Monthly Archives: October 2015

Daily Bible Study

October 22, 2015 Bible Study — Do Not Be Ashamed To Tell Others About Jesus

For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

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Proverbs 26:1-2

    The godly need not fear the “evil eye” because an undeserved curse will not cause any harm. If you do right by everyone you meet than you need not fear any attempts to send negative “karma” your way.

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Psalm 90-91

    I will not fear plague nor death because I trust in God. God provides us with a place of safety where no harm may come to us. If we do God’s will our reward will be greater than any danger we may face.

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2 Timothy 1

    We should never be ashamed to tell others about Jesus and our faith. Not only should we not be ashamed to speak of our faith, we should not be ashamed of those who suffer for having that same faith. Rather than be ashamed of the gospel message we should be willing, even eager, to suffer for speaking that message. In the face of persecution let us cling to the confidence Paul expresses here. Paul knew in whom he believed and was confident that He was able to guard his faith until the day of Christ’s return.
    There is a great song based on this passage which reminds us that in the face of challenges there may be many things we do not know, but there is one thing which we can know. That one thing is who we have believed in.


Verse 1
I know not why God’s wondrous grace
To me He hath made known,
Nor why, unworthy, Christ in love
Redeemed me for His own.

Refrain
But I know Whom I have believèd,
And am persuaded that He is able
To keep that which I’ve committed
Unto Him against that day.

Verse 2
I know not how this saving faith
To me He did impart,
Nor how believing in His Word
Wrought peace within my heart.

Refrain

Verse 3
I know not how the Spirit moves,
Convincing us of sin,
Revealing Jesus through the Word,
Creating faith in Him.

Refrain

Verse 4
I know not what of good or ill
May be reserved for me,
Of weary ways or golden days,
Before His face I see.

Refrain

Verse 5
I know not when my Lord may come,
At night or noonday fair,
Nor if I walk the vale with Him,
Or meet Him in the air.

Refrain


This song reminds us that, no matter what doubts we may have, we do not need to doubt God’s power or His faithfulness. I may not know the answers to your questions, but I know whom I have believed.

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Jeremiah 39-41

    In this passage, Zedekiah receives the reward for his timidity, for his refusal to stand up for what he knew was right. On the other hand, Ebed-melech, the man who had saved Jeremiah from the cistern, was rewarded for the risks he had taken in serving God.

Daily Bible Study

October 21, 2015 Bible Study — Greed Leads To Other Sins

For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

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Proverbs 25:28

    A person without self-control is vulnerable to their enemies. They will be unable to defend themselves against attack, whether that attack is physical, emotional, or spiritual. The first step to defending oneself against assault is to develop self-control.

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Psalm 89:38-52

    No matter how wealthy and powerful you may be, if God no longer favors you, you will not stand. It is only through God’s grace that we may live lives of comfort and ease.

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1 Timothy 6

    Paul warns against those who believe and teach that godliness is a path to wealth. Those who follow such teaching put on a show of godliness but do not exhibit the real thing. Those who are truly godly are content with what God has given them. We will leave our material wealth behind when we leave this world. Therefore, if we have what we need to survive, we should be content. Here Paul writes something outright which he has alluded to in many of his other letters. Greed (the love of money) is the root of most other sins. Those who seek after material wealth all too easily fall into the trap of justifying their sins in the pursuit of wealth. I want to point out that Paul makes it clear that it is not a sin to be wealthy. Some people do acquire great wealth while living godly lives. However, those who gain material riches must be careful not to put their faith in their wealth. They must be generous and use their material wealth to do good works. Most important, they must remember, and so must the rest of us, that their wealth does not make them better than others.

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Jeremiah 37-38

    We see here that Zedekiah was a weak king. When some of his officials came to him demanding that he condemn Jeremiah, he told them to do as they liked because he could not stop them. Later, when another of his officials came to him and told him that what was being done to Jeremiah was wrong, he lent that official some of his guards to rescue Jeremiah. He consulted with Jeremiah, but was afraid to follow Jeremiah’s advice. It is clear to me from this passage that Zedekiah knew what was right, but was afraid to take a stand. He ultimately paid a price for that timidity.

