“For God so [greatly] loved and dearly prized the world, that He [even] gave His [One and] [a]only begotten Son, so that whoever believes and trusts in Him [as Savior] shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 3 :16

Strike a scoffer [for refusing to learn], and the naive may [be warned and] become prudent;

3 Because of the voice of the enemy, Because of the pressure of the wicked;

21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue,

16 “For I hate divorce,” says the Lord, the God of Israel, “and him who covers his garment with wrong and violence,” says the Lord of hosts. “Therefore keep watch on your spirit, so that you do not deal treacherously [with your wife].” Malachi 2 : 16

11 In you one has committed a shameful act with his neighbor’s wife, another has lewdly defiled his daughter-in-law, and another has violated his sister, his father’s daughter.

22 Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as [a service] to the Lord. Ephesians 5 : 22

19 Husbands,  love your wives [with an affectionate, sympathetic, selfless love that always seeks the best for them] and do not be embittered or resentful toward them [because of the responsibilities of marriage].  20 Children,  obey your parents [as God’s representatives] in all things, for this  [attitude of respect and obedience] is well-pleasing to the Lord [and will bring you God’s promised blessings].  21 Fathers, do not provoke or irritate or exasperate your children [with demands that are trivial or unreasonable or humiliating or abusive; nor by favoritism or indifference; treat them tenderly with lovingkindness], so they will not lose heart and become discouraged or unmotivated [with their spirits broken]. Colossians 3 : 19-21

8 If anyone fails to provide for his own, and especially for those of his own family, he has denied the faith [by disregarding its precepts] and is worse than an unbeliever [who fulfills his obligation in these matters]. 1 Timothy 5 : 8

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Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.

If our home is not a place we can be, then where is that place we should be?

Did you know that we also have online prayer on Tuesday evenings?   

19 “Do not store up for yourselves [material] treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal;  Matthew 6 :  19-20  13 

I can do all things [which He has called me to do] through Him who strengthens and empowers me [to fulfill His purpose—I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency; I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses me with inner strength and confident peace.] 14  Nevertheless, it was right of you to share [with me] in my difficulties. 15 And you Philippians know that in the early days of preaching the gospel, after I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of [a]giving and receiving except you alone; 16 for even in Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs. 17 Not that I seek the  gift itself, but I do seek the profit which increases to your [heavenly]  account [the blessing which is accumulating for you]. 18 But I have received everything in full and more; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent me. They are the fragrant aroma of an offering, an acceptable sacrifice which God welcomes and in which He delights. 19 And my God will liberally supply (fill until full)  your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4 : 13-19  

6 Now [remember] this: he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly,  and he who sows [a]generously [that blessings may come to others] will  also reap [b]generously [and be blessed]. 2 Corinthians 9 : 6  

35 In everything I showed you [by example] that by working hard in this  way you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus,  that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed [and brings greater joy] to  give than to receive.’” Acts 20 : 35  

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You cannot love without giving.

For the love of money [that is, the greedy desire for it and the willingness to gain it unethically] is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves [through and through] with many sorrows. 1 Timothy 6 : 10

Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over [with no space left for more]. For with the standard of measurement you use [when you do good to others], it will be measured to you in return.” Luke 6 : 38

“For God so [greatly] loved and dearly prized the world, that He [even] gave His [One and] only begotten Son, so that whoever believes and trusts in Him [as Savior] shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 3 : 16

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Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.

Money, money, money...

Being subject to one another out of reverence for Christ.

The wife does not have [exclusive] authority over her own body, but the husband shares with her; and likewise the husband does not have [exclusive] authority over his body, but the wife shares with him.  5 Do not deprive each other [of marital rights], except perhaps by mutual consent for a time, so that you may devote yourselves [unhindered] to prayer, but come together again so that Satan will not tempt you [to sin] because of your lack of self-control.

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A  man convinced against his own will is of the same opinion still.

Not many [of you] should become teachers [serving in an official teaching capacity], my brothers and sisters, for you know that we [who are teachers] will [a]be judged by a higher standard [because we have assumed greater accountability and more condemnation if we teach incorrectly]. 2 For we all stumble and sin in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says [never saying the wrong thing], he is a  perfect man [fully developed in character, without serious flaws], able to bridle his whole body and rein in his entire nature [taming his human faults and weaknesses]. 3 Now if we put bits into the horses’ mouths to make them obey us, we guide their whole body as well. 4 And look at the ships. Even though they are so large and are driven by strong winds,  they are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the impulse of the helmsman determines. 5 In the same sense, the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things.   See [by comparison] how great a forest is set on fire by a small spark! 6  And the tongue is [in a sense] a fire, the very world of injustice and unrighteousness; the tongue is set among our members as that which contaminates the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life  [the cycle of man’s existence], and is itself set on fire by [b]hell  (Gehenna). 7 For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and sea creatures, is tamed and has been tamed by the human race. 8 But no one can tame the human tongue; it is a restless evil [undisciplined,  unstable], full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and  Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of  God. 10 Out of the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. These things, my brothers, should not be this way [for we have a moral obligation to speak in a manner that reflects our fear of God and profound respect for His precepts]. 11 Does a spring send out from the same opening both [c]fresh and bitter water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Nor can salt water produce [d]fresh. James 3 : 1-12  

Footnotes     

a. James 3:1 Lit receive greater judgment.     

24 Here is my virgin daughter and this man’s concubine. I will bring them out now; abuse and humiliate them and do to them [a]whatever you want, but do not commit this act of [b]sacrilege against this man.”  25 But the men would not listen to him. So the man took the Levite’s concubine and brought her outside to them; and they had relations with her and abused her all night until morning; and when daybreak came, they let her go.  26 [c]At daybreak the woman came and collapsed at the door of the man’s house where her master was, until it was [fully] light.

Footnotes

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Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.

These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:

Set your mind and keep focused habitually on the things above [the heavenly things], not on things that are on the earth [which have only temporal value].  Colossians 3 : 2

Do not be unequally bound together with unbelievers [do not make mismatched alliances with them,  inconsistent with your faith]. For what partnership can righteousness have with lawlessness? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?  What harmony can there be between Christ and Belial (Satan)? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 2 Corinthians 6 : 14,15

“You shall not plow with an ox [a clean animal] and a donkey [an unclean animal] [a]together. Deuteronomy 22 : 10

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