A survey of all the Bible 125s was
made to commemorate the East District's
125th anniversary year. Though there are a lot of numbers used in
the genealogical records of the Bible—in the census taken of God's
people, in the measurements of Noah's ark, the Tabernacle and Temple,
the New Jerusalem, and in various other settings—one hundred and
twenty five is not one of the numbers that frequently appears in the
Bible. In fact, the number could not be found even a single time.
In the absence of a single reference, another approach
had to be devised. There is a Psalm 125 and also a 125th verse of
Psalm 119. There are also two books of the Bible that contain only one
chapter, with twenty-five verses. From there, survey of each canonical
book of the Bible was made and each book that contained either a
chapter one verse twenty-five (1:25) or a chapter twelve verse five
(12:5) were recorded.
These are the references that follow. From them are
written devotional thoughts for the District's 125th Anniversary Year.
Thoughts about the mission of the church will help keep the Thank
Offering and this special anniversary on our minds throughout the
triennium. This resource is posted so that you may write your own devotions
from these verses or use them in your own 125th anniversary that you
may celebrate soon.
As the Word of God is heard in your private and
corporate lives, I pray that Lutheran Church-Canada, East District's
125th Anniversary will be a memorable year and the Thank Offering that
is gathered, an expression not only of our thankfulness to God, but
also evidence of our desire to carry the mantle of those who first
heeded the call to "Help, In the Name of Jesus."
~~
"God made the wild animals according to their
kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures
that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that
it was good." Genesis.1:25
The diversity of the wild animals, livestock and all
creatures that move along the ground is indeed a wonderful thing about
God's creation. Certainly a being concerned about order and great
detail has provided the vastly different number of ecosystems
necessary to sustain this diversity. At the end of six days, creation
was completed. Surveying all that He had made God approved of His
handiwork and said "It was very good!" Human life was not
excluded from God's approval.
Mankind calls home the many and diverse ecosystems of
this planet. He shares them with the wild life God created. The
customs, culture, language and traditions of man are just as varied as
the ecosystems in which they occur. The mother tongue is a critical
window through which to observe and learn these cultures. To know
these languages is a critical tool therefore to understand those who
immigrate and have become Canadian citizens.
Many cultures are represented in the East District.
Our church like many denominations is trying to demonstrate how God
values this diversity. Yet pastors and congregations haven't invested
the time or been flexible enough to learn another language.
Communicating with people of diverse language, custom and culture, the
love of God in Christ Jesus is therefore severely limited. This is a
serious limitation for the church in a multi-cultural society. It also
may be a contributing factor why the church can become an island,
ministering only to "its own", instead of moving among the
diversity of people living all around us with the Good News.
Though mankind fell in the Garden, God has pronounced
His approval on His Son. Through the cross the sin of looking at
diversity as a curse has been removed. On Pentecost God indirectly
declared the diversity of the nations "very good" when He
used diverse languages to communicate salvation in Jesus ' Name and
permitted the nations to be baptized and brought into the church. God
wants all nations to be disciples of Jesus Christ and to stand among
the saved at the Judgment. Reflect on Canada's diversity. Remind
yourselves of the church's mission and ministry. Be mindful of your
crucified, risen and ascended Lord's commission, and ask for the
wisdom to respond to opportunities that present themselves within the
diversity in which we live.
PRAYER:
Heavenly Father, the diversity of
Canadians is something about which to marvel. Keep us from suspicion
and contempt. Help us acknowledge new Canadians too as people for whom
Christ died. Help us respond to our multi-culturalism so that people
within our church want the ability to master languages and get to know
other cultures. Give us candidates for the office of the holy ministry
and members in our congregations who already have these abilities.
Help us in the Name of Jesus so that Your kingdom comes and Your will
is done. For we ask it in Jesus' name. Amen.
~~
"He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the
possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in
Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived
there." Genesis 12:5
God made His command and promise to Abraham. He was to
leave his country, family and all that was familiar and go to the land
the LORD promised to show him. Though his destination was not known
before hand, Abraham did as the LORD commanded.
