I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. In order to make that possible I read the passages and write my thoughts a day, or more. in advance. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.

    I prefer the NIV translation of this proverb. The righteous desire only things which lead to good for themselves and others. The wicked on the other hand hope for things which bring about wrath and judgment.

    Praise belongs to God for His greatness. God faithfully answers our prayers with mighty deeds. I do not deserve the things which God has done for me. I have sinned beyond any legitimate expectation of forgiveness. Yet God forgives me. He offers me redemption and calls me into His arms. I will praise God every day of my life and look forward to living in His presence. God inspires shouts for joy in all of the earth.

    I was going to talk about the faith of the leper mentioned in this passage and about the paralyzed man whom Jesus forgave, but it is the call of Levi, the tax collector, which struck me. As Jesus left town, He passed Levi the tax collector. Tax collectors were known for using their position to extort excessive payments from people and for their sinfulness. Yet when Jesus passed Levi all He saw was a child of God who desired to serve God. Jesus told Levi to follow Him and be His disciple. Levi, the sinner, immediately left everything and followed Jesus. This is just two verses, but it contains a powerful message. Are we willing to leave everything to follow Jesus? Perhaps more importantly, are we willing to follow Jesus’ example and extend His invitation to follow Him to those we pass who are deep sinners? Do we call the “tax collectors” of today to follow Jesus? Or do we think that they are too steeped in sin to respond to His call?

    This passage emphasizes the importance of justice. First it emphasizes that it is just to take the life of someone who intentionally kills someone. Then it sets up a system whereby those who kill someone by accident pay a price for that mistake, but are able to avoid being executed for it. Finally, it emphasizes the importance of being positive that a person is guilty of the crime before taking their life for it.

    I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. In order to make that possible I read the passages and write my thoughts a day, or more. in advance. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.

    The message in this proverb is for us both in considering ourselves and in considering our companions. Someone who possess beauty, but lacks discretion is of no value to anyone. When reading this proverb I often overlook the fact that to the writer of this proverb, pigs were not even a food source. Putting a gold ring in its nose would not change that. In the same way, beauty does not make a person who fails to be discrete someone with whom it is beneficial to spend time.

    The evil plot and plan in secret. They are careful to make sure that no one can discover what they are up to. However, no matter how careful they are, no matter how well they hide their plans, God will hold them accountable. He will strike them down and use their own words against them. It may look like the wicked will get away with their wicked deeds, but God will strike them down. He will not do it in secret, but in plain view for all to see. We will see God bring justice to the wicked and all will realize His great power.

    Luke tells us that Jesus was preaching in Capernaum and that the people there begged Him not to leave. However, He told them that He needed to preach the Gospel in other towns. Luke then tells us that He traveled around preaching in synagogues throughout Judea. This seems strange since, the very next story takes place in Galilee. However, it strikes me that Luke’s readers were probably familiar with Judea, but not with Galilee. I think Luke saying “Judea” is sort of like someone using “Washington” to refer to someone spending time in Bladensburg, MD, Hyattsville, MD, and other towns in Maryland inside the Beltway. In the same way, I think that many people living distant from the land of Jesus’ birth would view Galilee and Judea as “Judea”, the territory where Jews lived.
    Luke then gives his account of how Simon Peter, James and John came to be Jesus’ disciples. It is clear that this was not the first time Jesus had met Simon because a few verses earlier Luke told the story of Jesus healing Simon’s mother-in-law. On this occasion Jesus asked Simon to allow Him to preach from the boat a few feet away from the shore. When Jesus was done speaking, He asked Simon to put out into deeper water and catch some fish. From the context it appears that Simon was merely humoring Jesus when he put back out to fish. Simon did not expect to catch anything, they had been fishing all night and caught nothing. Since they had caught nothing during the best time for fishing, Simon was sure they would not catch anything now, and said so. However, not only did they catch fish, they caught so many that the nets began to tear and, when James and John joined them with their boat, both boats were at risk of sinking.
    Simon’s response to this was to ask Jesus to leave him, because he, Simon, was too sinful to be around Jesus. I am trying to put into words what I see in this story. First, Peter did not believe that anything would come of what Jesus asked him to do, but he did it anyway. Sometimes what God asks us to do seems pointless, but we need to be like Peter and do it anyway. Second, when Peter saw the results of doing what Jesus asked, he did not take credit for them. Peter realized that he had just been going through the motions, yet God had rewarded him far beyond his desserts. Am I willing to give God credit for the results He produces in my life? The final thing in this story is that Jesus called Simon, James and John to a new career. Am I willing to change the path of my life at God’s call?

