Daily Bible Nugget #514, Ruth 1:13

The Nugget:

Rth 1:13  Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD is gone out against me.

My Comment:

I noticed that Ruth 1:13 was given as one of the important cross references for Job 23:10  in my post of March 13, 2019. That post may not have been posted at my Real Bible Study Facebook page, so it must be accessed here at www.realbiblestudy.com.

It is easy to become very discouraged and depressed when too many things go drastically wrong. We may feel, like Ruth, that “the hand of the LORD is gone out against me.”

Don’t let the devil get you down! Be encouraged by the cross references I have gathered for Ruth 1:13 shared below. They will raise your spirits, for sure!

Ruth 1:13,

tarry. Heb. hope. *Gen 38:8; *Gen 38:11.

till they were grown. or, till that they grow up (Young). Gen 38:11, Deut 25:5.

it grieveth me much. Heb. I have much bitterness. +*Rth 1:20, Gen 26:35 mg. *Job 3:20, 1Sa 30:6 mg. 2Ki 4:27 mg. Jer 45:3, +2Co 7:6, +*Heb 12:15.

[*S# H4843: Kal, Preterite: Rth_1:13, 1Sa_30:6 mg. *2Ki 4:27 mg. Isa_38:17, Lam_1:4, Kal, Future: Isa_24:9, Piel, Future: Gen_49:23, Exo_1:14, Isa_22:4 mg. Hiphil, Preterite: *Rth 1:20, Job_27:2 mg. Hiphil, Infinitive: *Zec_12:10, Hiphil, Future: Exo_23:21 (provoke). Hithpalpel, Future: Dan_8:7 (choler). Dan_11:11].

for your sakes. Rth 1:8, 1Jn 4:7.

the hand. Exo 7:4, 5; +Exo 9:3, +Deut 2:15, Jdg 2:15, 1Sa 5:6; 1Sa 5:11, +*Job 2:10; Job 19:21; *Job 30:20; Job 30:21, Psa 32:4; %+**Psa 37:24; Psa 38:2; Psa 39:9, 10; +*Psa 77:3, %**Isa 29:24, +*Eze 18:25, +*Mat 5:45, +*Luk 6:35, Act 13:11, +*Jas 1:13; +*Jas 1:17.

against me. Gen 42:36, +*2Ki 6:33, +**Pro 19:3, %+**Jer 29:11, Lam 3:3.

Pay careful attention to the cross references marked with the “contrast” symbol (%).

Psalms 37:24
24  Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.
King James Version

Psalms 37:24,

Though he fall. Psa 34:19-20; Psa 40:2; *Psa 91:12; Psa 94:18; *Psa 145:14, *Pro 24:16, Jer 8:4, *Mic 7:7; Mic 7:8, Luk 2:34; *Luk 22:31; Luk 22:32; Luk 22:60, 62, Joh 21:15, 16, 17, 1Co 10:12, 2Co 4:9; 2Co 6:4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.

shall not. Psa 116:8, *Pro 24:16, +*2Pe 1:10, **Jud 1:24.

cast down. Psa 55:22; Psa 73:18; Psa 77:7, Job 8:20; Job 41:9, Pro 16:33, 2Co 4:9, +*2Pe 1:10.

for the Lord upholdeth. *Psa 37:17, +*Psa 119:116; *Psa 145:14, Pro 2:8, **Isa 41:10, **Joh 10:27, 28, 29, 30, Rom 14:4, 1Pe 1:5.

with his hand. Psa 63:8; Psa 73:23; **Psa 104:28, %+**Rth 1:13, 2Ch 30:12, Ezr 7:9; Ezr 8:18, *Neh 2:18, **Isa 41:10, +*Joh 10:28, +*Jas 1:13; +*Jas 1:17.

I know by experience that reading and studying the above sets of cross references will give you a spiritual experience, a spiritual treat, that you will never forget!

Posted in Bible Promises, Daily Bible Nuggets, Practical Application Bible Studies, Principles of Christian Living | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Daily Bible Nugget #513, Romans 1:16

The Nugget:

Rom 1:16  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

My Comment:

Today is St. Patrick’s Day. How different is the true history behind this day than what is commonly believed today!