This is the response of the faithful. When the LORD
calls us through the Gospel, we hear His Word, acknowledge our
weaknesses, sin and other barriers that prevent us from doing His
will. We rely on His strength and trust He will help us do what He has
commanded, and get us to the place He has promised. God has called you
too, by the Gospel. He asks you to follow Him to the promised land.
The land He has promised however is not Canaan. It is heaven,
Jerusalem the Golden, the throne room of the Lamb, the wedding
banquet, the house with many mansions, the new heaven and new earth.
Though we hear His call, we fail to follow. It means
we must give up those things in which we find comfort. The sad thing
is that this kind of comfort doesn't last. Our priorities are upside
down. We get too comfortable with life's pleasures. Yet God's goal
through His Son Jesus Christ is to forgive. He calls us from our
comfort zones again and again to repent. He wants to save. He wants us
to follow Him through life, to our heavenly home. He wants us to trust
that He will provide the resources to get us and many others there. He
wants us to include people like Lot and Sarai on this pilgrimage,
those near and dear to us, and even those the new mission starts will
make contact with. These people too must learn about the forgiveness
of sins in Christ Jesus our LORD, in order to enjoy the pleasures of
heaven, the promised land. But to hear His call may mean that we
sacrifice the comfort that we enjoy.
We get no comfort from the fact that Abraham did as
the LORD told him. It is a good example however, of faith in the
Living God. The comforting thing about the verse is the phrase,
"and they arrived there." They didn't know where they were
going. They hadn't been there before, yet God saw that Abraham and all
those he travelled with, arrived there safely. Whether we are talking
about reaching the Thank Offering goal, the opportunities around the
district for new mission work, or enjoying the blessing of God in
eternity, Jesus Christ God's Son, who died and rose again hears our
prayer.
By His Almighty power, He delivers all that He has
promised. By His grace, through faith in the love He has shown us
through His Son, He will accomplish this.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, we admit it's hard to
part with resources, to leave family and the comfortable places in
which we live. Many have not accepted the salvation provided by Your
Son, Jesus. Give us faith and courage to offer our resources and do
what's necessary in order that others may join us in heaven, which is
our promised land. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.
~~
"The animals you
choose must be year-old males without defect, and you may take them
from the sheep or the goats." Exodus 12:5
God gave Moses and Aaron instructions concerning the
Passover. These commands were important for everyone observing the
Passover. Where people believed God's Word, God's instructions were
followed. They believed both His judgment and promise. They believed
He would keep His promise and protect their household from the angel
of death. The lintels and the door posts of the house were painted
with the blood of the sacrifice and the angel of death passed over.
It wasn't long after the first Passover and the great
way God saved that people started showing Him signs of contempt. The
Passover wasn't regularly celebrated. The way God saved was not
remembered. What He had done for them was not appreciated. The prophet
Malachi shows the contempt the people had for God.
"But you ask, 'How have we shown contempt for
your name?" "You place defiled food on my altar....When you
bring blind animals for sacrifice,.... crippled or diseased animals,
is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be
pleased with you? Would he accept you?"....Now implore God to be
gracious to us. With such offerings from your hands, will he accept
you?" - says the LORD Almighty." (Malachi 1:6b-9)
Instead of the best, God's people brought the blind,
crippled and diseased. We show similar contempt for the Lord when we
bring the leftovers, we have at the end of the month as our offering.
We bring used equipment and furniture to furnish God's house and do
His work. Wasn't that the fault God found with Cain's offering? It
wasn't his best? Abel's offering on the other hand, was acceptable to
the Lord. Abel gave his best. We aren't too concerned about false
doctrine and think that God should admit anyone to His Supper
regardless of what He has said and what they believe. Imagine what
would have happened if the Israelites approached the first Passover
that way and instead of following God's instructions, adopted a
"good enough" attitude in the way they prepared.
The exemplary nature of the sacrifice God made stands
out. Jesus was God' s beloved Son. God was well-pleased with Him. He
was the only begotten - the first born. Jesus was the best God had to
offer. God gave His best to redeem you, since only His best would do.
God gave His best for you - a Lamb without defect, the perfect and
sinless Son of God. What a sacrifice! What love!
