All posts by AttilaDimedici

November 3, 2012 Bible Study

     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. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them. I am sorry if my posts are not posted in a timely fashion for the next little while. Well I have power back, but my Internet service is still out, so I need to borrow friends access to post. In addition, I usually compose these on my desktop PC and typing them on my laptop is a different experience. Please bear with me until I get back into my usual routine.

Magrat

Ezekiel 7-9:11

     God gives a prophecy to Ezekiel for him to deliver to the people of Israel. Ezekiel tells the people of Israel that the day of judgement has arrived. No hope remains as God calls them to account for their sins. Disaster after disaster is going to strike them. When the call goes forth for the army to defend the land, no one will answer the call. People will toss aside their wealth because they will be unable to use to get what they truly need. I read this prophecy and think about what is happening in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. There are many people who are in circumstances where money cannot buy what they need because there is none of it to be had where they are. I wonder if this tragedy is God trying to call the people of our nation to Him. Let us pray for our fellow countrymen that they may come to the Lord.
     Then Ezekiel recounts another vision that he received. He was taken to the Temple and shown various idols that the people of Jerusalem had set up in the Temple and the various rituals that they carried out in worship of other gods. Then he sees God call for men to bring destruction and death on the city. God sends one man ahead of the destroyers to mark those who were saddened and burdened by the idolatry. The destroyers are then instructed to kill everyone who does not have the mark of salvation. If God were to carry out such a judgement on our land, would we be among those marked for salvation? Do we weep and sigh for the idolatry our countrymen practice around us? Have we warned them of the consequences of their sins?

Run Baron, they are catching up

Hebrews 5:1-14

     The writer tells us that a high priest is a man chosen to represent others before God. No one becomes high priest just because he desires that honor, he must be called by God for this work. Jesus did not honor Himself by assuming He could become High Priest, rather He was called by God to this role. God qualified Jesus as the perfect High Priest, which made Him the source of eternal salvation to all who obey Him. The writer tells us that he would like to go into this more, but it is a difficult topic and those he is writing to need someone to teach them the basic things about God’s word again. They should be at the point where they are teaching others, instead they are like infants who need to be fed milk rather than solid food. How often I have been like that! Needing to be reminded of the basic doctrines of faith when I should be exploring more advanced topics and teaching others. Forgive me Lord for my refusal to grow up and serve you as an adult.

Green Lane Lake in the Fall

Psalm 105:1-15

     Let us give thanks to the Lord and praise Him. Even though I need to go to someone else’s house to post this blog, still I will praise the Lord because He has restored the electricity to my home. I will sing His praises and tell everyone of His wonderful deeds. I will search for the Lord and continually seek Him. If we search for Him and seek to do His will, He will bless us. I have been blessed.

Proverbs 26:28

     Liars hate those that they lie to, no matter what they claim. Those who build others up with undeserved flattery set them up for destruction.

November 2, 2012 Bible Study

     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. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them. I am sorry if my posts are not posted in a timely fashion for the next little while. I am without power in the wake of Hurricane Sandy and I am not always able to get online in my normal routine. In addition, I usually compose these on my desktop PC and typing them on my laptop is a different experience. Please bear with me until I get back into my usual routine.

Setting up the pavilion

Ezekiel 3:16-6:14

     Seven days after his vision of commissioning Ezekiel received his first message to the people of Israel in exile. God told him that if God gave him a message to warn those who sinned against their sin and he did not deliver it, God would hold him responsible for their deaths when they died from their sins. If on the other hand Ezekiel did give them God’s warning and they did not listen, they would still die from their sins, but God would not hold Ezekiel responsible. I believe that the same message applies to us today. We are responsible to warn those around us of the consequences of their sins. If we fail to do so, we will be responsible for their suffering and death as a result of those sins. On the other hand, if we do give them God’s warning and they do not listen, then their end will be on their head. There is one other piece to this. They may listen to us, turn from their sins and be saved.
     God then tells Ezekiel to draw a map of Jerusalem on a clay brick and to show it as being under siege. He is to then lie on his side facing his map of Jerusalem for 390 days, one day for each year of Israel’s sin. After that he is to turn over and lie on his other side facing his map of Jerusalem for 40 days, one day for each year of Judah’s sin. During this time he is to eat bread made from a mixture of beans and grain, cooked over cow dung and only a carefully measured amount each day along with a carefully measured amount of water. This is to symbolize the state of food within Jerusalem during the siege it will be undergoing.

