"A Nation That's Lost Its Soul"
Psalms 139 (NASB)
1 O LORD, You have searched me and known me.2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar.3 You scrutinize my path and my lying down, And are intimately acquainted with all my ways.4 Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O LORD, You know it all.5 You have enclosed me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me.6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is too high, I cannot attain to it.7 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?8 If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.9 If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,10 Even there Your hand will lead me, And Your right hand will lay hold of me.11 If I say, Surely the darkness will overwhelm me, And the light around me will be night,12 Even the darkness is not dark to You, And the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to You.13 For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mothers womb.14 I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.15 My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth;16 Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them.17 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them!18 If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand. When I awake, I am still with You.19 O that You would slay the wicked, O God; Depart from me, therefore, men of bloodshed.20 For they speak against You wickedly, And Your enemies take Your name in vain.21 Do I not hate those who hate You, O LORD? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?22 I hate them with the utmost hatred; They have become my enemies.23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts;24 And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.
1 O LORD, You have searched me and known me.2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar.3 You scrutinize my path and my lying down, And are intimately acquainted with all my ways.4 Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O LORD, You know it all.5 You have enclosed me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me.6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is too high, I cannot attain to it.7 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?8 If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.9 If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,10 Even there Your hand will lead me, And Your right hand will lay hold of me.11 If I say, Surely the darkness will overwhelm me, And the light around me will be night,12 Even the darkness is not dark to You, And the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to You.13 For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mothers womb.14 I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.15 My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth;16 Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them.17 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them!18 If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand. When I awake, I am still with You.19 O that You would slay the wicked, O God; Depart from me, therefore, men of bloodshed.20 For they speak against You wickedly, And Your enemies take Your name in vain.21 Do I not hate those who hate You, O LORD? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?22 I hate them with the utmost hatred; They have become my enemies.23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts;24 And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.
John 8 (NASB)
1 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.2 Early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people were coming to Him; and He sat down and began to teach them.3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the center of the court,4 they said to Him, Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act.5 Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?6 They were saying this, testing Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground.7 But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.8 Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.9 When they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the center of the court.10 Straightening up, Jesus said to her, Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?11 She said, No one, Lord. And Jesus said, I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more.]12 Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.13 So the Pharisees said to Him, You are testifying about Yourself; Your testimony is not true.14 Jesus answered and said to them, Even if I testify about Myself, My testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from or where I am going.15 You judge according to the flesh; I am not judging anyone.16 But even if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone in it, but I and the Father who sent Me.17 Even in your law it has been written that the testimony of two men is true.18 I am He who testifies about Myself, and the Father who sent Me testifies about Me.19 So they were saying to Him, Where is Your Father? Jesus answered, You know neither Me nor My Father; if you knew Me, you would know My Father also.20 These words He spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple; and no one seized Him, because His hour had not yet come.21 Then He said again to them, I go away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin; where I am going, you cannot come.22 So the Jews were saying, Surely He will not kill Himself, will He, since He says, Where I am going, you cannot come?23 And He was saying to them, You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world.24 Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.25 So they were saying to Him, Who are You? Jesus said to them, What have I been saying to you from the beginning?26 I have many things to speak and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and the things which I heard from Him, these I speak to the world.27 They did not realize that He had been speaking to them about the Father.28 So Jesus said, When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me.29 And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.30 As He spoke these things, many came to believe in Him.31 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine;32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.33 They answered Him, We are Abrahams descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, You will become free?34 Jesus answered them, Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever.36 So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.37 I know that you are Abrahams descendants; yet you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you.38 I speak the things which I have seen with My Father; therefore you also do the things which you heard from your father.39 They answered and said to Him, Abraham is our father. Jesus said to them, If you are Abrahams children, do the deeds of Abraham.40 But as it is, you are seeking to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth, which I heard from God; this Abraham did not do.41 You are doing the deeds of your father. They said to Him, We were not born of fornication; we have one Father: God.42 Jesus said to them, If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me.43 Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word.44 You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.45 But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me.46 Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me?47 He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God.48 The Jews answered and said to Him, Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?49 Jesus answered, I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me.50 But I do not seek My glory; there is One who seeks and judges.51 Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he will never see death.52 The Jews said to Him, Now we know that You have a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets also; and You say, If anyone keeps My word, he will never taste of death.53 Surely You are not greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets died too; whom do You make Yourself out to be?54 Jesus answered, If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing; it is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, He is our God;55 and you have not come to know Him, but I know Him; and if I say that I do not know Him, I will be a liar like you, but I do know Him and keep His word.56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.57 So the Jews said to Him, You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?58 Jesus said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.59 Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple.
