For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

    Today’s proverbs give us a basis for judging ourselves. Are the plans I make just to everyone? Or do they benefit me at the expense of others? When I give advice to others, does my advice benefit me more than the person I am advising? Does what I say encourage and support others to do things which will improve their lives? Or do I subtly encourage them to do things which will harm them? Let us make godly plans and speak righteous words.

    This psalm is both a source of hope for me and a challenge. I have turned to God for protection. I have trusted in Him since childhood. He has always come to my rescue and saved me from my troubles. However I am challenged by the psalmist’s claim to have been an example to many. Has my life been an example to others? Have I lived a life which others look at and wish to imitate? If others have imitated my life, are they better off for it?
    Let me declare God’s glory everyday. Let me never stop praising Him. Yes, I will follow the psalmist’s example:

I will tell everyone about your righteousness.
All day long I will proclaim your saving power,
though I am not skilled with words.

    I love the story of the healing of Jairus’ daughter and the woman who touched the hem of Jesus’ cloak. There are so many different lessons for us here. I love the woman’s example of faith with her belief that if she could just touch Jesus’ cloak she could be healed. What struck me today was Jesus’ message to Jairus to never give up hope. A messenger came to Jairus to tell him that there was no point in bothering Jesus any longer, his daughter was dead. Jesus answer to Jairus was to tell him to have faith. Let us continue to have faith, even when the battle appears to be over and all seems lost. I will place my hope in Jesus and have faith that He can bring healing and life, even in the midst of death.

    This passage contains a warning against idolatry. It reminds us that there will be different types of temptation to worship something other than God. Some will make predictions that will come true, some will perform wonders designed to entice us to rely on something other than God. Despite the promises and the wonders they perform in the service of these false gods, none of them things will be able to provide the fulfillment and salvation that comes from worshiping and serving the true God. There will be others who will attempt to seduce us into the worship of things other than God. They will offer us pleasures and entertainments, but none of those pleasures or entertainments will be able to replace the joy that comes from serving God. Some will be secretive and subtle. They will attempt to trick us into worshiping something other than God. Let us examine their teachings with care so that we will know whether what they teach truly comes from God, or from another. Let us engage our hearts, souls, and minds in worshiping God.