I inherited many books and booklets from my elderly friend, Uncle Frank, after his death in 1975. One of those booklets is titled The Real Saint Patrick, by H. A. Ironside. I quote from the final two pages, pages 15 and 16, of this booklet:

His closing years were spent in Ulster, between Armagh and Sane in County Down, where he died as he had lived, in lowly dependence on the Lord alone for his salvation, on the 17th of March, A.D. 465. This day which has been observed as a papal holiday for many centuries, is really a memorial of the value of the great doctrine of justification by faith alone, which was the foundation of the Protestant Reformation twelve centuries later.

His letters to Coroticus are as thoroughly evangelical and free from later papal errors as any that an enlightened Christian preacher and teacher might write today, and give added proof that this one-time swineherd, who was the greatest missionary of his day, knew and loved the gospel of Christ which alone is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth. In this faith Patrick lived and died, leaving behind him a great host to be his “crown of rejoicing” in that day.

Posted in Bible Promises, Daily Bible Nuggets | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Daily Bible Nugget #512, Job 23:10

The Nugget:

Job 23:10  But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. (KJV)

Job 23:10 For he has knowledge of the way I take; after I have been tested I will come out like gold. (BBE, Bible in Basic English)

My Comment:

Thirty-three years ago, that would be Thursday, March 13, 1986, at 7:15 in the morning, I was shot at point-blank range in the back of my head while entering Denby High School from the back teachers’ parking lot.

The motive for the crime against me has never been determined. It might have been simply robbery. But my assistant Union Representative called me at home afterward and warned me not to return. She believed the motive was murder. One of the English teachers wrote me a letter and expressed a similar opinion, warning me not to come back, for she feared for my life. The school athletic coach who was on duty that morning came to see me in the hospital. He brought me my broken glasses, found in the mud of the school parking lot. He warned me that the person who shot me intended to murder me. Strangely, one of my nicest students spoke to me after class one day, warning me to get another job immediately because I was about to be murdered. That was three weeks before I was shot. At the time, I took his advice “with a grain of salt,” but he turned out to be correct. I have never learned what he knew, or how he came to know it.

At the hospital, I was joined by my wife and our children and my mother-in-law who drove them there. Apparently the athletic coach had called my wife to let her know what had taken place. When he called, my wife was on the phone arranging for repair of an appliance that stopped working. The operator broke in on that call so my wife could get the emergency message. My near-fatal incident was by this time on the news. My long-time teacher friend and mentor, Mrs. Vida Malik, came to the hospital to see me. My name had not been mentioned in the news yet, but Mrs. Malik told us that she “just knew” it was me who had been shot, so she came immediately. I was thankful to see her there.

The next day I heard on the radio news an official from the Detroit Public Schools disclaim any responsibility because, she said, there were 212 school buildings and they could not guard all of them.

At the time unexpected things happen to us, we may wonder just why the Lord allows such events to take place. The answer to that question can be found in the Bible by studying the cross references given for Job 23:10.

Job 23:10
he knoweth. Job 10:7, *Gen 18:19, *Deut 2:7, Jos 22:22, +*2Ki 20:3, *Psa 1:6; Psa 31:7; +**Psa 40:17; Psa 103:14; Psa 139:1, 2, 3; Psa 142:3, Jer 12:3, +**Joh 21:17, *2Ti 2:19.

the way that I take. Heb. the way that is with me. Job 22:3, %+**Rth 1:13, +*Psa 37:34; *Psa 142:3, +*Pro 4:18, Isa 26:8.

he hath tried me. Job 1:11, 12; Job 2:5, 6; Job 13:15, Deut 8:2, Jdg 2:22; Jdg 3:1; Jdg 7:4, 2Sa 22:22, Psa 17:3; Psa 66:10, *Pro 17:3, *Isa 48:10, Zec 13:9, Mal 3:2, 3, Heb 11:17, *Jas 1:2, 3, 4; *Jas 1:12, +1Pe 1:7.

I shall. Job 42:5, 6, 7, 8, Mic 7:9, Mat 15:28, 2Co 1:12, Jas 5:11.

Posted in Bible Promises, Daily Bible Nuggets | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Daily Bible Nugget #511, Colossians 1:10

The Nugget:

Col 1:10  That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; (KJV)

Col 1:10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. (ESV)

Col 1:10  We ask this so that you will live the kind of lives that prove you belong to the Lord. Then you will want to please him in every way as you grow in producing every kind of good work by this knowledge about God. (GW)

Col 1:10 Then you will live a life that honors the Lord, and you will always please him by doing good deeds. You will come to know God even better. (CEV)

My Comment:

Which Bible translation should you use? All of them! Notice that each different English translation of Colossians 1:10 cited above brings out the meaning the translators see in the original Greek text differently, each one adding insight.

