Hey everyone, sorry here is the correct text for this week. I got a week ahead. Sorry.

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2 Corinthians 4:1-18

1Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. 2Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. 3And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”[a]made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

7But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. 12So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

13It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.”[b]With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, 14because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. 15All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

16Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
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here is the basics to Lectio Divina (at least the basic way Th3 Waters does it:

Basic Guide to Lectio Divina

5 Step process:

1st Read Scripture out loud (looking/listening for shimmer points) (Remember first time through the shimmer point can be for information)

2nd take 2-5 mins. For silence/prayer/meditation of the shimmer points.. your encouraged to have a discussion with the text. Ask it questions, challenge it.

3rd Read the scripture out loud a second time with a different mindset read it like a Dr. would read it or a lawyer, or even a child, and it would be great to have a different translation to read, as well.

4th Take a second time of silence but this time though be encouraged to not look for information, but transformation (How could this text actually change the way you live your life, or think about life, or treat others?)

5th Then type out your discussion as a comment on this blog post…and please remember that differening opinions are Ok and be respectful of others who read the text and ask different questions than you.

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OK go discuss…..

Overview:
Week 1: Philippians 4:10-19 “Anna’s Fav. Philippians 4:13”
Week 2: 2 Corinthians 4 “Dale’s Fav. 2 Cor. 4:8-9
Week 3: 1 John 3:7-15 “the Fav. 1John 3:16-20
Week 4: Matthew 11:20-30 “The Fav Matt. 11:28-30
Here is the discussion text for this week’s gathering!

Philippians 4:10-19 (Fav. is 13)

10I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

14Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. 15Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; 16for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need. 17Not that I am looking for a gift, but I am looking for what may be credited to your account. 18I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. 19And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
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Enjoy the discussion and feel free to join in here through the comments! Blessings to everyone!

Photo:AP

Hey everyone! Here is the text for this the last week of “The Good, Bad, and Ugly” Discussion series! Enjoy it! And be looking for the next week’s discussion series!

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Rev. 3:14-22

14″To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. 15I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. 19Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. 20Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. 21To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
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Well, there it is! Blessing to everyone, and don’t forget to bless others this week, and don’t forget to set your phones, computers, and watches to make an alarm occur @ 11:00am and 3:00pm each day to remind us all to be praying for those around us and each other, but a reminder to bless others each day. Have a blessed week!

Hey everyone here is the text for this week. We only have one more week of discussion for this series, and then everyone will be throwing a party (week of July 4th) to invite their friends, families, or co-workers and then we will come back with a new discussion series! Hope your weeks and days find you well, and that the road rise up to meet you and God bless you to be a blessing this week!

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Rev. 3:7-13

7″To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:
These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. 8I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. 9I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. 10Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. 11I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. 12Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name. 13He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

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Remember to read through this at least twice and please bring the discussion from your gatherings here to the website..and encourage others to do the same. Peace and joy!

Here is the text for this week! Have fun with this one! And don’t forget to try to decide if it is a good, bad, or ugly church.

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Rev. 3:1-6

1″To the angel[a] of the church in Sardis write:
These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits[b]of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God. 3Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you. 4Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. 5He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels. 6He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Footnotes:

1. Revelation 3:1 Or messenger; also in verses 7 and 14
2. Revelation 3:1 Or the sevenfold Spirit
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Blessing to everyone who reads this blog, and don’t forget that we all are going to try to set our watches, cell phones, computers, etc.. to go off @ 11:00am and @ 3:00pm to remind us to bless others each week/day, and to pray for each other, as well as, those around us!

Hey everyone here is the text for this week 4 in this discusison series. I appologize for getting this one out so late, but I was gone to Annual conference all week, and I could not find the internet in a stable compasity, so I had to wait to come home to get it going. Anyway here is the text for this week:

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 Rev. 2:18-29

18″To the angel of the church in Thyatira write:
These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze. 19I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first. 20Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. 21I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. 22So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. 23I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds. 24Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets (I will not impose any other burden on you): 25Only hold on to what you have until I come. 26To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations—
27′He will rule them with an iron scepter;
he will dash them to pieces like pottery’[a]— just as I have received authority from my Father. 28I will also give him the morning star. 29He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Footnotes:

1. Revelation 2:27 Psalm 2:9

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Hope your blessed this week and that you in turn intentionally bless others, as well!

Hey everyone here is this week’s discusison text:

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Rev. 2:12-17

12″To the angel of the church in Pergamum write:
These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword. 13I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives. 14Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality. 15Likewise you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. 17He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.

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Don’t forget to read through the text two times with a bit of reflection after each reading, then let the discussion begin! Thank and God bless yall!

Well here is this weeks discussion text… and I am not sure about yall, but these are great discussions!

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Revelation 2:8-12 (NIV)

To the Church in Smyrna

8“To the angel of the church in Smyrna write:
These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. 9I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.

Here is the text for this week everyone:

Week 1: Rev. 2:1-7 Ephesus: 1st Love

Rev. 2:1-7

1″To the angel [a] of the church in Ephesus write:
These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands: 2 I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. 3You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. 4Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. 5Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. 6But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

Footnotes:
1. Revelation 2:1 Or messenger; also in verses 8, 12 and 18
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Let the discusions begin…if you would like…. heh.

Welcome to The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly: A Discussion Series on the Seven Churches in Revelation.

Here is an overview of the next seven weeks:

Week 1: Rev. 2:1-7 Ephesus: 1st Love
Week 2: Rev. 2:8-11 Smyrna: Faith Death
Week 3: Rev. 2:12-17 Pergamum: Nasty Idol Food
Week 4: Rev. 2:18-29 Thyatira: Jezebel, you !@$%*
Week 5: Rev. 3:1-6 Sardis: WAKE UP!
Week 6: Rev. 3:7-13 Philadelphia: Patient Endurance
Week 7: Rev. 3:14-22 Laodicea: Spit

Enjoy the discussions. I will be posting the text for this week right now.