For today, One Year Bible Online links here.
Those who stir up strife and conflict are troublemakers and perverse. They mislead their companions and plot evil. Watch out for gossip because it can cause a divide between even the closest friends. Those who are always planning mischief and looking for ways to stir up controversy are not good people to be around. They cause trouble for those who associate with them. Let us not be one of them.
When we make our plans, when we work to accomplish our goals, let us never forget the first verse of this psalm:
the work of the builders is wasted.
Unless the Lord protects a city,
guarding it with sentries will do no good.
If we put our effort into God’s plans and God’s projects, we will have great success. In addition, we will not have to work every waking hour, because God does grant rest to those who love Him.
When Stephen was confronted with false accusations, he did not begin by immediately answering the accusations. He started by giving background on what he believed. Stephen established the basic premises which he shared with his accusers. This is an important thing to remember when having a discussion or debate with non-believers. Before you can make any progress in witnessing to people, you must find common ground in what you believe about how the world works. Stephen started out his defense before the council by describing the areas where they shared a common belief. It was only after he had established common ground with those who was addressing that he began to talk about the areas where his beliefs differed.
When Solomon built the Temple, God made him a promise that applies to any project we work on. If we keep God’s decrees and regulations and obey His commands, He will live among us and bless the projects we undertake. In what ways are the projects we are working on bringing glory to God? Solomon built a great monument to the glory of God when he built the Temple. Let us build a similar monument with the way we live our lives so that others may come to glorify God as well.