Colossians 1:10 is the second verse on the list of my favorite verses and associated cross references that I gave in my post of October 23, 2018 about the hidden features in my Bible study resources. I have shared the Colossians 1:10 Treasury of Scripture Knowledge cross references with a number of people over many years. Some of these people were motivated to buy their own copy of the Treasury and thanked me afterwards.

The cross references are very encouraging. Here they are:

Colossians 1:10
ye: Col 2:6, Col 4:5; Mic 4:5; Rom 4:12, Rom 6:4; Eph 4:1, Eph 5:2, Eph 5:15; Php 1:27; 1Th 2:12
all: Col 3:20; Pro 16:7; Php 4:18; 1Th 4:1; 2Ti 2:4; Heb 11:5, Heb 13:16; 1Jn 3:22
fruitful: Joh 15:8, Joh 15:16; Gal 5:22, 23; Eph 2:10; Php 1:11; Tit 3:1, Tit 3:14; Heb 13:21; 2Pe 1:8
increasing: Col 2:19; Isa 53:11; Dan 12:4; Hab 2:14; Joh 17:3; 2Co 2:14, 2Co 4:6, 2Co 9:8; Eph 1:17, Eph 4:13; 2Pe 1:2, 3, 2Pe 3:18; 1Jn 5:20

For those who wish to dig deeper into the truths  contained in Colossians 1:10, I have expanded the number of cross references given above from the original Treasury of Scripture Knowledge after many years of study. Here are my more complete cross references as given in The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury:

Colossians 1:10
walk worthy. T1741, +*Col 2:6; *Col 4:5, +Gen 5:22, Deut 13:4, +*Psa 1:1; +*Psa 1:3; *Psa 119:3; Psa 128:1, *Mic 4:5; +*Mic 6:8, +**Luk 21:36, Act 9:31, Rom 4:12; +*Rom 6:4; Rom 13:13, *+Eph 4:1; *Eph 5:2; *Eph 5:15, *Php 1:27, *1Th 2:12.
all pleasing. *Col 3:20, Exo 33:13, Ezr 10:11, Psa 143:10; Psa 147:11; Psa 149:4, +*Pro 16:7, *Rom 8:8; Rom 15:2, *1Co 10:33, 2Co 5:9, %Gal 1:10, Eph 5:10, Php 4:18, *1Th 2:4; *1Th 4:1, 1Ti 2:3, *2Ti 2:4, *Heb 11:5; *Heb 13:16; *Heb 13:21, *1Jn 3:22.
fruitful. T1503, Col 1:6, Exo 28:34, +*Psa 1:3, Mat 7:17; *Mat 13:23, Mar 4:20; Mar 4:28, Luk 8:8; Luk 8:15, +*Joh 15:5; +*Joh 15:8; +*Joh 15:16, **Rom 6:22; **Rom 7:4, 2Co 9:10, +**Gal 5:22; +**Gal 5:23, **Eph 2:10, *Php 1:9, 10, 11; Php 4:17, *Tit 3:1; *Tit 3:14, *Heb 13:21, Jas 3:17, +**1Pe 2:2, **2Pe 1:8.
good work. Mat 26:10, Mar 14:6, +Act 9:36, *2Co 9:8, *Eph 2:10, *1Ti 5:10, *Tit 3:1; *Tit 3:8; *Tit 3:14.
increasing. Col 2:19, *Isa 53:11, +*Dan 12:4, *Hab 2:14, **Joh 17:3, 2Co 2:14; *2Co 4:6; **2Co 9:8, *Eph 1:17; Eph 4:13, +1Pe 2:2, 2Pe 1:2, 3; +*2Pe 3:18, 1Jn 5:20, 21.
knowledge. Gr. epignōsis (S# G1922, Rom 10:2). Col 1:9, +**Psa 9:10 note. +*Psa 51:6, +*Pro 15:14, Hos 2:20; *Hos 6:3; *Hos 6:6, *Joh 8:19, 1Co 1:5, 2Co 6:6, *Eph 3:19, +*2Pe 3:18.

For those willing and able to take the time to read the above cross references, much more encouragement and enlightenment will come by studying them.