PRAYER:
Since we aren't able to deliver what You
demand, You supplied the Lamb without defect to take away the sins of
the world. Thank You Heavenly Father. Grant us repentant hearts, so we
regularly approach Your table and give thanks for all You've done to
secure the forgiveness of sins. Assure us that because of Your grace,
You will preserve our faith and not permit our souls to suffer eternal
damnation. For it is in Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.
~~
"If she gives birth to a daughter, for two weeks
the woman will be unclean, as during her period. Then she must wait
sixty-six days to be purified from her bleeding." Leviticus 12:5
The woman who gives birth to a girl is unclean for two
weeks and requires sixty-six days to be purified - a total of 80 days.
The woman is unclean for one week who gives birth to a boy.
Circumcision occurs the eighth day. The boy's mother requires only
thirty-three more days - a total of 40 days - before she is purified.
For whatever reason, God made the time of purification twice as long
for a girl as it is for a boy.
Precursor to the New Testament understanding of
purification were Old Testament statements anticipating Christ's
coming. Statements like "I am the LORD who brought you up out of
Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy because I am holy." or
"For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your
God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to
be his people, his treasured possession." (Dt.7:6) The worshiping
community takes on God's character and activity. The history of God's
people however, shows this didn't exactly happen. Man is not holy.
Only God could change that. Only He could create a clean heart
(Ps.51:10) and forgive apart from the rules of purification, ( 2
Chron.30:19; Is.4:4; Ezekiel 36:24-28 and Zech.3:4). If God's people
are holy, it is His doing.
The Old Testament ritual of purification consisted of
1) a waiting period (multiples of 1, 7, 14, 40 or 80 days), beginning
when the source of pollution stops; 2) a cleansing agent (usually
water, blood or some combination); and 3) a sacrifice. This ritual
laid ground work for the purification secured by the Son of Man. His
redeeming work was superior to the work of Old Testament priests.
Their work needed repetition, (Heb.10:2). Exercise of Christ's high
priestly office brought cleansing once and for all. Purification in
the New Testament is God's work. He tells His disciples 1) to wait in
the city until they are clothed with power from on high (Luke 24:49)
and the Holy Spirit comes upon them, (Acts 1:4). 2) The cleansing
agent He uses is His Word (John 15:3), His blood (1 John 1:7) and Holy
Baptism (Eph.5:25-26). Evil consciences are purified and bodies are
washed of sin, (Heb.10:21-22). Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been
sacrificed for us so that our witness may be bold, sincere and
truthful in whatever form of proclamation or praise we participate to
extend Your kingdom.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, bodily discharge made a
person unclean in the Old Testament, and yet the New Testament says
blood shed cleanses us all, for the blood of Jesus Christ Your Son
cleanses us from all unrighteousness. Thank You for His sacrifice.
Convince us that our own patience, good intentions, and personal
sacrifice fall short of Your demand for holiness. Teach us till You
come again, to wait upon Your Spirit. Cleanse us with Word and
Sacrament and help us remind each other that Jesus' sacrifice makes us
all equal in Your sight and makes us holy. In Jesus' Name we pray.
Amen.
~~
"The number from the tribe of Gad was
45,650." Numbers 1:25
Gad was the seventh son of Jacob. In her struggle to
be loved by Jacob more than her sister Rachel, Leah bore Jacob six
boys and a girl, Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Isaachar, Zebulun and
Dinah. Barren Rachel lamented Leah's fruitfulness and gave Jacob
Bilhah her maidservant. She had two sons, Dan and Naphtali. When Leah
stopped having children, she gave Jacob Zilpah, her maidservant.
Zilpah also had two sons, Gad and Asher. God eventually opened
Rachel's womb. Rachel gave birth to Joseph and as she was dying,
Benjamin was born. Each child's name shows faith in God as well as the
domestic competition common to such marriage arrangements. Gad's name
means "fortunate". Leah considered herself fortunate
(Gen.30:11) to regain the focus of Jacob's love when Gad was born.
The see-saw battle between sisters prior to Gad's
birth, along with Jacob's death bed blessing of his son, tells us
about Gad's character. Jacob said, "Gad will be attacked by a
band of raiders, but he will attack them at their heels."