Daily Bible Study

October 20, 2015 Bible Study

For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

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Proverbs 25:25-27

    Seeking honors for yourself is like eating too many sweets. You may enjoy it as you do it, but the after effects will be unpleasant…and last much longer than the pleasure.

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Psalm 89:14-37

    The NLT translates the first part of verse 15 as “Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship,…” I think it would be better translated as “Happy are those who listen to the joyful call to worship,…” because it is not enough to hear the call to worship God to experience the joy. We need to also follow the call and worship Him. I will worship God because it is from Him that my protection comes.

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1 Timothy 5

    Paul gives advice on caring for widows, although I believe what he says can be applied to all of the elderly. First, he tells us that we should provide for our parents to the best of our ability. The Church should care for those who have no children to take care of them. However, those who are still able to provide for themselves should do so. So, to reiterate, we should care for our parents and grandparents to the best of our ability and we should work to meet our own needs for as long as we are able. The Church should care for those who are unable to care for themselves. Paul’s gave these instructions concerning widows who are believers, but I believe there is room to interpret them as applying to anyone who is unable to care for themselves.

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Jeremiah 35-36

    In this passage, Jeremiah had the words God had given him recorded on a scroll which was then read to the people. When the king heard of this, he had the scroll read to him, but as the scroll was read, the king destroyed it. However, when Jeremiah heard what the king had done, he had the scroll rewritten. The message here is that no matter what those in power do, God’s word will not be silenced.

Daily Bible Study

October 19, 2015 Bible Study — Train Yourself Physically and Spiritually

For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I was away over the weekend, Friday night through Sunday (October 16-18). I prepared today’s study before I departed, but published it at my normal time. I hope this does not cause anyone a problem.

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Proverbs 25:23-24

    This should not need stating, but unfortunately it does. If you spread gossip about someone, you will anger them as surely as a hurricane brings rain.

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Psalm 89:1-13

    I chose the King James Version for this psalm because the first verse from the KJV is a great song.

I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.

Yes, I will sing of the mercies of the Lord. And with my mouth, my hands, my writing I will make known His faithfulness to all generations.

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1 Timothy 4

    Paul warns against false teachers, some of whom teach that it is wrong to get married and wrong to eat certain foods. The key to recognizing false teachers is to look at their lives because they are hypocrites and liars. They teach one thing and do another, then either deny that they are doing it, or claim that when they do it it is not wrong. Elsewhere, Paul talks about marriage and makes it clear that many are called to do get married. Here, he repeats his stance that all food is blessed by God.
    We should not argue over secular ideas, about how secular society should be organized. This hits home to me. Instead, we should focus on training ourselves to be godly. This hits home to me because I find myself debating points which I do not believe we, as Christians, should be actively involved in on either side of the issue. In discussing this, Paul makes an aside which I think is often overlooked. He tells us that physical training is good. We should make an effort to train our bodies so that we are in good physical shape. However, we should make an even greater effort to train our minds and spirits so that we are in good spiritual shape.

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Jeremiah 33-34

    Jeremiah prophesied that even though God was about to bring disaster on Jerusalem, the day would come when all of Israel prospered once more. God will do so in a manner which will cause people of every nation to both fear and praise Him.
    Then Jeremiah condemned the leading citizens of Jerusalem for being hypocrites. They freed their slaves of Jewish descent in a very public manner. Then, as soon as no one was paying attention, they enslaved them once more. We see this very often with political leaders. They do something (such as passing a law) which does away with some abuse that angers people in a very public way, making sure that everyone knows that they did it. Then, a short time later, when everyone’s attention has moved on to something else, they quietly reinstate the abusive practice. The general populace may not notice, but God will and He will hold them accountable.