    When Moses was preparing to divide up the land that they were about to invade among the tribes of Israel, the tribes of Reuben and Gad requested that instead of land west of the Jordan, they be allowed to claim the land which Israel had just conquered east of the Jordan River. Moses was concerned that they were afraid to join the rest of the tribes in invading the land. Moses was afraid that if he allowed them to stay east of the Jordan, it would discourage the rest of the people from invading. However, the tribes of Reuben and Gad assured Moses that they would join the rest of the people of Israel in conquering the land west of the Jordan, even though they already had the land they wanted. I see in this passage the importance of working with others to fulfill God’s will, even after our “part” of the task is “finished”.

    I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. In order to make that possible I read the passages and write my thoughts a day, or more. in advance. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.

    If you put up security for a stranger’s debt, you should figure on paying it back yourself. Guaranteeing another person’s debt is a risk that is likely to cost you.

    We may suffer when God chooses to correct us for our errors, but He will raise a banner for us to rally around. If we fear God and gather to His call, He will provide us with the support we need to overcome our troubles. With God’s help we will overcome our troubles and do mighty things.

    Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem each year for Passover. When Jesus was twelve He stayed behind in Jerusalem when His parents headed home. When they returned to Jerusalem it took them three days to find Him. When they did find Him He was in the Temple among the religious teachers, listening and asking questions. When Jesus’ mother faulted Him because they had searched all over, He asked her why they had to search? Did they not know He would be about His Father’s business? Which raises the question which we must ask ourselves. When others are looking for us, will they find us about our Father’s business? And, do they know to look for us doing our Father’s business?

    As a result of some of the men of Israel having relations with women of Moab and worshiping Moab’s gods, there had been a plague among the people of Israel. When the plague was over God told Moses to once more conduct a census of the men of fighting age among the Israelites. When they had finished the count, the number was a little over 600,000 men. This number was very close to the same as the number of fighting men in the census Moses had taken when they were at Mt. Sinai, 40 years earlier. This census was taken for the same reason the census was taken at Mt. Sinai, in order to organize the fighting men for the invasion of the Promised Land. After the first census, the people of Israel were afraid to invade. This time, God had shaped this generation to do His will. Have we allowed ourselves to be shaped to do God’s will?

    I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. In order to make that possible I read the passages and write my thoughts a day, or more. in advance. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.

    A nation which does not have leaders wise enough to take good advice will fall. The same holds true of companies and organizations. No one person can know enough to make the decisions needed to guide a large group of people without a multitude of wise advisers.

    The psalmist asks God to rescue him from his enemies, but he requests that God not kill them. He asks that God trap them with their sins and the evil things that they say. The psalmist asks God to cause them to be captured by their pride and their lies so that the entire world can see and learn from their fate. The wicked say evil things at night when they think that no one who might hold them to account can hear. Yet God hears them and will hold them to account. I will not be like those who speak evil and despise God. I will sing about God’s power every morning (well, perhaps the word “sing” is inappropriate for the sounds I make, but I will praise God every morning). He has been my refuge (and still is) when troubles have arisen.