(Gen.49:19). History would test and prove Jacob's blessing and Gad 's
character. As Gad was one of the tribes of Israel that chose to
receive its inheritance east of the promised land, opportunity to
drive back his enemy was abundant. Once the promised land was
conquered, Gad returned home, settled east of the Jordan, and remained
vulnerable to Moabite raids.
Leaving Canaan, the eastern tribes built an altar at
the Jordan. Since Gad participated in the conquest, destroying gods
and people who served them, Israel didn't understand. They assembled
for war. But when confronted, the eastern tribes explained. This altar
was reminder to future generations that Reuben, Gad, and the half
tribe of Manasseh were indeed part of God's people. These tribes
called the altar "Ed" (KJV) or "Witness" (NKJV),
witness to their status as God's children (Josh.22). The explanation
was accepted. The war never happened. All went home in peace.
Gad's life was a concrete example to which the
struggle of Christian faith might be compared. The new nature (faith),
struggles with the old nature, (original sin), for supremacy in our
hearts and public triumph in our actions. As Jacob's blessing
indicates Gad's victory, so, despite what was seen at the cross, the
forgiveness of sins and the empty tomb are indication of victory we
now enjoy. On the Last Day we will enjoy the result of forgiveness, be
raised, and receive glorified bodies, fully accepted by the church
triumphant. The altar at the Jordan anticipates this. At your baptism
sponsors were witnesses of this. Remember, you are God's child. Return
to your Baptism daily for there forgiveness, and strength for holy
lives is given to live in a hostile world.
PRAYER: I'm but a stranger here, Heaven is my
home; Earth is a desert drear, Heaven is my home. Danger and sorrow
stand Round me on every hand; Heaven is my fatherland, Heaven is my
home. Heavenly Father, grant us Your Spirit as we sing this tune, so
that by faith we may receive this assurance now and enter it when our
work on earth is done. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.
~~
"Then the LORD came down in a pillar of cloud; he
stood at the entrance to the Tent and summoned Aaron and Miriam. When
both of them stepped forward,...." Numbers 12:5
Moses' first wife was Zipporah (Ex.2:15-22). He
married again. This time Moses chose a Cushite woman, (Num.12:1). Cush
was the name of the ancient territory, south of Egypt roughly
equivalent to present day Sudan and Ethiopia. If Zipporah was still
alive, perhaps the second wife was reason for Aaron and Miriam's
opposition to Moses' choice. Or if Zipporah had passed away, perhaps
their concern was the colour of the Cushite's skin. In any case, Aaron
and Miriam's opposition did not go unnoticed. God wasn't distracted by
the details. He knew the real focus of their challenge was that they
rejected His authority. He therefore rose to defend the leader He had
chosen. He summoned Moses, Aaron and Miriam to the Tent of Meeting.
There at the entrance, God explained His special
relationship with Moses. Knowing Moses was favoured as he was, God
asked Aaron and Miriam why they weren't afraid to speak against His
servant? God was angry and showed it. When the cloud lifted, Miriam
was a leper. In the church, a scenario like this occurs often.
Everyone knows a better way of doing things. Criticism and rejection
of leaders and their ways is more the norm than the rule. Few want to
follow. Pastors and congregations go their own way and have their own
agenda. At times the opposition may be justified. Most often however,
opposition is the expression of our old nature's rebellion against
good order. Though there are times when concern about leadership is
valid, we expose ourselves to God's judgment if we have not learned
the humility to respect and follow leadership that God has supplied.
To always challenge authorities in reality challenges the authority of
God Himself. Such challenge leads to confusion and anarchy within
society. In the church, such persistent challenge leads the membership
to a general lack of trust in one another, undermines the church' s
integrity, refuses to walk together to seek the lost and grows more
and more unable, and even unwilling to share the faith.
In desperation Aaron acknowledged Moses' leadership.