Colossians 1:10 is taken from one of the Apostle Paul’s prayers. It would be a most interesting avenue of Bible study to study the prayers of Paul. What and who was on Paul’s prayer list? Paul speaks in his letters of individuals he prays for daily. Studying Paul’s prayers would be a great encouragement to our own.

Posted in Bible Study Tools, Christian Living, Daily Bible Nuggets, How to Study the Bible, Principles of Christian Living | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Daily Bible Nugget #510, 1 John 4:1

The Nugget:

1Jn 4:1  Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. (KJV)

1Jn 4:1  Dear friends, don’t believe all people who say that they have the Spirit. Instead, test them. See whether the spirit they have is from God, because there are many false prophets in the world. (GW, God’s Word translation)

My Comment:

How are we to test the truth of those who claim to speak for God? The answer is plainly stated in the Bible at Isaiah 8:20,

Isaiah 8:20  To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

The expression “to the law and to the testimony” is a direct reference to the Bible itself. If anyone makes claims about what the Bible teaches, or about spiritual things, we are to test them and confirm what they say by the Bible.

We see an example of this when the Bereans checked the teaching of the Apostle Paul with the Scripture in Acts 17:11,

Acts 17:11  These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

I read an interesting statement from Dr. John MacArthur on Facebook yesterday:

“We have no more chance of losing our salvation than Christ does of losing His deity because we are in Him.”

This is perfectly true so long as we are truly “in Him.” I express the same truth in a different way: “I believe in the absolute eternal security of the believer, not the unbeliever.”

I suspect that Dr. John MacArthur and I are not in agreement about the answer to the question, “Can a saved person ever be lost?” My understanding of Scripture is that it is possible to stop believing, because Jesus Himself said so in Luke 8:13,

Luke 8:13  They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.

There are some, Jesus said, who believe “for a while.” Did such persons believe? They certainly did, for Jesus said so. Did such persons “believe for a while”? They certainly did, for Jesus said so. Since they believed for a while, did they stop believing? It is certain that they did stop believing, for Jesus said so. For me, that settles the question.

To believe otherwise is to contradict Jesus Himself. To believe otherwise is to deny the possibility of apostasy. Yet the warnings in the Bible against apostasy are frequent and plain. You cannot properly believe one doctrine (“Once saved, always saved”) when it directly contradicts another doctrine of the Bible and be correct about both.

This is a complex subject, and there are many who firmly hold to either side of the question. In my Bible reference book, The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury, I have carefully assembled the evidence which supports each side of this issue.

From Luke 8:13,

for a while. Luk 22:31-32, +*Deut 29:18; Deut 30:17, Psa 106:12, +*Hos 4:10; Hos 6:4, +*Joh 2:23, 24, 25; *Joh 6:66; **Joh 8:30, 31, 32; Joh 12:42, 43; Joh 15:2; Joh 15:6, Act 8:13-23, 1Co 13:2; +*1Co 15:2, **Gal 1:6; +*Gal 4:11; *Gal 5:7, +**Col 1:23, +*1Th 3:5, +*1Ti 1:19, *2Ti 2:18; *2Ti 2:19, *Heb 10:39, Jas 2:26, **2Pe 2:20; **2Pe 2:22, **1Jn 2:19, %*Rev 2:26.

Matthew 10:22
22  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
King James Version

From Matthew 24:13,

shall be saved. or, delivered. This verse has absolutely no bearing on the absolute eternal security of the salvation possessed now by every individual believer in Christ (**Joh 10:28; **Joh 10:29, **Rom 8:30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, Eph 1:13; **Eph 4:30, **2Ti 1:12; *2Ti 2:19, **1Jn 5:13, *Jud 1:24), for it is in the context of prophecy respecting the final deliverance of Jews at the end of the great tribulation (+*Zec 13:9), who are delivered upon their final repentance (Isa 11:11 note) and turning to God out of desperate straits when seemingly all hope is gone, by the “deliverer out of Zion” (+*Rom 11:26). *Job 17:9, **Psa 37:24; **Psa 37:28; *Psa 138:8, +*Pro 4:18, Jer 32:40, Zec 13:8, 9, Luk 12:32; Luk 22:32, **Joh 5:24; *Joh 6:39; *Joh 6:51; Joh 11:26; Joh 14:19; *Joh 17:12; *Joh 17:24, *Rom 8:38; *Rom 8:39, *Php 1:6, **1Th 1:10, **2Ti 1:12; **2Ti 4:18, **Heb 7:25; Heb 9:28 note. *Heb 10:14, *1Jn 2:17.

