Watch Your Word

Notes: Watch Your Word

Matthew 12:36–37

SPEAKER:

Raul Ries

WORSHIP TEAM:

Citizens & Saints

Thursday, March 3, 2016 — 7:00 p.m.

We are called to be salt and light in this world. The world needs us today.

We are to be careful in what we are saying. There is only one sin that will not be forgiven, blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 12:32-35 ESV

[32] And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. [33] "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. [34] You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. [35] The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil.

How many times a day do I watch what I say?

Matthew 12:36-37 ESV

[36] I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, [37] for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."

Most seem to skip over these verses. Do I want to feel convicted for everything that I say?

Do you start your days on your knees before God?

Ephesians 6:17-18 ESV

[17] and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, [18] praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,

The power of speech is one of the most distinctive things of man over animal.

Do you seek first the Kingdom of God in your life?

Pastor Raul grew up in the house where his father cursed in front of him as a child. His father was abusive and Raul wanted to actually kill him as he got older. 

Raul forgave his father with the help of the Holy Spirit. Eventually his father came to the Lord as well.

We are to put on the whole armor of God. Satan will attack us in any little opening that we leave available to him.

2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV

[17] Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

Ephesians 2:10 ESV

[10] For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

God works on us every day. There is no day He is not with us.

What if God grabbed your phone and looked at your text and emails?

We are to obey the orders of God. Yet Jesus gives us orders with the grace of God. Every day we are given a choice.

We are to build up people with our words, not tear them down.

Are the things you said to your spouse a shame? 

One day we will have to give an account of our words.

Are you bringing shame to yourself? You are also bringing shame to Jesus.

A real child of God will be convicted and make a change.

We are to be salt and light. The Bible says, " Be holy, for I am holy."

God has forgiven me of my sin.

Words are powerful. We must never underestimate the power of words.

We are to build up people, do not tear them down with your words.

Let's listen to Jesus' words, how do we do that? Reading His word, spending time speaking to Him.

Spend time alone with God and ask Him to speak to you. We need to spend time on our knees. Grab a piece of paper and the Bible and see what the Lord says to you while you are there.

The right words can build us up, we need to use Gods words.

Words go in through your ears but it ends up in your heart. Tonight you need to surrender. 

Empty Yourself of Self

Notes:  Empty Yourself of Self

Valor Men’s Study

Pastor Raul Ries

Matthew 1

Dec 15, 2015

Harvest OC

The word of God can transform your life. When we see people not being transformed, yet they are hearing the word of God, we start to wonder what is happening in them.

In Matthew 1 we see imperfect are in the lineage of the Lord.

Matthew 1:18 NKJV

[18] Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.

Isaiah 7:14 NKJV

[14] Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.

When we think of sin, have we really come to that point in life where we have been taken out of the world and start living in the Spirit?

Jesus came and died for the sins of the world.

Pastor Raul has been having seizures for the last eight years. It has been a real thorn in his side.

He asks the Lord, why does he have the seizures? He hears the Lord tell him that His grace is sufficient.

Matthew 1:18 NKJV

[18] Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.

When you think of the Holy Spirit, he thinks of how it brings peace to his life.

He thinks of what Mary would have had to have thought. That she was carrying a baby, what could have happened to her, she could have been stoned.

Think of the Grace of God in your life, all of the things that God has given you.

Jesus will not only lead you and guide you, but will bring comfort in your life.

Matthew 1:21-22 NKJV

[21] And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins." [22] So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying:

Salvation is the gift of God. The grace that was given to you. God wants to use you.

Ephesians 2:4 NKJV

[4] But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,

When we love each other the first thing we need to do is to forgive each other.

If the grace of God is working in your life is what others are looking at.

The grace of God is how we are saved and the grace of God is what is our witness.

How many have you influenced with your life? Do people even know you are a Christian?

Grace will give you peace that surpasses all understanding.

Romans 5:8 NKJV

[8] But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

If Christ died for me then I need to learn how to die to myself.

When you come to church, pray that you leave with the love of Christ showing in your life.

Titus 3:5-7 NKJV

[5] not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, [6] whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, [7] that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

You need to ask for forgiveness for all the things you have done against others.

Christ not only changes you, but he continues to change you as you continue to submit.

If you are having problems with you life, wife, drugs or alcohol or whatever. Remember that forgiveness comes as you continue to submit to the Lord.

God is the one who is worthy of all of the glory.

Acts 4:12 NKJV

[12] Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

1 Corinthians 1:18 NKJV

[18] For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Recognize that Jesus not only died, but he went through pain for you so that you can gain.

