteous act of love for the mother of Jesus, but Satan’s intended result is less love for the divine Redeemer Himself, Who more or less takes second place. But a lifetime on earth is too short to take detours in order to reach the goal, and people who do not take refuge with Jesus every hour of the day take long diversions…. The contact with Him is so extremely important that it cannot be established often enough, and for this reason alone every glorification of the mother of God means a deviation from the actual objective of life to establish this very contact, on which a person’s salvation of soul depends. And thus it is this bond which God’s adversary tries to prevent by all means, and he succeeds best by turning people’s thoughts towards Mary. He is able to do so through unusual apparitions initiated by himself, but he makes himself visible in the guise of an angel of light to people who are particularly suited to perceive psychic phenomena. Through these apparitions he predicts forthcoming events to people, which he indeed knows will happen, and thus he creates an impression of credibility even though it is a strategy of disguise in order to cause even greater confusion. He will always wrap himself in the cloak of mystery, always making claims about concealed things, always prohibiting public disclosure, because then his fraudulence could be revealed…. He will only ever provide veiled information because he lacks precise knowledge, but in bright moments even he occasionally recognises the seriousness of the times when he himself will also be dealt with…. But he cannot stop himself from demanding honour and fame, and does this through the mouth of those camouflaged beings of light by demanding the building of churches and altars where homage should be paid to him, because he himself hides behind such apparitions. And the most obvious indication of an anti-spirit rests in the fact that people are demanded to pay homage before the world to those in whose garment darkness keeps itself imperceptible. A heavenly being of light will only ever draw people’s attention to Jesus Christ and mention his act of Salvation, a true being of light will not demand any formalities, no buildings of churches and altars, but encourage people to shape themselves through love into a temple for God, nor will it make concealed suggestions but proclaim what all people should be told: that the end is near and that people should change themselves…. A true being of light will not persuade people to perform formal prayers for hours either, but motivate them to establish a living bond with Jesus Christ, where only and forever salvation is to be found. You humans need not take such events seriously, for they are events which were embellished by people, they happened in a primitive manner and were only later presented as unusual experiences…. A good basis for this was prepared, because the mother-of-God- worship was already too deeply ingrained in people and even minor events caused feverish activity in them and created the foundation to believe in ever more improbable things. But they were by no means divinely-spiritual apparitions which were to reinforce people’s faith in worshiping the mother of God, for it is not her will to distinguish herself from her Son Jesus Christ, instead she will only ever call attention to Him and His act of Salvation, if ever she will make an appearance…. For the human being’s goal is the unification with God in Jesus Christ, which should be aspired to every hour and every day, and this is the true and only path which should be walked on earth.... Amen

Jesus Christ Prays In The Garden Of Gethsemane : Jon 17:1-26

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:2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.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.7 Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.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.9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.10 And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.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.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.13 And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.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.15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;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.22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: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.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.25 O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.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. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------This is the place which is known as "Olive Press" and was a garden east of the city near the western slopes of the "Mount Of Olives" Jesus Christ often resorted there for His own peace and quiet.(Joh.18:1,2; Luke 22:39,40). The "Temple" lay directly opposite it across the "Kidron Valley." He took some of the inner circle as at the "Transfiguration" (Peter, James, John ) futher into the garden. His own soul as He prays His soul was in heavy anguish in His travling for His people and in what was coming in His own life as He cried with the Father on this night in what was going to happen to Him by evil men whom would help bring to the Cross of "Calvery" in such agony that our precious Jesus would have to bear , because of the "Will " of His own Father God in surrendering everything unto Him. He knew what His future in what was coming for Him and whom they were and what was prepard for Him. He has so much "Passion" inside of Himself yet He suffered more than anyone of could have done in our own life time. Our precious Jesus was exceedingly sorrowful and He wanted "This cup to pass" as He had questioned His Father of such in the necessity of drinking that Cup. which had been like the taste of death in many ways but it was in the sins of human beings as He was our sin bearer in his very awful grieving of what was going to the world was being poured right out of Jesus Christ only because He's our substitutionary death for all man-kind.
"This is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, Whom You have sent." John 17:3
We believe in one true God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,Ever present help in need, praised by all the heavenly host;By Whose mighty power alone all is made and wrought and done.
We believe in Jesus Christ, Son of God and Mary's Son,Who descended from His throne and for us salvation won;By Whose cross and death are we rescued from sin's misery.
We confess the Holy Ghost, Who from both forever proceeds;Who upholds and comforts us in all trials, fears and needs.Blessed and Holy Trinity, praise forever be to Thee!
"The glory which Thou gavest Me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are One." John 17:22
Eternal Ruler of the ceaseless roundOf circling planets singing on their way,Guide of the nations from the night profoundInto the glory of the perfect day,Rule in our hearts, that we may ever beGuided and strengthened and upheld by Thee.
We are of Thee, the children of Thy love,The brothers of Thy well belovèd Son;Descend, O Holy Spirit, like a doveInto our hearts, that we may be as one;As one with Thee, to Whom we ever tend;As one with Him our Brother and our Friend.
We would be one in hatred of all wrong,One in our love of all things sweet and fair;One with the joy that breaketh into song,One with the grief that trembleth into prayer,One in the power that makes Thy children freeTo follow truth, and thus to follow Thee.
O clothe us with Thy heavenly armor, Lord,Thy trusty shield, Thy sword of love divine;Our inspiration be Thy constant Word;We ask no victories that are not Thine;Give or withhold, let pain or pleasure be,Enough to know that we are serving Thee. catcmo2006