1 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.2 Early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people were coming to Him; and He sat down and began to teach them.3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the center of the court,4 they said to Him, Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act.5 Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?6 They were saying this, testing Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground.7 But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.8 Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.9 When they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the center of the court.10 Straightening up, Jesus said to her, Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?11 She said, No one, Lord. And Jesus said, I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more.]12 Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.13 So the Pharisees said to Him, You are testifying about Yourself; Your testimony is not true.14 Jesus answered and said to them, Even if I testify about Myself, My testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from or where I am going.15 You judge according to the flesh; I am not judging anyone.16 But even if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone in it, but I and the Father who sent Me.17 Even in your law it has been written that the testimony of two men is true.18 I am He who testifies about Myself, and the Father who sent Me testifies about Me.19 So they were saying to Him, Where is Your Father? Jesus answered, You know neither Me nor My Father; if you knew Me, you would know My Father also.20 These words He spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple; and no one seized Him, because His hour had not yet come.21 Then He said again to them, I go away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin; where I am going, you cannot come.22 So the Jews were saying, Surely He will not kill Himself, will He, since He says, Where I am going, you cannot come?23 And He was saying to them, You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world.24 Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.25 So they were saying to Him, Who are You? Jesus said to them, What have I been saying to you from the beginning?26 I have many things to speak and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and the things which I heard from Him, these I speak to the world.27 They did not realize that He had been speaking to them about the Father.28 So Jesus said, When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me.29 And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.30 As He spoke these things, many came to believe in Him.31 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine;32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.33 They answered Him, We are Abrahams descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, You will become free?34 Jesus answered them, Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever.36 So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.37 I know that you are Abrahams descendants; yet you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you.38 I speak the things which I have seen with My Father; therefore you also do the things which you heard from your father.39 They answered and said to Him, Abraham is our father. Jesus said to them, If you are Abrahams children, do the deeds of Abraham.40 But as it is, you are seeking to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth, which I heard from God; this Abraham did not do.41 You are doing the deeds of your father. They said to Him, We were not born of fornication; we have one Father: God.42 Jesus said to them, If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me.43 Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word.44 You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.45 But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me.46 Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me?47 He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God.48 The Jews answered and said to Him, Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?49 Jesus answered, I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me.50 But I do not seek My glory; there is One who seeks and judges.51 Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he will never see death.52 The Jews said to Him, Now we know that You have a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets also; and You say, If anyone keeps My word, he will never taste of death.53 Surely You are not greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets died too; whom do You make Yourself out to be?54 Jesus answered, If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing; it is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, He is our God;55 and you have not come to know Him, but I know Him; and if I say that I do not know Him, I will be a liar like you, but I do know Him and keep His word.56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.57 So the Jews said to Him, You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?58 Jesus said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.59 Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple.