Confessing the foolishness of his sin he begged Moses for mercy. Moses
demonstrated his friendship with God by boldly asking Him to heal his
sister. Seven days outside the camp was sufficient to bring Miriam to
repentance. She knew God alone could heal her, and that she needed
Moses' forgiveness. Thank God that Jesus our Saviour is merciful and
forgives the repentant even sins against temporal and eternal
authorities.
PRAYER:
Heavenly Father, we tend to criticize
leaders and think we can do better. Forgive us for such disregard for
authority and self-conceit. Teach us that You have established all
authority. Help us support faithful leaders. When leaders err, give us
respect for their office to love and gently rebuke them. Teach us to
follow leaders who respect good order and faithfully use Your
authority to make disciples. For it is in Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.
~~
"Taking with them some of the fruit of the land,
they brought it down to us and reported, "It is good land that
the LORD our God is giving us." Deuteronomy 1:25
Because of God's faithfulness, opportunity for new
life lay before the children of Israel. Though they had been delivered
from the hand of their enemies, yet they paused to reconsider entrance
into the promised land. Moses proposed that Israel take the Lord at
His Word and go up immediately and enter the land without fear or
discouragement, (Dt.1:22).
The initial report about the land was good. "It
is a good land that the LORD our God is giving us," they said.
Fruit of the land was brought back as evidence. But shortly
alternatives were entertained. Instead of God's promise ruling how the
people acted, they permitted the report of Amorite fortified cities
and the stature of the Anakites to turn their hesitation to fear.
Suddenly Israel doubted God's promise. It wasn't long before they were
persuaded that God was their enemy and entrance to the promised land
would actually lead to their destruction. They feared the enemy more
than they trusted God. They listened to discouraging words, and
deprived themselves of the comfort of God's promises. They took
self-destructive action instead of enjoying new life in the new land.
That generation wandered in the wilderness forty years and died off
before their children received what God had promised.
Like Israel, we too often lack faith in God's
goodness. We only see the obstacles that get in the way of
accomplishing God's work. We hesitate and rely on our own strength and
resources instead of asking the Lord to bless us and conquer the
obstacles that confront us. We don't believe He can deliver us from
fears that hold us back. Any victories here are greeted by the world's
attacks and all the devil can mount against. Yet God doesn't want you
discouraged. He wants all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge
of the truth. That's why He sent Jesus into the "enemy
territory" of this fallen world. Jesus knew His effort and energy
would be consumed and that His death would be required. Yet He
willingly agreed so that we poor sinners might experience the
faithfulness of all God's promises and eventually even regard heaven
as our promised land.
God's work lays before us. It comes with its own set
of obstacles! Yet God wants to be glorified in it, through our faith
in His Name as we face them. He is glorified when His church trusts
what He says. He is glorified when He acts and is praised by His
people. God is giving us new land where we can tell others about His
goodness in Jesus. It is land in which God reserves many blessings.
Don't discourage others by the way you act! Trust Him with your
energy, effort and resources so that once surveyed, together we may
enter to inherit the land and lead others to faith in Jesus.
PRAYER: LORD God, You've promised a good land to
all who believe. Lead us to repent from all forms of discouragement
and unbelief, so we trust Your promises and lead others to faith in
Jesus. In whose Name we pray. Amen.
~~
"But you are to seek the place the LORD your God
will choose from among all your tribes to put his Name there for his
dwelling. To that place you must go;" Deuteronomy 12:5
At the border to the Promised Land, God reminded
Israel about His Law. He rehearsed how His people were to live and
worship. They were not to be like the inhabitants. In fact, they were
to completely destroy all designated places of worship. Altars were to
be broken down. Sacred stones were to be smashed and burned. Names of
idols were to be wiped out. Instead of worshiping many gods, in many
places, God instructed Israel to seek Him alone in but one place. God
called for a thorough cleansing of pagan worship. The cleansing wasn't
as thorough as God demanded, however. Disobedience led to exile
(Assyrian exile 725 B.C. and Babylonian 587 B.C.)
Intermarriage between the Jews who weren't deported,
and foreign nations resettled in the promised land, produced the
Samaritans. Those exiled began to worship in synagogues because they
were deprived of worship in Jerusalem at the Temple. The synagogue
became the place where deported Jew assembled for teaching and prayer.