BEHOLD, I MAKE EVERYTHING NEW!

You people who do not yet have this recognition, who have not yet awakened the spirit within you, you do not know what is the meaning of these My Words; for you do not believe in the reshaping of this earth, you do not believe in the last judgment as the conclusion of an evolutionary period and the beginning of a new one.
You do not know anything of My salvation plan since eternities; wherefore, you do not understand My Words:
"Behold, I make everything new!"
Each of My words has a manifold meaning, which even My awakened ones do not know, because this recognition is still too high for the people of this earth. But clear to them is the simple meaning, namely, that I will revive what has left My everlasting Order. I will cause a change to come about, since the people of this earth are no longer striving for it, thereby failing in the purpose of their earth-life. They have failed by not using their lives for eternity.
Nevertheless, I will not let them get lost; I will give them another opportunity to walk once more upon the neglected course of evolvement.
For another course of evolvement means receiving a higher grace, that must be acquired by a raised effort, for which only new creations can offer the possibility. First of all, I will renovate the schoolhouse of the spiritual, My earth, which shall further the upward evolution till man. I shall provide the earth with entirely new creations of manifold kind and form, whereby new possibilities will be given to the most numerous spiritual entities to stand the test.
I shall cause a new kind of humanity to arise composed of human beings blessed by Me, who have consummated their spiritual evolvement in love and faithfulness to Me, who have attained to a degree of maturity, which makes possible a high, spiritual ministration so that the new humanity has all the guaranties for the highest possible perfection and that the spiritual, still bound, can quickly attain to an upward evolution through the most good influence which the people exercise upon all creations surrounding them.
" I make everything new!"
I will also soften the conditions for the release of the spiritual, however, not deviating from My law of the "everlasting order", only in deepest LOVE and COMPASSION caring for what is still living within compulsion.
All that oppresses will fall off from men; they will strive upward in fullest force because I alone am the most desired one for them and because they cannot be drawn into the deep by My opponent who is in fetters for a long time.
I shall make a new heaven and a new earth, that is, I make happy spiritually and materially the people who belong to Me and are expected to clear the way to Me also for their successors.
Who of you can comprehend this? And who of you believes firmly and without doubt that the old ceases to be?
Who believes that there will no longer be people who are still distant from Me, that only the small flock, which faithfully follows Me, their shepherd, will not lose its life, because I have blessed this small flock and destined it for a continued life in the paradise of the new earth? Who believes that a new chapter of release begins according to the salvation plan since eternities, which My LOVE and WISDOM have determined in order to guarantee everlasting life for all that is spiritual?
"Behold, I make everything new!"
You, who believe in Me, be conscious of these words, activate them in your hearts and know that the time has come when this Word will be fulfilled.
Believe in it firmly, be hopeful and bear all hard times which are still your lot until the end, do it with patience and devotion to My Will.
For the day will very soon come when I fetch the ones that are Mine in order to reveal to them of what is written: "I will make a new heaven and a new earth" and "I shall be in the midst of the ones who are Mine and will guide and teach them as I have promised."
Amen