Do you still look to the cross of Jesus Christ?

There is no one else that can bring comfort to your life.

Strip yourself of self so that others can see the power of the Holy Spirit in your life.

If the devil comes trying to condemn you, don't listen to him.

Jeremiah 17:9 NKJV

[9] "The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?

Pray that God takes away all of your pride, pride is a horrible thing.

God knows us and gives us the strength of the Holy Spirit.

Pray to empty yourself of self so that you can be filled with the Holy Spirit.

A Person Who Protects His Mind

Notes: A Person Who Protects His Mind
Raul Ries
9/9/2014

Next week we will start in the book of Matthew and go chapter by chapter. He suggest reading it before we come next week.

What are we thinking about?

The mind controls the good and the evil.

When we come to Christ, we are to reckon the old man to be dead. 

We are to be in the word, in prayer, in churches of fellowship.

It was said: The church today is a 1000 mikes long but only 3 feet deep. 

Church is not like a movie theater, it is a place to develop. 

The word of God cleanses our minds and hearts. You have to put on the whole armor of God, the mind is the helmet.

God took Ezekiel's wife from him. In 722 BC, Syria took Judah. 

God used an evil nation to come and chasten the people of Israel. Could America be being chastened by our own government today?

In Babylon people were in captivity for 70 years.

Daniel was around in these times. 

Ezekiel 8:1-2 NKJV
[1] And it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I sat in my house with the elders of Judah sitting before me, that the hand of the Lord GOD fell upon me there. [2] Then I looked, and there was a likeness, like the appearance of fire-from the appearance of His waist and downward, fire; and from His waist and upward, like the appearance of brightness, like the color of amber.


This was the appearance of God, no one has seen the front side of God.

Ezekiel 8:3 NKJV
[3] He stretched out the form of a hand, and took me by a lock of my hair; and the Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven, and brought me in visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the north gate of the inner court, where the seat of the image of jealousy was, which provokes to jealousy.

When he was taken to the temple, he saw jealousy.

God was with them, God warned them, God moved away, then God left them.

God took Ezekiel into the peoples minds.

Ezekiel 8:5 NKJV
[5] Then He said to me, "Son of man, lift your eyes now toward the north." So I lifted my eyes toward the north, and there, north of the altar gate, was this image of jealousy in the entrance.

Jealousy was a god to the people those days. Today many people now to jealousy as a god.

Could it be possible today that we could have a nation invade us? Iran, Turkey, Russia, those country's don't fear us like they were in the past.

Like in the 7th century, Islam is trying to take the world over again today. Like how Revelation 13 describes.

Muslims all around the world are trying to take over. Raul says he sees this more and more each day. Like Ezekiel 39 describes.

Raul is talking about how 9 jets are currently missing.

Ezekiel 8:6 NKJV
[6] Furthermore He said to me, "Son of man, do you see what they are doing, the great abominations that the house of Israel commits here, to make Me go far away from My sanctuary? Now turn again, you will see greater abominations."

The house of Israel would be the church, such as Christians are today.

Raul says he counsels a lot of people and he really gets to see how sick people are inside the church today. 

Ezekiel 8:7 NKJV
[7] So He brought me to the door of the court; and when I looked, there was a hole in the wall.

God is going to take him into the minds of the people.

Ezekiel 8:9-10 NKJV
[9] And He said to me, "Go in, and see the wicked abominations which they are doing there." [10] So I went in and saw, and there-every sort of creeping thing, abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, portrayed all around on the walls.

Everywhere he looked he saw how polluted and damaged all of these peoples minds are.

Raul hears what people are watching and doing in their own homes and says that is what is what is going in in their minds.

So God can dwell in your home, or mind, it needs to be clean.

Ezekiel 8:11 NKJV
[11] And there stood before them seventy men of the elders of the house of Israel, and in their midst stood Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan. Each man had a censer in his hand, and a thick cloud of incense went up.

This is the pastors, saying prayers. Like the incense the prayers were going no where.

Ezekiel 8:12 NKJV
[12] Then He said to me, "Son of man, have you seen what the elders of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the room of his idols? For they say, 'The LORD does not see us, the LORD has forsaken the land.'"

In the light of Jesus in your life, that can affect and add the light into other's lives. You need to have a place for God to have that light showing from your life.

If we stumble people as Christians we are held more accountable. The more we have the more we are responsible for.

The Holy Spirit convicts us, if we don't listen then the Holy Spirit will chasten. Like spanking your child for walking into a street, it is so they remember not to do it again.

Like in Revelation 20, God will not hold us accountable for every sin, but for the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. That sin will get you thrown into the lake of fire.

