For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

    I definitely agree with the proverb writer. I would rather live on a diet of bread and water (and stale bread at that) while living in peace than eat the fanciest feast among those who are arguing and agry with each other.

    The beginning of this psalm is a reflection of Israel’s early years of slavery in Egypt. However, it also reflects the experience of the Jewish people through most of history. In my opinion the second part of this psalm represents both the feelings of the psalmist and prophecy/curse. It is worth noting that the word used that is translated “Jerusalem” translates more accurately as “Zion”. Which means when the psalmist refers to those who “hate Jerusalem” he is referring to those who hate Jerusalem as a city of Jews.

    It is worth noting that at the end of his speech Stephen did not sugarcoat his point. He outright accuses those he was speaking to of deliberately disobeying God’s law. I think it is an important reminder to us that we do not always need to strive to avoid offending people. In this case, Stephen very clearly chose to offend those to whom he was speaking. Of course, if we follow Stephen’s example we should be prepared to experience what he experienced as well.
    When I read the story of Philip preaching in Samaria, I am reminded of the Amazing Randi. The Amazing Randi is a former magician(at least, I think he has retired) who took to debunking those claiming supernatural powers. His main point was that, as a magician, he knew how to perform, without any supernatural power, the same feats these people were claiming they used supernatural power to accomplish. When he watched the various shysters he debunked perform their miracles, he could generally tell how they were doing it. In those cases where he was not sure how they did it, it was because he could not tell which of several methods they were using. My point is that Simon was a renowned magician who was thought to have magical powers. He followed Philip around watching him perform miracles. Eventually, Simon believed and was baptized. This tells me that Simon saw what Philip was doing and realized that he could not duplicate it.

    I love Solomon’s prayer of dedication for the Temple. I do not believe that we need to face Jerusalem when we pray in order to be heard by God. However, I do believe that God honours Solomon’s prayer. There is a common theme through much of the prayer, “if they acknowledge God’s name and turn from their sins…” Solomon acknowledged that the Temple could not contain God. He presented the Temple as a visible symbol, turning towards the Temple represented turning towards God. It was not necessary, but we humans sometimes need to move our bodies in order to move our minds.

For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

    This proverb is an important warning. Each and everyone of us has a course of action open to us which seems right, but which leads to death. How do we distinguish the path which seems right from the path which is right?
    I am not sure I completely know the answer to that question, which frightens me, but the first step is being aware that there is a difference between that which seems right and that which is right.

    Every time I read this psalm there are two things which stand out to me. The first is that it we trust in God we will be as secure as a mountain. We may be shaken similar to the way a mountain is shaken by an earthquake, but as long as we trust in God, we will continue to stand.
    The second is, more or less, unrelated to the first. If the people of a nation are godly, those who rule over them will not be wicked. So, if you look at those in positions of government authority and they seem to be wicked, look to yourself and those around you. If those in authority are wicked, you cannot fix that by campaigning to change who is in authority, no matter if your campaign is by ballot box or by revolution. If those in authority are wicked, it means that the majority of those they govern over are not godly. The way to fix that problem is to work to convince more of the people to be godly (a large part, but by no means all, of that work is to pray that the Holy Spirit transform them).