The Baronial Court

Hebrews 4:1-16

     The writer tells us that God has prepared a rest for those who listen to His word and have faith in Him. IF we obey the message in God’s word we will be able to enter into His rest when the time is right. If we fail to obey, we will fall and lose the opportunity to enter that rest. The word of God is able to reveal our inmost thoughts and being to God and He will hold us accountable.
     We can come boldly before God because we have a High Priest to intercede for us, one who experienced all of the temptations that we face, yet did not sin. Because He faced the temptations that we face, He understands our circumstances. So because we have such an intercessor, let us come before God who will show us mercy and provide us with the grace to help us when we need it most.

The Baron Consults His Herald

Psalm 104:24-35

     God has filled the world with a great variety of creatures. Let us look at the wonders of the world and praise the Lord.

I will sing to the Lord as long as I live.
I will praise my God to my last breath!
May all my thoughts be pleasing to him,
for I rejoice in the Lord.

Let this ever be my song and my prayer.

Magrat at Rest

Proverbs 26:27

     If we attempt to trick and trap others, we are the ones who will suffer.

November 1, 2012 Bible Study

     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. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.

Magrat Poses

Ezekiel 1-3:15

     Today I begin the Book of Ezekiel, which contains imagery that has been poured over by many people. The prophet starts by describing the vision he had at his commissioning as a prophet. He describes a fantastic scene involving four humanoid creatures with wings and wheels, with the wheels described as being in an arrangement similar to a gyroscope. Above the four creatures, as if being carried by them, was a being that resembled a man. Ezekiel describes this whole scene as being the glory of the Lord. There are many different interpretations that could be made of this scene, but the key one for me today is that Ezekiel fell face down on the ground before it when he saw this.
     A voice spoke with Ezekiel and told him to stand up. The Spirit entered into him and stood him on his feet. The voice then told him that he was being sent as God’s messenger to the nation of Israel, which had rebelled against God. Ezekiel is told that he is not to worry whether they listen to his words or not. He is to speak the words of God to the people of Israel so that they may have no excuse. God instructs Ezekiel to not be afraid of what the people say or do. He is to give them God’s message whether they listen or not and God tells him that they will not listen.
     God then gives Ezekiel a scroll that is covered with funeral songs, words of sorrow and pronouncements of doom. God instructs him to eat the scroll. Ezekiel follows the instructions and eats the scroll, telling us that it tasted as sweet as honey in his mouth. God tells Ezekiel to let His words sink deep into his heart and to listen to them carefully before he goes forth and tells them to the people of Israel.
     This is the symbolism that speaks to me today. We are to take the words of God deep into our hearts and digest them and make them part of who we are before we attempt to tell others to follow them. If I am going to be an effective minister to those around me who do not yet know the Lord, I must take His words into my innermost being and feed on them. I have been lax on doing this my whole life. I will try harder going forward to make God’s words my food.

Jehan Poses

Hebrews 3:1-19

     Jesus was God’s messenger and high priest. He served God faithfully just as Moses had served God faithfully. Jesus is deserving of even more glory than Moses because while Moses served faithfully in God’s House (or perhaps, as God’s House), Jesus was with God as the builder of God’s House. Jesus, as God’s Son, is in charge of God’s House. And we, if we are courageous and keep our confidence in our hope in Christ, are God’s House.
     Today when we hear God’s voice, we must not harden our hearts in the manner that the Israelites did in the wilderness. We must turn away from evil and make sure that we do not turn away from God. If we are faithful to the end, continuing to trust in God, we will share in God’s glory. We must remain vigilant so as to not be deceived by sin. We must both warn each other of the deceptions that we each fall into and be open to being warned by others so that we do not fall into sin. We must strive continuously to avoid sin and to warn our brothers and sisters so that they also may avoid sin, listening to their warnings as the very words from God.