Does the Bible contradict itself? Anyone who thinks that it does is not reading the Bible carefully enough.

So which doctrine does the Bible teach–absolute eternal security or the possibility of falling away? It actually teaches both. If you truly believe in Christ as your Savior and have been born again (John 3:7), so long as you continue to believe in Christ and continue to obey Him, you are saved.

If you once believed in Him but have since drifted away from Him and are now living in disobedience to His word in the Bible, you need to repent and confess your sin to Jesus and ask for and receive His forgiveness then live in obedience to His Word.

The Bible emphasizes the importance of continuing belief and obedience (Colossians 1:23), not a one-time act of faith to be saved.

Posted in Bible 'Contradictions' Answered, Bible Study Tools, Christian Living, Daily Bible Nuggets, Doctrinal Discussions | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Daily Bible Nugget #509, 2 Timothy 1:7

The Nugget:

2Ti 1:7  For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

My Comment:

I have spent nearly a month sharing with you insights to be gleaned from just one verse, 2 Timothy 1:7. I have barely scratched the surface!

Here is an example of my deeper, more extended study of the final phrase, “and of a sound mind,” in the promise expressed here that God has given us the spirit “of a sound mind.” This is taken from my latest Bible study resource, The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury.

a sound mind. +*2Ti 1:13, %Deut 28:28, *Psa 119:80, *Pro 2:7; *Pro 8:14; Pro 14:30, *Isa 59:15 mg. Jer 29:26, Dan 4:34, Hos 9:7, +*Mat 6:25 note. +*Mar 3:21; **Mar 5:15, *Luk 8:35; *Luk 15:17, **Joh 16:13 note. *Act 26:11; *Act 26:24; *Act 26:25, 2Co 5:13, 14; *2Co 10:5, +*2Pe 3:16, Gr. sophronismou, *S# G4995, only here. The word means self-discipline, self control, and prudence in living a “measured and orderly life” (TDNT, vol. 7, p. 1103) before the world. The concept connected with the word group to which this word belongs (in terms of associated words from the same or related roots) has reference to living soberly and righteously in this present world in watchful expectation of Christ’s coming, as well as reference to avoidance of ecstatic and eschatological frenzy (2Co 5:12, 13, 1Pe 4:7). Trench remarks of the related word sophrosunē at 1Ti 2:9 that it refers to “that inner self-government, with its constant rein on all the passions and desires” (Synonyms, Sec. 20, p. 71, 72). +*Pro 22:3, Act 26:25, +*Rom 12:3; +*Rom 12:16, Eph 5:4, 1Ti 2:9; 1Ti 2:15; 1Ti 3:2, Tit 1:8; Tit 2:2; Tit 2:4, 5; Tit 2:12, *1Pe 4:7.

 

Posted in Bible Promises, Bible Study Tools, Christian Living, Daily Bible Nuggets, How to Study the Bible | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Daily Bible Nugget #508, 2 Timothy 1:7

The Nugget:

2Ti 1:7  For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

My Comment:

The next part of 2 Timothy 1:7 tells us that God has given us the spirit of love. That is a most important concept. The most direct way to study what else the Bible has to say about this crucial subject is to consult the cross references to that phrase, using the references given in my most recent Bible study tool, The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury. I share the references below:

of love. Gr. agapē (S# G26, 2Co 2:4). *Rom 5:5, 1Co 13:13, *Gal 5:22, Col 1:8, *1Pe 1:22, *1Jn 4:7.

Romans 5:5
5  And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
King James Version

1 Corinthians 13:13
13  And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
King James Version

Galatians 5:22
22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
King James Version

Colossians 1:8
8  Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.
King James Version

1 Peter 1:22
22  Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
King James Version

1 John 4:7
7  Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
King James Version

To the above references I will add one more:

1 John 4:20-21
20  If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
21  And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
King James Version

Posted in Bible Promises, Bible Study Tools, Daily Bible Nuggets, Practical Application Bible Studies | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Daily Bible Nugget #507, 2 Timothy 1:7

The Nugget:

2Ti 1:7  For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

My Comment:

God has given us the spirit of power, not of fear or cowardice. When we live according to God’s Word, the Bible, we will do what is right. We can stand our ground without shame or fear of contradiction. Our culture is in great need of individuals who will stand up for the truth without compromise.