    At the beginning of chapter 2 we have a statement by Luke that is both problematic and indicative of his attention to detail. Many biblical scholars find Luke’s reference to the census that occurred during the time that Quirinus was governor of Syria to be a problem because the other records we have indicate that Quirinus was not governor during the reign of Herod the Great. I will not go into the full set of arguments that can be used to deal with this problem. I will merely point out that the word used by Luke which is translated “governor” is elsewhere used to refer to several positions. There is another point I want to make. Later in this letter and in the Acts of the Apostles, Luke makes detailed descriptions of places and travel between places which many scholars used to believe were fictional or impractical. As time went on and more was learned about the time period, it was discovered that Luke’s account of those details was accurate after all. So, while I will not rule out that Luke got his facts wrong (this did happen before he would have been old enough to actually know what was going on and he had to rely on other sources), I tend to believe that he was more likely correct than our alternate sources who suggest that he was wrong.
    I have always been a fan of the story of the angels announcing the birth to the shepherds for various reasons (not least being the fact that my father read the story every Christmas Eve before we began opening our presents). I love these words spoken by the angel, “I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.”(NIV) That is the message we have to spread today. It is good news and a source of great joy to those who heed it, no matter who they are or where they live. I need to be reminded of this on a regular basis. When I a book, or a TV show, or a movie, or…well you get the idea…that gives me joy, I can’t wait to tell others about it, especially when I think they will get pleasure and/or joy from it as well. Yet, all too often I am reluctant to share the Gospel with those whom I know need to hear it.
    God, please forgive me for my lack of enthusiasm for telling others of your wondrous grace and give me the courage to do so more going forward.

    Yesterday I discussed the first two times Balaam looked out over the Israelites in order to attempt to curse them for Balak, the king of Moab. Balak took Balaam to a third place to try to find a curse for Israel from there. Balaam had realized by now that God would not allow him to curse Israel. So, this time Balaam did not bother with conducting his normal divination routine. Nevertheless the Spirit of God came upon him and gave him a message for Balak. Balaam warned Balak that those who bless Israel will be blessed and those who curse Israel will be cursed. Balak was furious with Balaam, but Balaam reminded him that he had warned Balak that he could only speak the words which God gave him.
    While the Israelites were still camped at this location, some of the Israelite men began sleeping with Moabite women. The women invited them to the sacrifices which they had to their pagan gods, and these men went with them. This passage is a reminder about the dangers of getting into a sexual relationship with someone who does not share your belief in God (whether it is a marital relationship or otherwise). It is all too easy to allow our sexual desires to lead us away from worshiping God.

    I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. In order to make that possible I read the passages and write my thoughts a day, or more. in advance. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.

    Living righteously leads us to avoid trouble, while the wicked walk headlong into it.

    This psalm gives us good advice for dealing with fear. When I am afraid, I will turn to God and trust in Him. If God is defending me, what can mere mortals do to harm me? I need fear nothing aside from God and I will trust the promises He has made. I will praise God and walk in His presence. He has promised good things to me.

    I have long loved the Gospel of Luke because Luke is so meticulous about laying out the facts as he knew them. Today’s passage contains the angel’s announcement to Zechariah that he would have a son. An interesting part of the announcement was when the angel said that John would “turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.” I am not sure what was meant here, but as I read it I see our society where to an ever greater extent fathers have nothing to do with raising their children and where children are taught to reject godliness. Today, we need a voice calling out to turn us to the Lord our God. A voice which will turn the hearts of fathers to their children. Someone who will cause the rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly. Let us pray to God that He bring our land such a voice. If God is calling me to be that voice, let me answer. If God is calling someone else who needs me to encourage them, let me encourage them. I ask that you be willing to be that voice. Let each of us be that voice in the places where we find ourselves.

    When the people of Israel were in the wilderness of Zin, once more they had no water. However, despite their experience with God’s power they rebelled against Moses and Aaron. They complained that Moses had led them into the wilderness to die. Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before God in front of the Tabernacle. Moses and Aaron were to take Aaron’s staff (the one which had budded) and in the presence of the people Moses was to speak to a specific rock. God said that when Moses did this, water would pour forth from the rock. Moses did as God had said, except instead of just speaking to the rock, he struck it with the staff. We have situation here where the people failed to have faith in God, but their leader, Moses, also failed to have full faith in God. Moses did not trust God that merely speaking to the rock would be enough to bring forth the water.