Daily Bible Study

October 18, 2017 Bible Study — God Promises a New Covenant

For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I am away this weekend Friday night through Sunday (October 16-18). I prepared my studies for the weekend in advance. I published both Saturday’s and Sunday’s studies Friday evening before I departed. I hope this does not cause anyone a problem.

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Proverbs 25:20-22

    Rather than seek revenge, do good for those who have done you wrong. It serves three purposes. First, if they have a decent bone in their body, they will be shamed by your actions. Second, they will spend their time worrying, waiting for you to stop “acting” and exact your revenge. Third, God will reward you for your good behavior. Of those, hopefully only the first and last will truly motivate you. The last because we know that the rewards God gives us are worth any amount of suffering. The first because perhaps their shame will cause them to repent of their sins and turn to God.

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Psalm 88

    I have never been as depressed as expressed in this psalm. That being said, when I have felt overwhelmed by what was going on in my life I cried out to God continually and He brought me relief. He will do the same for you. It may take time, but be persistent and He will answer. (Just don’t forget to listen)

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1 Timothy 3

    This passage describes the characteristics a person must have for two leadership positions in the Church. The first position is one of authority, translated here as elder, the KJV translated the word as bishop. Paul tells us that it is an honorable position to which it is good to aspire (although in no way does he say that everyone should do so). It is then that he tells us what characteristics we should look for in considering a person for the position. I think there are three key elements to these characteristics. A candidate for elder must be the husband of one wife (not single, not divorced and remarried, not having affairs). They must have well-behaved children. They must not be a new convert. They must have a good reputation with non-believers.
    Paul then describes the characteristics for the second position, that of deacon. Those being considered for the position of deacon must be well-respected and have integrity. Reading what Paul writes about the requirements leads me to believe that a deacon is someone who handles money for the Church (otherwise, why does Paul make such an emphasis on them being responsible and honest in handling money?). Which leads to the main requirement, that they be someone who has been shown to act without any impropriety, or even the appearance of impropriety.

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Jeremiah 31:27-32:44

    God told the people of Israel, through Jeremiah, that He would give them a new covenant. This new covenant would not be written on stone tablets. Instead it would be written on the hearts of God’s people. That new covenant was delivered through Jesus Christ. We no longer need to refer to a document to know what God desires of us. He has put His instructions deep within those who strive to serve Him. If we seek God, He will reveal Himself to us.

Daily Bible Study

October 17, 2015 Bible Study — Pray For All People

For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I am away this weekend Friday night through Sunday (October 16-18). I have gotten my studies for the weekend done in advance. I published both Saturday’s and Sunday’s studies Friday evening before I departed. I hope this does not cause anyone a problem.

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Proverbs 25:18-19

    The damage which can be caused by lies is just as great as the damage caused by weapons, even if it is less obvious. If you depend on an unreliable person in times of trouble, you will suffer as much as if you tried to walk on a freshly sprained ankle.

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Psalm 87

    The psalmist tells us that some day the people of every nation will be counted as citizens of the City of God. Everyone who trusts and follows Jesus is a citizen of God’s Kingdom. There are people from every nation who know and obey God. I will praise His name. I am forever thankful that God has chosen to make me a citizen of His city.

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1 Timothy 2

    Today’s passage starts off with a reminder once more to pray. In particular, we are told to pray for all people, to ask God to help them, to intercede with God on their behalf, and to thank God for them. That last is definitely a challenge. We are to thank God for the people we know whom we do not like, the people who have made our life more difficult. That means that we need to be thankful for those people. It can be easy for us to ask God to help them. After all, the ways in which God helps people makes them better people and we expect that if they are better people they will be less likely to make our life difficult. We have a lot more trouble being thankful that God has brought people into our life who make things more difficult for us.

