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NASB | Luke 11:52 "Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge; you yourselves did not enter, and you hindered those who were entering." |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Luke 11:52 "Woe to you lawyers, because you have taken away the key to knowledge (scriptural truth). You yourselves did not enter, and you held back those who were entering [by your flawed interpretation of God's word and your man-made tradition]." [Matt 23:13] |
Subject: Persicution |
Bible Note: well, for me to fully give my testimony would be too long. But i will say that before i came to personally know the Lord, and feel his influence in my life, I thought life was pretty much hopeless. "We live to die" i used to say. I always believed in Jesus, and God; but i felt they played a "passive" role at best in our lives. I always tried to read the bible, but could never get past Genesis 10. It all seemed unreal somehow, I guess it wasn't my time yet. I tried different churches, but never really felt comfortable. i asked questions, but never felt satisfied with the answers i recieved. So i prayed, and prayed, and read, and read; then something strange happened. it all started to make sense. My faith grew, and the things i read started to play themselves out in my life. Deepening my faith! i started to change little by little, the people i called friends, the places i went, the things i did, etc. Not by effort, but they just lost the appeal they once had. Then came the persecution. my family primarily (who had always called themselves Christians) also my ex-wife (that was a hard decision to make) began to refer to the Bible as "that book" i had it comming at me from every angle possible! i almost lost my footing as i was quite young in the faith, one night at my ex-wife's families house while i was under attack so to say, as they were bringing up my past, I went outside to be alone and pray. Now I know that this will sound "corney" or whatever, but, i asked the Lord if i was doing the right thing, was i on the right track? and as i was still saying the words, and looking into the night, i saw a shooting star exactly where my eyes were fixed on the stars. Or maybe it was a meteor, but anyhow it was so close, and bright that i heard it crackle as it went by! maybe you will say it was a firecracker or coincidence, but it strengthened me non the less, and confirmed in me that He was with me. Which was really all i needed, to know that i wasn't alone and he listened to me, that i mattered! there is much more to my story, as with all of us, but i don't want to bore you. let me just say that i find no greater joy than conversing on the scriptures and even debate is good to me, because it keeps us sharp and gives us the views of others. my hope and joy lies in the Kingdom of Christ, and that one even as myself can be recieved of him! to be in his presence not only spiritually but physically is my longing and when the kingdom does come, i think i will lie at his feet for a thousand years if he will permit me. |