Po Poses

Psalm 104:1-23

     Let all that I am praise the Lord. He has created the universe in all of its wonder. Each thing has its place and they are designed to interact in a finely tuned manner. Despite man’s attempts he has failed to disrupt the way that God designed the earth to work. How can I do other than praise God with all that I am when He has created such a wonderful world.

God clothed the earth

Proverbs 26:24-26

     People may cover their hatred with pleasant words, they may pretend to be kind. They may conceal their hatred with trickery, but in the end their wrongdoing will be publicly exposed. Do not be fooled when people’s actions do not match their kind words.

October 31, 2012 Bible Study

     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. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.

“Just a few more minutes and I’ll have it fixed.”

Lamentations 4-5:22

     The Prophet talks of how gold and precious gems lost their value in Jerusalem because there was no food to buy. People allowed their children to starve because they had no food to feed them. Even the wealthiest begged for food in the streets. All of this happened because the people’s sin was even greater than that of Sodom. As I read this I think of the sins of our nation and wonder how long the judgement will be held off? The judgement on Jerusalem came because the priests and the prophets shed the blood of the innocent.
     But with all of this, the prophet says that God will restore them if they turn back to Him. God does not change and He will not abandon those who turn from their sins and worship Him.

“Have you fixed it yet?”

Hebrews 2:1-18

     The author tells us that we must listen carefully to the truth we have heard so that we do not drift away from that truth. Every disobedience of the law was punished. How much more will we suffer if we ignore the message of grace through Jesus? The message of salvation by grace was confirmed by signs, wonders and miracles and by gifts of the Spirit.
     The world to come will not be subject to angels. It will be subject to those humans who choose to follow Jesus. Mankind is nothing, yet God has made them but a little lower than the angels and will give them authority over the world to come. Jesus was made a little lower than the angels and through His suffering He has been given authority over all things. Jesus became human because only as a human could He die. It was only by dying that He could break the power of the devil and of death. By dying He freed us who had been slaves to sin and fear of death. In order to do this, He had to become in all ways like us, fully human in all aspects. He was able to make atonement for our sins because He was like us. He can help us when we face temptation because He experienced the same temptations that we do.
     Jesus understands what we experience because He has experienced it. We cannot say to Him, “You don’t understand. You never experienced this!” Because He did indeed experience it. We can know that whatever we experience, He has suffered as much or more.

Two silhouettes on the grass

Psalm 103:1-22

     Let all that is in me praise the Lord. I will praise the Lord with all of my being. Oh Lord, do not let me ever forget what you have done for me. You have forgiven my sins and filled my life with good things. Let everything that God has created praise the Lord. How true this is, I am sitting here in the warmth well fed at no cost, after I spent the day worrying about having to spend money that I do not have for dinner tonight and then spending the night in a dark house with no power. Instead I am sitting in my church’s building after my pastor called me to invite me and my wife to dinner here for those who were without power. In addition, he invited us to spend the night. God is good and gracious.

God’s Paint-By-Numbers Collection across Green Lane Lake

Proverbs 26:23

     Just because someone is well-spoken does not mean they are not evil. Many people use smooth words to cover evil intent.

October 30, 2012 Bible Study

     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. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.

God’s Paint-By-Numbers Collection, Green Lane Edition #267

Lamentations 3:1-66

     The prophet speaks of the suffering he has undergone, of the torment, pain and affliction he has experienced. Yet despite the utter despair of his situation, he declares that he will dare to hope. He will continue to hope because God’s love is faithful and never ends, God’s mercies never cease. He tells us to wait quietly for the Lord in our times of tribulation. God will bring grief to us, but He will also show us compassion. When we suffer tribulation, let us acknowledge our sinfulness and turn back to God and strive to serve Him. When we seem completely overwhelmed by our enemies, let us call on the Lord and have faith that He will deliver us.