The cross references for 2 Timothy 1:7 for the key words “of power” as given in my Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury are as follows:

of power. 2Ti 2:1, *Mic 3:8, *Zec 4:6, Luk 10:19; *Luk 24:49, *+Act 1:8; Act 6:5; *Act 6:8; Act 9:22; *Act 10:38, *1Co 2:4; *1Co 2:5.

Posted in Bible Promises, Bible Study Tools, Daily Bible Nuggets | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Daily Bible Nugget #506, 2 Timothy 1:7

The Nugget:

2Ti 1:7  For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

My Comment:

This is now the fifth post I have written about just the first passage (2 Timothy 1:7) that I listed in a previous post about the “hidden features” of the three cross reference Bible study tools I authored. I am doing this to help you see just how much there is to enjoy in the Bible when you use the right Bible study tools and methods.

In my last post, I focused on the first clause of 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear.” In this post, I invite you to consider the next part of the verse, which tells us that God has given us the spirit of power. I will share the cross references from my latest Bible study tool, The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury, for the key words “of power.”

of power. 2Ti 2:1, *Mic 3:8, *Zec 4:6, Luk 10:19; *Luk 24:49, *+Act 1:8; Act 6:5; *Act 6:8; Act 9:22; *Act 10:38, *1Co 2:4; *1Co 2:5.

If your device supports the reference tagger feature, you can hover your mouse pointer over each reference in turn to read the text in a  pop-up window. Other devices may allow you to touch the reference on screen to bring up each text. For those who cannot access the reference tagger feature, I share the full text of each reference immediately below. If you read the passages in order, you will see how they all connect and re-enforce the truth expressed in 2 Timothy 1:7.

2 Timothy 2:1
1  Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
King James Version

Micah 3:8
8  But truly I am full of power by the spirit of the LORD, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin.
King James Version

Zechariah 4:6
6  Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.
King James Version

Luke 10:19
19  Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
King James Version

Luke 24:49
49  And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
King James Version

Acts 1:8
8  But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
King James Version

Acts 6:5
5  And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:
King James Version

Acts 6:8
8  And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.
King James Version

Acts 9:22
22  But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.
King James Version

Acts 10:38
38  How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
King James Version

1 Corinthians 2:4
4  And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
5  That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
King James Version

I have found that the more I read and study the Bible, the more that studying the cross references for each verse increases my understanding of each verse I study. My hope is that everyone reading here will experience the same joy that comes from doing real Bible study.

Posted in Bible Promises, Bible Study Tools, Daily Bible Nuggets, How to Study the Bible | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Daily Bible Nugget #505, 2 Timothy 1:7

The Nugget:

2Ti 1:7  For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. (KJV)

2Ti 1:7 For God gave us not a spirit of fearfulness; but of power and love and discipline. (RV, 1885)

2Ti 1:7 God’s Spirit doesn’t make cowards out of us. The Spirit gives us power, love, and self-control. (CEV, the Contemporary English Version)

My Comment:

I have been focused, so far, on the final phrase of 2 Timothy 1:7. Now I will consider the first clause: “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear.” I like to think that God helps us in our fears by taking them away when we put our trust more completely in Him.

The underlying Greek word translated “fear” in this verse only occurs here in the New Testament. Strong’s dictionary defines the word to mean “timidity.” So what Paul states is that God gives us boldness, not fearfulness, not timidity.

If you experience anxiety, God and His written word in the Bible are His medicine to cure you of it!

I have found some other verses in the Bible that reinforce this thought:

Psalms 34:4
4  I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.
King James Version

God can and will deliver you from all your fears when you seek Him. The way you can seek God is to learn more about Him from the Bible.

Psalms 9:10
10  And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.
King James Version

You will be delivered from anxiety and fearfulness when you learn to trust God more fully. The way to learn to trust God is to learn to know His name. The expression “know thy name” is an idiom which means to get to know God’s character. The way to learn about God’s character is by reading and studying the Bible to learn more about the attributes of God.

Proverbs 3:5
5  Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
King James Version

Proverbs 3:6
6  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
King James Version

All of these themes–God’s attributes, how to trust God more–are worthy of your careful study from the Bible.

Posted in Bible Promises, Christian Living, Daily Bible Nuggets, Practical Application Bible Studies, Principles of Christian Living | Tagged , , | Leave a comment