On their return Jew disagreed with Samaritan about the proper place to
worship God. By Jesus' ministry, synagogues were an accepted part of
religious life. Tension between Jew and Samaritan still existed. But
conversation with the woman at the well addressed this, (Jn.4:5-26).
Emphasis shifted from the geography of worship to worship of God in
Spirit and in truth, (Jn.4:24). As Jesus said, "Wherever two or
three are gathered together in My Name, there I am in the midst of
them" (Mt.18:20).
Worship in Jesus' Name is still the focus of Christian
worship. It's unique character remains challenged by other "saviours"
and world religions. But Jesus declared that the Father seeks
worshipers who acknowledge that He is the only Way to the Father, the
only source of Truth about God, and the only One through whom eternal
Life is given. Any other worship is false religion. The Temple curtain
was torn in two to indicate that the sacrifice of God's Son at Calvary
was all that anyone needed to worship God and see the Father's love.
Worship was no longer tied to a location. People continue to bear His
Name. "For we are the temple of the living God" (2
Cor.6:16). Where God's people are gathered in His Name, where Aaronic
or Apostolic blessings are pronounced, there God puts His Name on
people and there He has promised to be. His presence is tied to Word
and Sacrament.
He tells us to eat and drink the bread and wine which
are His body and blood. By water and Word we are buried under the
benefits of His death. Through these means, forgiveness of sins is
received by all who believe. True worship is now tied to means that
the Spirit of God uses to mediate the Person and work of Jesus Christ
to us. The Thank Offering gathered by the East District during our
125th Anniversary will be used to support and establish places of
worship to lead people to a personal relationship with Jesus.
PRAYER: Nothing in my hands I bring. Simply to Thy
cross I cling. Amen.
~~
Joshua 12:5
"He ruled over Mount Hermon, Salecah, all of Bashan to the border
of the people of Geshur and Maacah, and half of Gilead to the border
of Sihon king of Heshbon."
Judges 1:25
"So he showed them, and they put the city to the sword but spared
the man and his whole family."
Judges 12:5
"The Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan leading to
Ephraim, and whenever a survivor of Ephraim said, "Let me cross
over," the men of Gilead asked Him, "Are you an Ephraimite?"
If he replied, "No,"
1 Samuel 1:25
"When they had slaughtered the bull, they brought the boy to
Eli,"
1 Samuel 12:5
"Samuel said to them, "The LORD is witness against you, and
also his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found
anything in my hand."
2 Samuel 1:25
"How the mighty have fallen in battle! Jonathan lies slain on
your heights."
2 Samuel 12:5
"and because the LORD loved Him, he sent word through Nathan the
prophet to name Him Jedidiah."
1 Kings 1:25
"Today he has gone down and sacrificed great numbers of cattle,
fattened calves, and sheep. He has invited all the king's sons, the
commanders of the army and Abiathar the priest. Right now they are
eating and drinking with Him and saying, 'Long live King Adonijah!'"
1 Kings 12:5
"Rehoboam answered, "Go away for three days and then come
back to me." So the people went away."
2 Kings 12:5
"Let every priest receive the money from one of the treasurers,
and let it be used to repair whatever damage is found in the
temple."
1 Chronicles 1:25
"Eber, Peleg, Reu,"
1 Chronicles 12:5
"Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah and Shephatiah the
Haruphite;"
2 Chronicles 12:5
"The the prophet Shemaiah came to Rehoboam and to the leaders of
Judah who had assembled in Jerusalem for fear of Shishak, and he said
to them, "This is what the LORD says, 'You have abandoned me;
therefore, I now abandon you to Shishak.'"
Nehemiah 12:5
"Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon and Akkub were
gatekeepers who guarded the storerooms at the gates."
Job 12:5
"Men at ease have contempt for misfortune as the fate of those
whose feet are slipping."
Psalm 12:5
"Because of the oppression of the weak and the groaning of the
needy, I will now arise," says the LORD. "I will protect
them from those who malign them"
Psalm 119:125
"I am your servant; give me discernment that I may understand
your statutes."