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Jeremiah 30:1-31:26

    Jeremiah prophesied that God would restore Israel to its land. He said that God would bring them healing even though they had received an incurable wound. It is important to remember that God can bring us healing no matter how badly we have been wounded. As I read Jeremiah’s prophecy it seems to bear a greater resemblance to modern Israel than to any previous period. We must never forget that God has given prophesies concerning the people of Israel.

Daily Bible Study

October 16, 2015 Bible Study

For today, One Year Bible Online links here. This weekend I am going to be away Friday night through Sunday (October 16-18). I am going to try very hard to have my studies for the weekend done in advance. My plan is to publish Saturday’s and Sunday’s studies Friday evening before I depart. I hope this does not cause anyone a problem/

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Proverbs 25:17

    Do not visit others too often. No matter how much they like you there is a limit to how much time they want to spend with you.

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Psalm 86

    Nothing and no one else is like God. They can not do the things which God does. I will praise Him as I ask Him to teach me His ways, to cause me to live according to His truth.

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1 Timothy 1

    Paul warns against listening to false teachings or getting caught up in discussing myths and genealogies (he is not talking about tracing your family tree, he is talking about trying to establish some genealogical connection to some spiritual figure of the past). All of these things spark controversies. Such things will distract us from the truly important things: having a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith. If you spend your time telling people what they can and can’t do, you have missed the point. The rules exist to show those who are rebellious and seek to defile the holy that what they are doing is wrong. Those who truly seek to do what is righteous do not need a set of rules to tell them what they should, or should not, do. God will speak to their spirit and they will know in their hearts what is wrong.

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Jeremiah 28-29

    In this passage, Jeremiah is given a message against false prophets who told people what they wanted to hear rather than what God was saying. It is always a challenge for us to avoid believing that a message is from God when that message is what we would like to have happen. I believe that when God’s plans are what people want to happen He rarely sends a prophet to announce them. It is when what we want to happen is different from what He intends to do that He sends us prophets.
    God has plans for us, even when we find ourselves in circumstances other than what we would wish. His plans are to do good for us and to give us a future. If we look for Him wholeheartedly, we will find Him. Let us seek His plans for our lives and He will give us hope.

Daily Bible Study

October 15, 2015 Bible Study — Too Much Of A Good Thing Is Bad For You

For today, One Year Bible Online links here. This coming weekend I am going to be away Friday night through Sunday (October 16-18). I am going to try very hard to have my studies for the weekend done in advance. My plan is to publish Saturday’s and Sunday’s studies Friday evening before I depart. I hope this does not cause anyone a problem/

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Proverbs 25:16

    This proverb is a simple warning. Too much of a good thing is bad for you.

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Psalm 85

    I will make this psalm my prayer. I will ask God to restore His people to Him. I will ask that He call my neighbors to worship Him. Oh Lord, show me how to minister to those I interact with everyday. More than that show me how to reach out to those who need to experience Your love now. Use me to bring people to You so that they may experience your love and truth.

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2 Thessalonians 3

    Each and every one of us should work hard at whatever we are able. We should not allow ourselves to be idle and meddle in other people’s business. Let us strive to work hard to meet our own needs and the needs of those who are unable to provide for themselves. And even if we are unable to provide for our own needs, let us find something to work at, remembering that even the most disabled is still able to pray. Paul gives us a maxim, those who are able to work and do not shall not eat. Let us take care of our fellow believers by providing them with productive work to do. Most importantly, let us strive to find productive work to support ourselves.

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Jeremiah 26-27

    Jeremiah once more called on the people of Jerusalem and Judah to listen to god and turn from their evil ways. He promised that if they did so, God would turn from His plan rescue them from the coming disaster. But the people did not listen. Instead, led by the religious leaders, they accused him of treason and sought his death. It was only because a few officials recognized that Jeremiah had merely called on people to follow God’s commands. He had not called on people to be treasonous, let alone committed any treasonous acts himself. Although around the same time, another prophet making similar prophesies was put to death.
    Let us call on the people around us to turn from their evil ways and do God’s will. They may seek our deaths, nevertheless let us be faithful to God and seek to redeem them from the coming disaster.

