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.

     Wisdom has laid out a feast and invited everyone to come. No one needs to remain mired in foolishness, wisdom is offered to any who wish it. Those who desire wisdom are welcome to partake, there are no excuses for foolishness. If you lack wisdom, it is your own fault.

     It is not by the size of its army that a nation remains strong, and it is not by my strength that I will overcome obstacles. Neither weapons nor skill will ensure the victory. God will watch over and rescue those who rely on Him. I will put my hope in Him alone. His unfailing love surrounds me. When your enemies surround you (or better yet, before that) turn to God and put your trust in His name. He will be your help and your shield. He will make your heart rejoice. Don’t take my word for it, try it yourself.

     Pilate attempted to evade responsibility for the decision at Jesus’ trial before him. First, he attempted to convince the crowd to accept Jesus as the prisoner to be released as his Passover gift to the people of Israel. When that failed, he refused to accept responsibility for Jesus’ death even as he gave the orders for his crucifixion. How often do we do the same thing? Attempt to pass off responsibility for a decision which is ours to someone else? Despite the fact that the crowd accepted responsibility, it was still Pilate’s decision to make. Pilate was no more able to pass off responsibility for this decision than he was to evade being recorded in the Gospels as the one who made it. Ultimately, we are responsible for the decisions we make. for good or for bad.

     God commanded Moses and the people of Israel to make no treaties with the people of the land He was giving to them. At first this sounds harsh, but then as you read further you realize that God is telling them that the halfway point between righteous and evil, is still evil. The compromise between worshiping idols and worshiping only God is still idolatry. Ultimately, compromise with sin is still sin.