Fall at Green Lane Park

Hebrews 1:1-14

     In the past God spoke through the prophets, now He has spoken through His Son. God created the universe through His Son. The Son radiates God’s glory and expresses the very character of God. The Son has cleansed us from our sins and now sits in the place of highest honor at the right hand of God. The Son is far greater than the angels. While the earth and the heavens will come to an end, the Son will rule forever from the throne that God has established for Him. The Son is not some sort of greater angel, He is something entirely different. The angels are ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit the salvation provided by the Son.

The Beauty of Fall Over the Lake

Psalm 102:1-28

     The Lord will not reject the pleas of the destitute. He will listen to their prayers. God will live forever and He does not change. Even today He will do such great things that a generation not yet born will praise His name for them. Time and again throughout history God has done things which demonstrate His great power, let us praise Him for those things as long as we draw breath.

The Beauty of Fall Across Green Lane Lake

Proverbs 26:21-22

     Some people start fights in the same way that hot embers light charcoal. It is almost as if they cannot help themselves. Let us strive not to be like that. Rumors are tempting tidbits that sink into our hearts and effect our judgement long after we have forgotten their origins.

October 29, 2012 Bible Study

     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. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.

View Over Green Lane Lake

Lamentations 1-2:22

     The prophet (probably Jeremiah) laments over the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians. He writes of the terrible suffering that the people of Jerusalem experience as a result of their sins. If God was willing to allow even the people He had chosen as special to suffer such tribulation as a result of their sins, will He not also allow other peoples to experience the suffering that their sins bring? Those who should have been warning the people of Jerusalem, instead said foolish things and encouraged them in their sin rather than warning them to turn from it. Are we as Christians today warning those around us of the troubles to come if they continue to sin? Do we accept our society’s emphasis on immediate gratification instead of warning them to choose to turn to God and wait for Him to provide for us? Do we teach that the rewards of doing the Lord’s work are much greater than the pleasures of the moment? Do we teach that choosing to satisfy those pleasures of the moment lead to suffering in the future? Or are we like the prophets of Jerusalem, saying foolish things that are false to the core?

Picture of what appears to be a beaver lodge

Philemon 1:1-25

     Today, I read the letter Paul wrote to Philemon. It is a short letter. Paul sent it to Philemon with Onesimus, who was legally Philemon’s slave. Paul does not condemn Philemon in any way for owning a slave and does not command him in how to treat his slaves. However, Paul tells Philemon that Onesimus is now his fellow believer and therefore his brother in the Lord. Paul asks Philemon to treat Onesimus well, reminding him that he could command it. Paul tells Philemon that he, Paul, will repay any harm that Onesimus has done to Philemon or any debt that he owes him. Paul tells Philemon that he will do this despite the fact that Philemon owes Paul a great debt for bringing him to the Lord. Overall this letter is a lesson on how we should treat those who have done us harm, especially if they have since come to know the Lord.

Bluebird House at Green Lane Park

Psalm 101:1-8

     This song of David is one that we should strive to follow. Let us lead lives of integrity both in public and in private. That means refusing to look at anything that is vile and/or vulgar. It means having nothing to do with those who deal dishonestly. Part of integrity is not tolerating those who slander their neighbors and not allowing conceit and pride to become part of our lives. And how can we do this? By seeking out faithful people to be our companions. Lord guide me to those faithful people who can challenge me to live a life of greater integrity and service to you.

Fall at Green Lane Park

Proverbs 26:20

     Gossip is the fuel for quarrels in the same way that wood is the fuel for fire. Let us not gossip about others.

Hurricane Sandy and Faith
In He Who Calmed the Storm

My wife is concerned about the coming storm. She asked me to blog about Mark 4:35-41. I thought about it a bit and as I thought about it, I remembered that the story is also told in Matthew 8:23-27. When I hear the references to this storm as “Frankenstorm” and the fear-mongering that some in the news are pushing about this, I can’t help but think of the disciples and their reaction to the storm. I, also, can’t help but think of Jesus’ reaction to the storm. While the storm raged around Him, Jesus slept. He slept in the back of a boat being tossed by the wind-driven waves. The storm, as severe as it was, did not disturb His sleep. It was the disciples, who were panicking, who woke Him up. Mark reports that they woke Him up shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?” Jesus response was, “Why are you afraid? Do you have so little faith?” then He rebuked the wind and the waves saying, “Quiet! Be still!” (I know I am mixing and matching the order of things a little between the two gospels, but I think it is not a disservice to either account to do so in this case). The disciples were astonished, Mark says they were terrified, Matthew says they were amazed. Before, they were terrified of the storm, now they were terrified of Jesus. “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