Daily Bible Study

October 14, 2015 Bible Study

For today, One Year Bible Online links here. This coming weekend I am going to be away Friday night through Sunday (October 16-18). I am going to try very hard to have my studies for the weekend done in advance. My plan is to publish Saturday’s and Sunday’s studies Friday evening before I depart. I hope this does not cause anyone a problem/

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Proverbs 25:15

    If you patiently, and persistently, make your case, sooner or later, even the most obstinate and powerful person will give you what you want, if your want is reasonable (and possibly even if it isn’t). However, that patience and persistence must be accompanied by a gentle approach, or those with power are likely to take away your ability to continue to petition them.

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Psalm 84

    I would rather be a servant in God’s house than a ruler anywhere else. Do I truly believe this? Am I willing to humbly do whatever I can to help God’s people? There is something to be said for humbly serving where one can without seeking recognition or decision making status.

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2 Thessalonians 2

    Paul tells us that there are those who will claim that the day of Christ’s return has already happened. Paul tells us that there will arise a man of lawlessness. This man will fool, with signs and wonders, those who refuse to love the truth of the Gospel. When people reject the Gospel, they become gullible in other ways. The various deceptions and lies which are marshaled against the Gospel require us to stand firm in our faith in God’s word to us.

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Jeremiah 23:21-25:38

    There are times when so many people falsely claim to have a message from God that God stops giving prophetic dreams to anyone. Jeremiah tells us that we should seek an answer from God, but that we should be hesitant to claim that we know what that answer is. I am convinced that there is absolute truth, but I am not convinced that I know what that absolute truth. I will not give up seeking for that truth, asking God to reveal that truth to me, just because I do not currently know the truth.

Daily Bible Study

October 13, 2015 Bible Study

For today, One Year Bible Online links here. This coming weekend I am going to be away Friday night through Sunday (October 16-18). I am going to try very hard to have my studies for the weekend done in advance. My plan is to publish Saturday’s and Sunday’s studies Friday evening before I depart. I hope this does not cause anyone a problem/

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Proverbs 25:11-14

    Timely advice and justified criticism are more beautiful and valuable than gold and silver art objects to those who are willing to listen to them. Don’t make the mistake of dismissing such advice and criticism. Instead listen to it and change your behaviors accordingly.

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Psalm 83

    The psalmist reminds us that there have always been those who form alliances for the purpose of destroying God’s people. Those alliances are often among groups who seem like natural enemies of each other. However, God has always destroyed such groups and will continue to do so in the future. God is faithful and will protect His people.

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2 Thessalonians 1

    Let us strive to have patience and endurance in whatever hardship or persecution we suffer. Remembering always that God will provide us with rest when Jesus returns. In the meantime, we can pray for those who are suffering more than we. In the face of persecution, let us seek to good things so that perhaps some of those who are persecuting us will repent of their many sins (the persecution of believers probably being among the least of their sins) and turn to God. I will pray for believers suffering persecution, that they may remain faithful, and I will pray for their persecutors, that they may repent of their sins and avoid God’s coming judgment.

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Jeremiah 22:1-23:20

    Jeremiah prophesied to the final kings of Judah that they should do what was right and just, promising that God would sustain them and their descendants on the throne of Jerusalem if they did so. He then prophesied about and to the final three kings telling them that they would face destruction because of their refusal to turn from injustice and oppression. Rather than do God’s will, they chose to commit injustice and pursue their own pleasure. As a result, God destroyed them. Such is the fate of rulers and leaders who pursue selfish pleasures rather than God’s will for the good of the people they rule and/or lead.
    Jeremiah goes on to condemn those spiritual leaders and prophets who tell people what they want to hear and refuse to warn them of God’s coming judgment for their sins. God will punish them and cause them to suffer. Jeremiah goes on to warn people against trusting such prophets.