Read Bible for Yourself

It is clear from Scripture that King Cyrus had to do three key things in order to receive the hidden treasures of darkness, etc., which God promised him through Isaiah’s prophecy: 1. Believe the Word of God 2. Set Israel free 3. Restore Israel’s lost glory It was surely shocking to Israel to hear Isaiah prophesy God’s blessings for an unknown gentile king, Cyrus, calling him God’s anointed (45:1) and one to whom God will give the hidden treasures of darkness and the riches from secret places (45:3). When the prophecy was fulfilled about a century and half later, when Cyrus became king, the chroniclers preferred to refer rather to Jeremiah’s prophecy of the same event, apparently because that left out the prosperity of Cyrus (see 2Chron. 36:20-23) What prompted Cyrus to set Israel free and pay for the rebuilding of the temple is apparently his encounter with Isaiah’s prophecy either through reading about the history and prophecies of the people of Israel or a through a ...

My Philippians Gist Paul’s imprisonment experience in Rome is giving him a clearer view of the convicting power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and he is writing to urge the church in Philippi, who have been partners with him since “the early days of the Gospel” (1:7; 4:15), to imitate the way his salvation was working out: As he walks in righteousness under involuntary restriction, the evidence of his salvation is becoming clearer both to himself and to others. Though imprisoned under false charges, his grateful joyfulness and upright conduct has convinced everyone that he is a good man put in chains not for a bad cause, but for a different cause, which must certainly be good. He is shining in the dark imprisonment environment. A Desire to Depart He is so peaceful with the Lord that he yearned to depart from the body, and therefore had no fear of the worst possible outcome that awaits prisoners. Indeed he would welcome death as a crown for his faithful service (2:17)...

Main Readings: 1 John 5:1-16, Acts 1:6-8 Anybody who has really given his or her life over to God though Jesus has felt the need of assurance of eternal life (also called assurance of salvation) at a point in time. This is because coming to Christ involves leaving some unrighteous lifestyle and support system to put your trust entirely in Jesus in order to inherit eternal life. The question tends to be “What in this life will guarantee that God has received me and written my name down in the Book of Life?” (Mat 19:27-29, Ac 1:6-8). When these questions are answered correctly and the person knows that he or she has eternal life, he or she is no longer afraid to lay down his or life down also for Christ. In our zeal to assure converts of their security in Christ, we sometimes erroneously point to promises made to Israel under the Old Covenant as assurance of such security (See Deut 28:1-14). Eternal life however is a far greater promise made under the Old Covenant and its assura...

MARK 4 - THE GOOD NEWS AND CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them. Acts 4:23 Passage: Acts 4:23-35 INTRODUCTION: The mark of a being a member of the Church is not a mean mark of one bearing the Gospel. Many people have gone out of the Church because the Church degenerated to the point where it had lost her submission to the Lordship of Jesus and become just a social club. Such well-meaning people went out after giving several warnings to the body of believers they belonged to. The Holy Spirit vindicated these people’s revival of the Church with ample demonstration of His presence, especially in the three areas we have already discussed: BOLDNESS, RIGHTEOUSNESS AND DEMONSTRATION OF DEPENDENCE ON THE GRACE OF GOD. Meanwhile many others have left the church at the slightest provocation or no provocation at all. Many have become apostates, teaching their own doctrines, and sometimes start...