The Furnace of Leadership

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Israel: God's Holy Land

BEMA Liturgy I—Part D

Lighting Up Our City: Week 3-Connecting Through Your Story

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8 Weeks to Spiritual Fitness

A Forever Promise (Bible App for Kids)

Living by Faith: 5 Lessons From the Book of Habakkuk a 5-Day Devotional by Dwan Dixon

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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkGEN">
 <div class="chapter ch21" data-usfm="GEN.21">
 <div class="label">21</div><div class="s1">The Birth of Isaac</div><div class="p"> 1Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what he had promised. 2Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him. 3Abraham gave the name Isaac#21:3 Isaac means he laughs. to the son Sarah bore him. 4When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, as God commanded him. 5Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.</div><div class="p"> 6Sarah said, &#8220;God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.&#8221; 7And she added, &#8220;Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.&#8221;</div><div class="s1">Hagar and Ishmael Sent Away</div><div class="p"> 8The child grew and was weaned, and on the day Isaac was weaned Abraham held a great feast. 9But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking, 10and she said to Abraham, &#8220;Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that woman&#8217;s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 11The matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son. 12But God said to him, &#8220;Do not be so distressed about the boy and your slave woman. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring#21:12 Or seed will be reckoned. 13I will make the son of the slave into a nation also, because he is your offspring.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 14Early the next morning Abraham took some food and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. He set them on her shoulders and then sent her off with the boy. She went on her way and wandered in the Desert of Beersheba.</div><div class="p"> 15When the water in the skin was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes. 16Then she went off and sat down about a bowshot away, for she thought, &#8220;I cannot watch the boy die.&#8221; And as she sat there, she#21:16 Hebrew; Septuagint the child began to sob.</div><div class="p"> 17God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, &#8220;What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. 18Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 19Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink.</div><div class="p"> 20God was with the boy as he grew up. He lived in the desert and became an archer. 21While he was living in the Desert of Paran, his mother got a wife for him from Egypt.</div><div class="s1">The Treaty at Beersheba</div><div class="p"> 22At that time Abimelek and Phicol the commander of his forces said to Abraham, &#8220;God is with you in everything you do. 23Now swear to me here before God that you will not deal falsely with me or my children or my descendants. Show to me and the country where you now reside as a foreigner the same kindness I have shown to you.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 24Abraham said, &#8220;I swear it.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 25Then Abraham complained to Abimelek about a well of water that Abimelek&#8217;s servants had seized. 26But Abimelek said, &#8220;I don&#8217;t know who has done this. You did not tell me, and I heard about it only today.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 27So Abraham brought sheep and cattle and gave them to Abimelek, and the two men made a treaty. 28Abraham set apart seven ewe lambs from the flock, 29and Abimelek asked Abraham, &#8220;What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs you have set apart by themselves?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 30He replied, &#8220;Accept these seven lambs from my hand as a witness that I dug this well.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 31So that place was called Beersheba,#21:31 Beersheba can mean well of seven and well of the oath. because the two men swore an oath there.</div><div class="p"> 32After the treaty had been made at Beersheba, Abimelek and Phicol the commander of his forces returned to the land of the Philistines. 33Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he called on the name of the Lord, the Eternal God. 34And Abraham stayed in the land of the Philistines for a long time.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkGEN">
 <div class="chapter ch22" data-usfm="GEN.22">
 <div class="label">22</div><div class="s1">Abraham Tested</div><div class="p"> 1Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, &#8220;Abraham!&#8221;</div><div class="p">&#8220;Here I am,&#8221; he replied.</div><div class="p"> 2Then God said, &#8220;Take your son, your only son, whom you love&#8212;Isaac&#8212;and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 3Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. 4On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5He said to his servants, &#8220;Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 6Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, 7Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, &#8220;Father?&#8221;</div><div class="p">&#8220;Yes, my son?&#8221; Abraham replied.</div><div class="p">&#8220;The fire and wood are here,&#8221; Isaac said, &#8220;but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 8Abraham answered, &#8220;God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.&#8221; And the two of them went on together.</div><div class="p"> 9When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. 11But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, &#8220;Abraham! Abraham!&#8221;</div><div class="p">&#8220;Here I am,&#8221; he replied.</div><div class="p"> 12&#8220;Do not lay a hand on the boy,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 13Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram#22:13 Many manuscripts of the Masoretic Text, Samaritan Pentateuch, Septuagint and Syriac; most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text a ram behind him caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, &#8220;On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 15The angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time 16and said, &#8220;I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, 18and through your offspring#22:18 Or seed all nations on earth will be blessed,#22:18 Or and all nations on earth will use the name of your offspring in blessings (see 48:20) because you have obeyed me.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 19Then Abraham returned to his servants, and they set off together for Beersheba. And Abraham stayed in Beersheba.</div><div class="s1">Nahor&#8217;s Sons</div><div class="p"> 20Some time later Abraham was told, &#8220;Milkah is also a mother; she has borne sons to your brother Nahor: 21Uz the firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel (the father of Aram), 22Kesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph and Bethuel.&#8221; 23Bethuel became the father of Rebekah. Milkah bore these eight sons to Abraham&#8217;s brother Nahor. 24His concubine, whose name was Reumah, also had sons: Tebah, Gaham, Tahash and Maakah.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
