I CORINTHIANS 13: LOVE

 

I CORINTHIANS 13: LOVE If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a ringing gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have absolute faith so as to move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and exult in the surrender of my body, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no account of wrongs. Love takes no pleasure in evil, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be restrained; where there is knowledge, it will be dismissed. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial passes away. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I set aside childish ways. Now we see but a dim reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love; but the greatest of these is love.

 

THE THIRD TRUMPET

 

THE THIRD TRUMPET Study of Revelation Continued REVELATION 8.10 The third angel sounded, and a great star fell from the sky, burning like a torch, and it fell on one third of the rivers, and on the springs of the waters. 8.11 The name of the star is called “Wormwood.” One third of the waters became wormwood. Many people died from the waters, because they were made bitter. -WEB Bible. It's hard to imagine how a falling star, or meteor, could poison the waters. Perhaps it plows so deep into the ground that underground reservoirs are poisoned by it? This will be a very terrible plague, even though it’s hard to understand how it happens. Later on in Revelation, we are given a hint that this great star may be Lucifer himself, when he's cast out of heaven. If that's the case, then perhaps the bitter waters are also metaphorical. The Tribulation period will be in final stages at this point, so life itself will become very bitter for people due to additional demonic activity. The poisonous impacts will ruin quality of life on this earth. The Wormwood event will literally poison the waters, as scripture states. And if it coincides with Satan being thrown out of heaven, then there will be demonic elements as well. The spiritual battle that engages from this point on will destroy the earth.  Revelation describes utter devastation on earth, and how demonic activity will be a huge part of the final days. Most Biblical scholars believe that Christians will not be on earth for these final judgments. Whether we are removed by death or Rapture is uncertain, but Revelation does indicate that most or all Christians will already be gathered up to heaven.   Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus. As end times events take shape before our eyes, Jesus promises us peace that rises above the toxic troubles of this world. His peace goes beyond our understanding and the corruptions that distress us, because we trust in HIM first of all. If we want to know truth, and peace, we must seek Jesus. Our study of study of Revelation continues on Thursdays. IMAGE CREDIT: Image of the Wormwood meteor, and Jesus with a Dove were generated by SeaArt.ai and edited by C.A. Stevens.

 

DO NOT LOSE HEART

 

DO NOT LOSE HEART By Joni Eareckson Tada Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 2 Corinthians 4:16 As time passes and followers of Jesus grow older, we are moving in two directions at the same time. Today’s Scripture affirms, “We do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” Do you see the two directions in this passage? On the one hand, our physical abilities and strength diminish with the passing years. You can feel it, whether you are thirty or eighty. On the other hand, if we are walking with Christ, experiencing the renewal of His Spirit, our spiritual abilities and strength increase every day. This process goes on until our physical life gives out. But in that very instant, our new life in heaven begins. So, if you’re feeling a few aches and pains, no matter what age you are, remember that outwardly, you will fade, but inwardly, the flame in your spirit will burn brighter and brighter until God says, “It’s time, dear child. Come on home, now.” Thank You, Lord, for renewing my life day by day through Your Word and Your Holy Spirit. The pain and physical struggles of today remind me of a soon tomorrow when I will be forever young and strong and filled with joy in Your presence. Taken from A Spectacle of Glory by Joni Eareckson Tada Copyright © 2016, Zondervan Used with Permission. CLICK HERE TO VISIT JONI'S WEBSITE

 

THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH

 

THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come. — John 16:13 BSB Truth is like a vast cavern we long to explore, but we cannot navigate it on our own. At the entrance, it is clear and bright, but to venture deeper, we need a guide, or we will lose our way. The Holy Spirit, who knows all truth perfectly, is appointed to be the guide for all true believers. He leads us step by step, according to what we can bear, revealing more of the deep things of God and making His secrets known to us. What a promise this is for the humble seeker! We desire to know the truth and to enter into it more fully. We are aware of how easily we can go astray, and we feel the urgent need for a guide. We rejoice that the Holy Spirit has come and remains with us, and we gladly accept His guidance. We long to learn “all truth” so that we are not one-sided or out of balance. We do not want to be ignorant of any part of God’s revelation, for fear of missing a blessing or falling into sin. The Spirit has come to guide us into ALL truth—let us listen to His voice and follow where He leads with obedient hearts. by Charles H. Spurgeon Happy 93rd Birthday to Ed Stevens; the original creator of the Word for the Day newsletters!

 

WHERE IS THE GARDEN OF EDEN TODAY?

 

WHERE IS THE GARDEN OF EDEN TODAY? The Garden of Eden, described in Genesis, was a paradise uniquely prepared by God for Adam and Eve—a place of beauty, abundance, and direct fellowship with God. The Bible mentions a single river flowing from Eden that split into four: the Pishon, Gihon, Tigris, and Euphrates. Two of these rivers still exist in modern Iraq. Many Christian scholars have suggested that Eden was located somewhere in ancient Mesopotamia. However, despite these clues, no one has ever definitively found Eden—suggesting it may no longer exist in its original form. A prevailing view among many believers is that the Garden of Eden was completely destroyed during the global Flood described in Genesis 6–9. The floodwaters would have radically reshaped the earth’s surface, burying entire landscapes under layers of sediment and water. From this perspective, the original river systems may have been altered or rerouted entirely, with only the names of the Tigris and Euphrates surviving in the post-flood world. This would explain why the Pishon and Gihon can no longer be clearly identified and why no trace of Eden has ever been found. While other theories place Eden in areas like the Armenian Highlands, Africa, or Arabia, these remain speculative. The Bible never instructs believers to search for Eden, possibly because its purpose was fulfilled and its location erased by judgment. For Christians, the true significance of Eden lies not in its physical location but in what it represented: a perfect relationship between God and humanity, later broken by sin and ultimately restored through Jesus Christ. The lost paradise of Eden points forward to the promised restoration in the new heaven and new earth described in Revelation. By Biblical Creation on Facebook: CLICK HERE TO VISIT