Raul admits when he reads about Heaven, or the end of Revelation he doesn't clearly understand it. 

God is everywhere, people have to worship God in spirit and in truth. God sees, He hears and then he touches our lives.

Ezekiel 8:13-14 NKJV
[13] And He said to me, "Turn again, and you will see greater abominations that they are doing." [14] So He brought me to the door of the north gate of the LORD's house; and to my dismay, women were sitting there weeping for Tammuz.

Tammuz, is a person in the Old Testament, she was the god of fertility. Babies were sacrificed to this false gods. Raul speaks of abortions and how many of them have taken place today.

Ezekiel 8:15-16 NKJV
[15] Then He said to me, "Have you seen this, O son of man? Turn again, you will see greater abominations than these." [16] So He brought me into the inner court of the LORD's house; and there, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about twenty-five men with their backs toward the temple of the LORD and their faces toward the east, and they were worshiping the sun toward the east.

The priest were worshipping the sun, not God.

Ezekiel 8:17 NKJV
[17] And He said to me, "Have you seen this, O son of man? Is it a trivial thing to the house of Judah to commit the abominations which they commit here? For they have filled the land with violence; then they have returned to provoke Me to anger. Indeed they put the branch to their nose.

A cult was doing that with branches in their noses.

Ezekiel 8:18 NKJV
[18] Therefore I also will act in fury. My eye will not spare nor will I have pity; and though they cry in My ears with a loud voice, I will not hear them."

Maybe there in no response in America by God to the church because of these same things. Individuals are having prayers answered but the church is not getting a revival or prayers answered as God helps individuals.

The word of God is what keeps us moving as individual Christians. Imagine what we could do to the darkness, if as a whole church we stayed in God's word.

You need to pray to God so that He can speak to your heart.

If you spend time in the word of God every morning, when you have trials throughout the day, God will be there for you.

When you raise your hands to God during worship time, that is a small sign of surrender to God.

God does not have to continue to speak to us, we must pray that He continues too.

Keep your eyes and ears on Jesus!

Spending Time in the Word

Notes: Spending Time in the Word
Cornerstone Community Church
Pastor Raul Ries
9-2-2014

Pastor Raul is speaking about the Old Testament and sacrifices.

Pastor Raul is saying the Christian way is not for everyone, the road to Heaven is narrow.

When your spiritual house is not built on the rock of Jesus Christ then it can be washed away. Like a sand castle on the beach, you wouldn't build your actual house on the sand.

If Christ is your rock then you should not be moved in any way.

Pastor Raul is talking about how they killed lambs and cleaned them as sacrifice. They would blow a rams horn and the people would know the sacrifice would be made.

Matthew 7:21-23 NKJV
[21] "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. [22] Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' [23] And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'

Jesus wants these people to understand that the entrance to Heaven is hard to reach that you don't get there by what you do. It's the grace of God that gets you into Heaven and we must recognize that.

Pastor Raul says if you don't have Jesus Christ and don't know God, then where you spend the most time is your God. He says to get a piece of paper and track what you do for a week and you will be shocked to find the truth about yourself. What do you do with all your time in a week? The answer to that is who your God really is.

Pastor Raul says he starts and ends his days in the word of God. You should not spend time with people who only spend time in this world, we need to focus on Heaven. Eternity is where we should look to.

If you trip in this world, the Holy Spirit will convict you. That is a way that you know God is working in your life.

Hebrews 12:7-8 NKJV
[7] If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? [8] But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.

You need to know the word of God, if you need three meals a day to be physically healthy, then how much spiritual food do you need? Your are the temple of the living God. God says he will destroy the person that defiles His temple. Spending time in the word of God is the only way to feed yourself spiritually.

If you take Gods permissive will and abuse it, He gives you freedom but He makes you pay for what you do.

If God can trust you, then He will give you more to do. If you don't live the gospel then you can make others stumble. You are the only gospel many people may see.

Salt in the days of Jesus was a preservative. If the salt is no longer any good, then they would throw it away. As a Christian, we are called the salt of the earth.

Raul is speaking of tithing. Today you are to give out of your heart, you don't have to give ten percent. You have to give what you are happy giving God. We need Gods help He doesn't need our help.

The NIV bible has had 5000 words deleted from it. Raul prefers the New King James. He suggest the NKJV for reading.

Genesis 22:8 NKJV
[8] And Abraham said, "My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering." So the two of them went together.

Genesis 22:8 NIV
[8] Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.

Raul is talking about the different versions of the Bible. He used the verse above to show differences.