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 <div class="chapter ch23" data-usfm="GEN.23">
 <div class="label">23</div><div class="s1">The Death of Sarah</div><div class="p"> 1Sarah lived to be a hundred and twenty-seven years old. 2She died at Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and to weep over her.</div><div class="p"> 3Then Abraham rose from beside his dead wife and spoke to the Hittites.#23:3 Or the descendants of Heth; also in verses 5, 7, 10, 16, 18 and 20 He said, 4&#8220;I am a foreigner and stranger among you. Sell me some property for a burial site here so I can bury my dead.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 5The Hittites replied to Abraham, 6&#8220;Sir, listen to us. You are a mighty prince among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our tombs. None of us will refuse you his tomb for burying your dead.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 7Then Abraham rose and bowed down before the people of the land, the Hittites. 8He said to them, &#8220;If you are willing to let me bury my dead, then listen to me and intercede with Ephron son of Zohar on my behalf 9so he will sell me the cave of Machpelah, which belongs to him and is at the end of his field. Ask him to sell it to me for the full price as a burial site among you.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 10Ephron the Hittite was sitting among his people and he replied to Abraham in the hearing of all the Hittites who had come to the gate of his city. 11&#8220;No, my lord,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Listen to me; I give#23:11 Or sell you the field, and I give#23:11 Or sell you the cave that is in it. I give#23:11 Or sell it to you in the presence of my people. Bury your dead.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 12Again Abraham bowed down before the people of the land 13and he said to Ephron in their hearing, &#8220;Listen to me, if you will. I will pay the price of the field. Accept it from me so I can bury my dead there.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 14Ephron answered Abraham, 15&#8220;Listen to me, my lord; the land is worth four hundred shekels#23:15 That is, about 10 pounds or about 4.6 kilograms of silver, but what is that between you and me? Bury your dead.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 16Abraham agreed to Ephron&#8217;s terms and weighed out for him the price he had named in the hearing of the Hittites: four hundred shekels of silver, according to the weight current among the merchants.</div><div class="p"> 17So Ephron&#8217;s field in Machpelah near Mamre&#8212;both the field and the cave in it, and all the trees within the borders of the field&#8212;was deeded 18to Abraham as his property in the presence of all the Hittites who had come to the gate of the city. 19Afterward Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave in the field of Machpelah near Mamre (which is at Hebron) in the land of Canaan. 20So the field and the cave in it were deeded to Abraham by the Hittites as a burial site.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkJHN">
 <div class="chapter ch12" data-usfm="JHN.12">
 <div class="label">12</div><div class="s1">Jesus Anointed at Bethany</div><div class="p"> 1Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2Here a dinner was given in Jesus&#8217; honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. 3Then Mary took about a pint#12:3 Or about 0.5 liter of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus&#8217; feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.</div><div class="p"> 4But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5&#8220;Why wasn&#8217;t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year&#8217;s wages.#12:5 Greek three hundred denarii&#8221; 6He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.</div><div class="p"> 7 &#8220;Leave her alone,&#8221; Jesus replied. &#8220;It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. 8You will always have the poor among you,#12:8 See Deut. 15:11. but you will not always have me.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 9Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 10So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, 11for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him.</div><div class="s1">Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King</div><div class="p"> 12The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,</div><div class="q1">&#8220;Hosanna!#12:13 A Hebrew expression meaning &#8220;Save!&#8221; which became an exclamation of praise&#8221;</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1">&#8220;Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!&#8221;#12:13 Psalm 118:25,26</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1">&#8220;Blessed is the king of Israel!&#8221;</div><div class="m"> 14Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written:</div><div class="q1"> 15&#8220;Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion;</div><div class="q2">see, your king is coming,</div><div class="q2">seated on a donkey&#8217;s colt.&#8221;#12:15 Zech. 9:9</div><div class="p"> 16At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him.</div><div class="p"> 17Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. 18Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign, went out to meet him. 19So the Pharisees said to one another, &#8220;See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!&#8221;</div><div class="s1">Jesus Predicts His Death</div><div class="p"> 20Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. 21They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. &#8220;Sir,&#8221; they said, &#8220;we would like to see Jesus.