Psalm 125
"Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be
shaken but endures forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so
the LORD surrounds his people both now and forevermore. The sceptre of
the wicked will not remain over the land allotted to the righteous,
for then the righteous might use their hands to do evil. Do good, O
LORD, to those who are good, to those who are upright in heart. But
those who turn to crooked ways the LORD will banish with the
evildoers. Peace be upon Israel.
Proverbs 1:25
"since you ignored all my advice and would not accept my
rebuke,"
Proverbs 12:5
"The plans of the righteous are just, but the advice of the
wicked is deceitful."
Ecclesiastes 12:5
"when men are afraid of heights and of dangers in the streets;
when the almond tree blossoms and the grasshopper drags himself along
and desire no longer is stirred. Then man goes to his eternal home and
mourners go about the streets."
Isaiah 1:25
"I will turn my hand against you; I will thoroughly purge away
your dross and remove all your impurities."
Isaiah 12:5
"Sing to the LORD, for he has done glorious things; let this be
known to all the world."
Jeremiah 12:5
"If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out,
how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in safe country, how
will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan?"
Ezekiel 1:25
"Then there came a voice from above the expanse over their heads
as they stood with lowered wings."
Ezekiel 12:5
"While they watch, dig through the wall and take your belongings
out through it."
Hosea 12:5
"the LORD God Almighty, the LORD is his name of renown!"
Zechariah 12:5
"Then the leaders of Judah will say in their hearts, 'The people
of Jerusalem are strong, because the LORD Almighty is their God."
Matthew 1:25
"But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And
he gave Him the name Jesus."
Matthew 12:5
"Or haven't you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests
in the temple desecrate the day and yet are innocent?"
Mark 1:25
"Be quiet!" said Jesus sternly. "Come out of Him!"
Mark 12:5
"He sent still another and that one they killed. He sent many
others; some of them they beat, others they killed."
Luke 1:25
"The LORD has done this for me," she said. "In these
days he has shown his favour and taken away my disgrace among the
people."
Luke 12:5
"But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after
the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell
you, fear Him."
John 1:25
"questioned Him, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the
Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?"
John 12:5
"Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It
was worth a year's wages."
Acts 1:25
"to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go
where he belongs."
Acts 12:5
"So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly
praying to God for Him."
Romans 1:25
"They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and
served created things rather than the Creator - who is forever
praised. Amen."
Romans 12:5
"so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member
belongs to all the others."
1 Corinthians 1:25
"For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the
weakness of God is stronger than man's strength."
1 Corinthians 12:5
"There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord."
2 Corinthians 12:5
"I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about
myself, except about my weaknesses."
Philippians 1:25
"Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will
continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith."
Colossians 1:25
"I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to
present to you the word of God in its fullness - "
Philemon has 1 chapter and 25 verses. (A verse well
repeated.)
"I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, because I
hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the
saints. I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that
you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in
Christ. Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because
you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints." (Philemon
4-7)
Philemon 25
"The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you spirit."
Hebrews 12:5
"And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses
you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline,
and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,"
James 1:25
"But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives
freedom and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard,
but doing it - he will be blessed in what he does."
1 Peter 1:25
"but the word of the Lord stands forever." And this is the
word that was preached to you."
Jude has 1 chapter and 25 verses. ( Verses well
repeated.)
"Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about
the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend
for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints."
(Jude 3)
"But you dear friends, build yourselves us in
your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in
God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring
you to eternal life. Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others
from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear -
hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh. To Him who is
able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious
presence without fault and with great joy - to the only God our
Saviour be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ
our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen." (Jude
20-25)
Jude 25
"to the only God our Saviour be glory, majesty, power and
authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and
forevermore! Amen."
Revelation 12:5
"She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the
nations with an iron sceptre. And her child was snatched up to God and
to his throne."
NOTE: The following books of Sacred Scripture
do not contain either 1:25 or 12:5 and thus are not able to
participate in the District's 125 Anniversary Thank Offering with
us: Ruth, Ezra, Esther, Song of Solomon, Lamentations, Daniel, Joel,
Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai,
Malachi, Galatians, Ephesians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1
Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, and 3 John.
Philippians 1:4-6