    There are several lessons to be learned from the story of Ananias and Sapphira. However, I was reminded of something said by a pastor several years back. He said that maybe the reason we do not see more miracles in the Church today is that we are afraid of the downside of that which is what happened to Ananias and Sapphira. Or perhaps it is that God is merciful and knows that too many among us would be subject to the type of judgment which Ananias and Sapphira faced. As I write this, I think he reversed the order on those two.
    Related to that was something which struck me. At the end of yesterday’s passage was the account of how all the believers shared everything they had. There are a lot of people who say that we should model our society after that. I want to say that I can support local congregations doing this if they so choose. However, it is clear that this is not the only model, since by the end of Acts most Churches were not structured in this manner. The people who want to follow the economic model from Acts 4 tend to overlook the “enforcement” method for that model given to us in this story. Of course, the reason I put enforcement in quotes is because even here it is made clear that contributing to this system was purely voluntary. Ananias and Sapphira were not struck down for their failure to give all of their proceeds from selling their land. They were struck down for claiming that they had given all of their proceeds. The other problem I have with many who want to emulate this model is that they want to put the government in the place of God as the enforcer of compliance.
    The passage transitions to the Apostles being arrested by the Sanhedrin. The high priest confronted them by saying that they had given them strict orders not to teach in Jesus’ name (note that the high priest refused to actually use Jesus’ name in this). Peter’s answer is one which we must each remember every day, “We must obey God rather than any human authority.” When the law demands actions contrary to God’s commands, we must NOT obey the law. The Sanhedrin’s initial response to this insolence was to have the Apostles killed. However, Gamaliel persuaded them otherwise. His argument was that any movement which does not serve God’s purpose will die out in a short time. This is something we should keep in mind today. As Christians, we should not strive to use force to stop those who follow wrong teachings. God will deal with them in His time and His way.

    In yesterday’s passage, Solomon allowed his older brother, Adonijah, to live, even though he had mounted a rebellion to seize the throne. However, it was on the condition that Adonijah not make further trouble. Then Adonijah tried to get permission to marry King David’s last concubine. Solomon recognized this as an attempt by Adonijah to increase his claim to the throne. It is interesting that it was only after this that Solomon took action against those who had originally conspired with Adonijah to seize the throne. He ordered Abiathar the priest to retire to his home village. In addition, he only ordered the death of Joab after Joab declared his guilt by fleeing to the Tabernacle and claiming sanctuary at the altar.

For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

    The proverb writer compares kind words to honey in a positive way. He is correct that kind words make those we speak to feel good in much the same way that eating something sweet does (especially something like honey). It is also true that kind words can help bring healing to injury, even actual physical injury, in much the same way that honey can help by providing energy, if eaten, or by helping prevent infection, if applied to a wound. Let us keep this in mind when we talk to those we encounter.

    Rgw psalmist reminds us to look over our history and imagine what might have happened had God not been on our side. How would things have been different if God was not working to bring about good in this world? While the focus in this psalm is on the history of Israel, the message applies to all of us, both as groups and as individuals. Look back over your life and take note of the times when things could have gone much worse, when things just came together so that your path would be the best it could be, despite your bad decisions. I know that I am grateful to God for the wonderful ways in which He directed my life, even when I was not following His will for me.

    While Peter and John were preaching in the Temple after healing the lame man they were confronted by some priests and other religious leaders. The religious leaders arrested them and put them on trial. There is a subtext we often overlook. The leaders expected Peter and John to be intimidated by their “betters” and were amazed when it did not work out that way. We still see this sort of behavior today where some people attempt to use their academic credentials to intimidate others into silence. Our response needs to be the same as that of Peter and John, “We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.”
    When Peter and John told the other believers about how the religious leaders had ordered them to keep quiet about Jesus, the believers joined together in prayer. In the face of these threats, it is interesting to note what the believers prayer was. They did not pray for protection from those threatening them. No, they prayed for the boldness to continue preaching God’s word in the face of those threats. Do we have a similar attitude?

    When King David got very old and feeble, his oldest remaining son, Adonijah, decided to make himself king. Once more we are reminded of David’s shortcomings as a father. The passage tells us that David had never disciplined Adonijah, not even by so much as demanding an explanation for his bad behavior. Adonijah convinced two of David’s key advisers to support his effort to become king. How would things have gone differently had Adonijah approached David (or had one of his advisers do so)? Rather than seeking the kingship as a gift bestowed upon him by his father, Adonijah chose to seize the throne. It turned out that David’s advisers who had not been taken into Adonijah’s confidence had sufficient foresight and power to thwart Adonijah’s plans.