The disciples didn’t get it. They were terrified. But I can sympathize, it is scary when the powers of nature seem to be out to get you. And they did not have this story. We do. We walk with Him who calmed the storm by His word. Do we have faith? In John 14:12-14 Jesus tells us that anyone who believes in Him will do the same works He did, and even greater works. In Matthew 17:20 Jesus tells us that if our faith is only so large as a mustard seed, we can tell a mountain to move and it would move. So let us pray for all of those in the path of this storm. If all of us who call on the name of the Lord will pray that none of those in the path of the storm suffer harm, do we have the faith to believe that it would happen? Do we have the faith to pray that prayer?

Let us pray together this prayer that my wife composed, remembering the response of the father who brought his son to Jesus for healing. “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief.” :

Dear Heavenly Father,
I turn to You as the disciples did when they cried out for help in their storm-tossed boat.
I invoke the Name of Your precious Son to save us, one and all.
I’m crying out to you now, Lord.
Keep us safe as You always have done, but especially this week.
I lift up all Your children in the path of this hurricane to You.
The evil one has terrified many, be it through the media or other sources,
that folks have resorted to irrational measures.
Help them, Lord.
Send Your Spirit upon them so that they can think clearly,
and prepare responsibly for this storm.
Help me as I enter into another week, be a good witness for You,
and to build others up,
especially those who are scared about what is to come.
Help them, Lord.
Help *me* to not be scared, Lord.
Please strengthen me and keep fear out of my heart.
In Jesus’ holy Name, I pray.
Amen.

October 28, 2012 Bible Study

     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. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.

God’s Paint-By-Numbers Green Lane Collection #328

Jeremiah 51:54-52:34

     When Jeremiah finished his prophecies against Babylon, he wrote them down and gave them to someone to take to Babylon to read them there. The passage then recounts the fall of Jerusalem and the way that King Jehoiachin was treated in Babylon.

Bird Houses Next to the Lake

Titus 3:1-15

     Paul tells us that as believers we should submit to the government and its officers. We should be obedient insofar as doing so is consistent with doing good. We must not slander anyone. Instead of quarreling, Christians show true humility and gentleness (or at least we try to). God saved me, not because of my righteousness (of which I have none), but because of His love and mercy. By His grace He declared me righteous and I will be forever grateful because there is no other way that I could be considered righteous. As the Spirit gives me the grace, I will not quarrel about spiritual pedigrees or Jewish (or other) laws. After a couple of times of attempting to show them where they are causing dissension, I will have nothing to do with those who cause divisions.

View over the Lake

Psalm 100:1-5

     The Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever. I will praise His name. The Lord is God. He made me and I am His. He has filled me with joy and I will praise His name.

Another View Over the Lake

Proverbs 26:18-19

     Calling it a joke does not undo the harm done by lying to one’s friends.

October 27, 2012 Bible Study

     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. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.

Jeremiah 51:1-53

     Babylon was the mightiest nation on earth when Jeremiah prophesied her fall. God had used Babylon to punish the people of Israel for their sins, but that did not free them from responsibility for their own sins. Among those sins was mistreating the people of Israel. Babylon was wealthy and the mightiest city on earth, but that did not save them from the consequences of their sins. In the same way today, our wealth and military might will not save us from the consequences of our sins. Only by turning to God and crying out to Him can we be saved from our sins.

Magrat finds something to play with

Titus 2:1-15

     Paul instructs us to live wisely. We should be a role model for others, doing all kinds of good works. Everything we do should reflect the integrity and seriousness of what we believe and teach. Above all we should teach the truth. We should live and teach in such a way that those who oppose us have nothing bad to say about us. If you work for someone else, be trustworthy and good, do not talk back or steal. In all ways work to make the teachings about God that we follow attractive. Let us turn from godless living and sinful pleasures, instead living lives of wisdom, righteousness and devotion to God. Jesus gave his life to free us from sin and cleanse us, let us be committed to doing good deeds. We are to teach these things and encourage other believers to do them.