Daniel 10 (NASB)
1 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a message was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar; and the message was true and one of great conflict, but he understood the message and had an understanding of the vision.2 In those days, I, Daniel, had been mourning for three entire weeks.3 I did not eat any tasty food, nor did meat or wine enter my mouth, nor did I use any ointment at all until the entire three weeks were completed.4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, while I was by the bank of the great river, that is, the Tigris,5 I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, there was a certain man dressed in linen, whose waist was girded with a belt of pure gold of Uphaz.6 His body also was like beryl, his face had the appearance of lightning, his eyes were like flaming torches, his arms and feet like the gleam of polished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a tumult.7 Now I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, while the men who were with me did not see the vision; nevertheless, a great dread fell on them, and they ran away to hide themselves.8 So I was left alone and saw this great vision; yet no strength was left in me, for my natural color turned to a deathly pallor, and I retained no strength.9 But I heard the sound of his words; and as soon as I heard the sound of his words, I fell into a deep sleep on my face, with my face to the ground.10 Then behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees.11 He said to me, O Daniel, man of high esteem, understand the words that I am about to tell you and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you. And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling.12 Then he said to me, Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words.13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia was withstanding me for twenty-one days; then behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia.14 Now I have come to give you an understanding of what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision pertains to the days yet future.15 When he had spoken to me according to these words, I turned my face toward the ground and became speechless.16 And behold, one who resembled a human being was touching my lips; then I opened my mouth and spoke and said to him who was standing before me, O my lord, as a result of the vision anguish has come upon me, and I have retained no strength.17 For how can such a servant of my lord talk with such as my lord? As for me, there remains just now no strength in me, nor has any breath been left in me.18 Then this one with human appearance touched me again and strengthened me.19 He said, O man of high esteem, do not be afraid. Peace be with you; take courage and be courageous! Now as soon as he spoke to me, I received strength and said, May my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.20 Then he said, Do you understand why I came to you? But I shall now return to fight against the prince of Persia; so I am going forth, and behold, the prince of Greece is about to come.21 However, I will tell you what is inscribed in the writing of truth. Yet there is no one who stands firmly with me against these forces except Michael your prince.
1 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a message was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar; and the message was true and one of great conflict, but he understood the message and had an understanding of the vision.2 In those days, I, Daniel, had been mourning for three entire weeks.3 I did not eat any tasty food, nor did meat or wine enter my mouth, nor did I use any ointment at all until the entire three weeks were completed.4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, while I was by the bank of the great river, that is, the Tigris,5 I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, there was a certain man dressed in linen, whose waist was girded with a belt of pure gold of Uphaz.6 His body also was like beryl, his face had the appearance of lightning, his eyes were like flaming torches, his arms and feet like the gleam of polished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a tumult.7 Now I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, while the men who were with me did not see the vision; nevertheless, a great dread fell on them, and they ran away to hide themselves.8 So I was left alone and saw this great vision; yet no strength was left in me, for my natural color turned to a deathly pallor, and I retained no strength.9 But I heard the sound of his words; and as soon as I heard the sound of his words, I fell into a deep sleep on my face, with my face to the ground.10 Then behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees.11 He said to me, O Daniel, man of high esteem, understand the words that I am about to tell you and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you. And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling.12 Then he said to me, Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words.13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia was withstanding me for twenty-one days; then behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia.14 Now I have come to give you an understanding of what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision pertains to the days yet future.15 When he had spoken to me according to these words, I turned my face toward the ground and became speechless.16 And behold, one who resembled a human being was touching my lips; then I opened my mouth and spoke and said to him who was standing before me, O my lord, as a result of the vision anguish has come upon me, and I have retained no strength.17 For how can such a servant of my lord talk with such as my lord? As for me, there remains just now no strength in me, nor has any breath been left in me.18 Then this one with human appearance touched me again and strengthened me.19 He said, O man of high esteem, do not be afraid. Peace be with you; take courage and be courageous! Now as soon as he spoke to me, I received strength and said, May my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.20 Then he said, Do you understand why I came to you? But I shall now return to fight against the prince of Persia; so I am going forth, and behold, the prince of Greece is about to come.21 However, I will tell you what is inscribed in the writing of truth. Yet there is no one who stands firmly with me against these forces except Michael your prince.