&#8221; 22Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.</div><div class="p"> 23Jesus replied, &#8220;The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.</div><div class="p"> 27 &#8220;Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? &#8216;Father, save me from this hour&#8217;? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. 28Father, glorify your name!&#8221;</div><div class="p">Then a voice came from heaven, &#8220;I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.&#8221; 29The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.</div><div class="p"> 30Jesus said, &#8220;This voice was for your benefit, not mine. 31Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. 32And I, when I am lifted up#12:32 The Greek for lifted up also means exalted. from the earth, will draw all people to myself.&#8221; 33He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.</div><div class="p"> 34The crowd spoke up, &#8220;We have heard from the Law that the Messiah will remain forever, so how can you say, &#8216;The Son of Man must be lifted up&#8217;? Who is this &#8216;Son of Man&#8217;?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 35Then Jesus told them, &#8220;You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going. 36Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.&#8221; When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.</div><div class="s1">Belief and Unbelief Among the Jews</div><div class="p"> 37Even after Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him. 38This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet:</div><div class="q1">&#8220;Lord, who has believed our message</div><div class="q2">and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?&#8221;#12:38 Isaiah 53:1</div><div class="p"> 39For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere:</div><div class="q1"> 40&#8220;He has blinded their eyes</div><div class="q2">and hardened their hearts,</div><div class="q1">so they can neither see with their eyes,</div><div class="q2">nor understand with their hearts,</div><div class="q2">nor turn&#8212;and I would heal them.&#8221;#12:40 Isaiah 6:10</div><div class="m"> 41Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus&#8217; glory and spoke about him.</div><div class="p"> 42Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; 43for they loved human praise more than praise from God.</div><div class="p"> 44Then Jesus cried out, &#8220;Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. 45The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me. 46I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.</div><div class="p"> 47 &#8220;If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. 48There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day. 49For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. 50I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.&#8221;</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkJHN">
 <div class="chapter ch13" data-usfm="JHN.13">
 <div class="label">13</div><div class="s1">Jesus Washes His Disciples&#8217; Feet</div><div class="p"> 1It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.</div><div class="p"> 2The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples&#8217; feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.</div><div class="p"> 6He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, &#8220;Lord, are you going to wash my feet?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 7Jesus replied, &#8220;You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 8&#8220;No,&#8221; said Peter, &#8220;you shall never wash my feet.&#8221;</div><div class="p">Jesus answered, &#8220;Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 9&#8220;Then, Lord,&#8221; Simon Peter replied, &#8220;not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 10Jesus answered, &#8220;Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.&#8221; 11For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.</div><div class="p"> 12When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. &#8220;Do you understand what I have done for you?&#8221; he asked them. 13&#8220;You call me &#8216;Teacher&#8217; and &#8216;Lord,&#8217; and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another&#8217;s feet. 15I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.</div><div class="s1">Jesus Predicts His Betrayal</div><div class="p"> 18 &#8220;I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill this passage of Scripture: &#8216;He who shared my bread has turned # 13:18 Greek has lifted up his heel against me.&#8217;#13:18 Psalm 41:9</div><div class="p"> 19 &#8220;I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am who I am. 20Very truly I tell you, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 21After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, &#8220;Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 22His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. 23One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. 24Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, &#8220;Ask him which one he means.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 25Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, &#8220;Lord, who is it?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 26Jesus answered, &#8220;It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.&#8221; Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.</div><div class="p">So Jesus told him, &#8220;What you are about to do, do quickly.&#8221; 28But no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. 29Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the festival, or to give something to the poor. 30As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night.</div><div class="s1">Jesus Predicts Peter&#8217;s Denial</div><div class="p"> 31When he was gone, Jesus said, &#8220;Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him. 32If God is glorified in him,#13:32 Many early manuscripts do not have If God is glorified in him. God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once.</div><div class="p"> 33 &#8220;My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.</div><div class="p"> 34 &#8220;A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 36Simon Peter asked him, &#8220;Lord, where are you going?&#8221;</div><div class="p">Jesus replied, &#8220;Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 37Peter asked, &#8220;Lord, why can&#8217;t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 38Then Jesus answered, &#8220;Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!</div>
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