Water over the dam

Psalm 99:1-9

     Let us praise the Lord. Throughout history men and women of God have called on Him for help. When they cried out to Him, He answered them. If we cry out to Him today for help, He will answer us. God will discipline us when we do wrong, but when we turn to Him and attempt to follow His commands He will forgive us our failings.

Fall blooms

Proverbs 26:17

     Getting involved in someone else’s argument is likely to end badly.

October 26, 2012 Bible Study

     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. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.

God’s Paint-By-Numbers Green Lane Collection #316

Jeremiah 49:23-50:46

     Jeremiah prophecies concerning three more of the kingdoms around Judah, predicting their destruction. He then goes on to prophecy the fall of Babylon and the restoration of Israel. Jeremiah prophecies that the remnant of Israel will seek after God as God restores them to their land. He prophecies this in the middle of his prophecy that Babylon will be destroyed. Jeremiah says that God will destroy Babylon because of their arrogance and their idolatry. Babylon was used by God to bring judgement on the people of Judah, but in their pride the Babylonians went beyond what God had called them to do. They gave credit for their success to false gods and worshiped them in ways detestable to God, in ways that always lead to the destruction of a society that practices them.

Magrat plays with a leaf

Titus 1:1-16

     Paul writes to Titus and begins by telling him that Paul is teaching people the truth that leads to godliness. This gives us a guideline by which to judge the truth of someone’s teaching, does following it lead to godliness? Paul then once again gives us the job requirements for an elder in the church. An elder must be the husband of one wife, with children who are believers and do not have a reputation for being wild or rebellious. An elder must not be one who is overbearing, or quick-tempered. He must not be given to violence or drunkenness. He must have a reputation for honest dealing when it comes to money. Then we come to the positive job requirements. An elder must be hospitable. He must be a lover of what is good. He must live a wise, disciplined life. He must have a strong faith and be solidly grounded in scripture. I had read these passages before in discussions about the qualifications of an elder, but I had never noticed the hospitality requirement before I did my blog on 1 Timothy a short time ago.
     Paul goes on to explain why it is important that an elder be strongly grounded in scripture. The reason is that there are many people who are teaching false teachings in order to enrich themselves. So, an elder must be firmly grounded in scripture so that he can show those tempted to follow these false teachers where they are wrong. Paul gives us another teaching to judge ourselves and the teachings of others. He tells us that everything is pure to the person of pure heart, but that nothing is pure to those who are corrupt and unbelieving. I am sure you know the type, those who always see ulterior motives in everything anyone does. And not just ulterior motives, but those of the most sordid type. We should consider our own thoughts, do we always think that others are doing things for purely selfish reasons? Or, on the other hand, do we find ourselves giving people too much of the benefit of the doubt? This passage suggests we should be more towards the latter than the former.

God’s Paint-By-Numbers Green Lane Collection #245

Psalm 97-98:9

     All who worship anything other than the true God will be shamed as all creation will be forced to bow before God. Those who love the Lord will hate evil. Note that it says that they will “hate evil”, not “hate evil people”. And what is evil? It is the absence of good, the absence of God. Let us rejoice in the Lord and praise His name. In this way we can spread the presence of His good further in this world.
     Let us sing a song to the Lord, for He has been victorious. He will judge the world in justice and fairness.

Bluebird House Against the Sky

Proverbs 26:13-16

     A lazy person will use fear as an excuse to not work. This passage tells us a lot about some mental disorders. Some people develop mental disorders (paranoia, phobias, etc) in order to avoid work of one kind or another. This is not true of all people that suffer from these disorders, but I have observed people whose symptoms seem to disappear when they would interfere with activities that the person wishes to take part in. Our writer goes on to point out that the lazy often think they are wiser than others. If everyone around you suggests that you should take action, but you still feel otherwise, perhaps the problem is laziness.