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Monday
The First
Lesson
Daniel 6:1-8
1 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty
princes, which should be over the whole kingdom;
2 And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first:
that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king
should have no damage.
3 Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes,
because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought
to set him over the whole realm.
4 Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against
Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion
nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any
error or fault found in him.
5 Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against
this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law
of his God.
6 Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the
king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever.
7 All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes,
the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted together to
establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever
shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save
of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.
8 Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that
it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians,
which altereth not.
1st Lesson Questions -
Why didn't the satraps like Daniel? Which of the seven deadly sins (Pride, Greed, Lust, Envy, Gluttony, Anger, Sloth) were theirs? RESOLVE.
The Second
Lesson
Acts 26:1-23
1 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for
thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for
himself:
2 I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer
for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof
I am accused of the Jews:
3 Especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs
and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee
to hear me patiently.
4 My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among
mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;
5 Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that
after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.
6 And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made
of God unto our fathers:
7 Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God
day and night, hope to come. For which hope's sake, king Agrippa,
I am accused of the Jews.
8 Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that
God should raise the dead?
9 I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things
contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
10 Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints
did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief
priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against
them.
11 And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled
them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I
persecuted them even unto strange cities.
12 Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission
from the chief priests,
13 At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above
the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which
journeyed with me.
14 And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice
speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul,
why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against
the pricks.
15 And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom
thou persecutest.
16 But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto
thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness
both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things
in the which I will appear unto thee;
17 Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto
whom now I send thee,
18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light,
and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness
of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith
that is in me.
19 Whereupon,
O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:
20 But showed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem,
and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles,
that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for
repentance.
21 For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went
about to kill me.
22 Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this
day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things
than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:
23 That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first
that should rise from the dead, and should show light unto the
people, and to the Gentiles.
2nd Lesson Questions -
Paul said he was "not disobedient unto the heavenly vision." (V. 19) Am I obedient to my God-given vision? RESOLVE.