John the Baptist says Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

Every time Jesus was tempted by the devil in the wilderness, Jesus rebuked by saying it is written. You don't  have to yell at the devil, you use Gods word. Know your Bible verses.

God said to the devil, have you tried my servant Job. The devil killed a Jobs children. Job did not curse God, he even rebuked his wife for telling him to curse God. God taught us in the book of Job what patience is and to keep your eyes focused on God.

When you keep your eyes on The Lord, things happen. Like when Moses parted the Red Sea, it was when he looked up is when God gave him the power to part it.

Matthew 7:21 NKJV
[21] "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.

Pray without ceasing, keep your eyes on Jesus when you do everything. Faithful in the little things. Are you listening to The Lord?

In Revelation "has an ear to hear" is used seven times in two chapters.

Revelation 2:7,11,17 NKJV
[7] "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God."' [11] "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death."' [17] "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it."'

Revelation 3:13,22 NKJV
[13] "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."' [22] "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."'"

Is the world listening? Do you have "ears to hear".

Is God affecting my life? Do I hear God, am I noticing His work?

Why did God work with Moses, Noah and Abraham? Because they submitted to God.

The world was ruling me before I came to Jesus. Now the Holy Spirit is in my life, the Holy Spirit provides you Peace!

You know you are in the good will of God when you experience peace in your life.

Even Jesus prayed to be spared by His Father, but always finished with "Your will be done!"

Matthew 12:31 NKJV
[31] "Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men.

This is the only sin that is not forgiven! The blasphemy against the Holy Spirit! All other sins can be forgiven.

Only the Holy Spirit can convert someone! The best way to witness is with your life!

Don't push yourself on people, just throw the seeds out. Jesus is the only one who can make those seeds grow.

Stay faithful.

Matthew 16:24 NKJV
[24] Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

You want Jesus in your life then do two things:
1. Deny yourself.
2. Follow Jesus

Raul reads the word of God before he goes to bed, to protect himself.

Pastor Raul ask God every night before he goes to bed if he will wake up in the morning.

We are all only one breath away from death!

2 Corinthians 5:8 NKJV
[8] We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.

If you take your last breath will you be in the presence of God?

Message by Raul Ries

Notes: Message by Raul Ries

Pastor Raul Ries 1/2/2014 visiting Harvest.

1 John 2:26-27 (NKJV)

These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you. [27] But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.

Be careful of deception.

Socrates said - False words are not only evil in themselves but they infect the soul with evil.

In order to know God you have to know the author of the book.

1 John 2:18-19 (NKJV)

Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. [19] They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.

1 John 2:22 (NKJV)

Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.

1 John 4:1-6 (NKJV)

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. [2] By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, [3] and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. [4] You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. [5] They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. [6] We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

You need to be able to defend the faith. Jesus came to preach, to teach and to heal.

2 Corinthians 11:13-15 (NKJV)

For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. [14] And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. [15] Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.

Colossians 2:8 (NKJV)

Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.

Satan lies to people through drugs, alcohol and suicide.

1 Timothy 4:1 (NKJV)

Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,

How can you have the power in your life to rebuke satan if you are walking in darkness.

2 Peter 2:1-3 (NKJV)

But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. [2] And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. [3] By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.

Matthew 7:13 (NKJV)

"Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.

Matthew 7:21-23 (NKJV)

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. [22] Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' [23] And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'

Deceivers are everywhere.

2 John 1:7 (NKJV)

For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

What are their characteristics:

Jeremiah 23:17 (NKJV)

They continually say to those who despise Me, ' The LORD has said, "You shall have peace"'; And to everyone who walks according to the dictates of his own heart, they say, ' No evil shall come upon you.'"

What are they teaching:

Jeremiah 28:15 (NKJV)

Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet, "Hear now, Hananiah, the LORD has not sent you, but you make this people trust in a lie.

They also teach:

Matthew 7:22-23 (NKJV)

Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' [23] And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'

Is it worth losing one second for Gods use of your life for self pleasure.

Hebrews 12:17 (NKJV)

For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.

Proverbs 10:27 (NKJV)

The fear of the LORD prolongs days, But the years of the wicked will be shortened.

Matthew 3:12 (NKJV)

His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."

Romans 1:18 (NKJV)

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,

Romans 1:29-32 (NKJV)

being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, [30] backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, [31] undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; [32] who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

Luke 16:19-27,29-31 (NKJV)

"There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. [20] But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, [21] desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. [22] So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. [23] And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. [24] "Then he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.' [25] But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. [26] And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.' [27] "Then he said, 'I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, [29] Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.' [30] And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' [31] But he said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.'"