For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

    When children exhibit wisdom in their words and their action it gives their parents joy (at least, it does so if their parents are not complete fools). The best way to honor your parents is by acting wisely.

    The psalmist reminds us that whenever times get difficult God raises a banner to which those who fear Him may rally. When we face attack for our beliefs, God will raise a banner to rally His supporters. If we gather at that point, we will find others willing to battle at our sides and God will be there as well, fighting for us against our foes. Are we willing to gather at God’s banner? Even though it means declaring ourselves to His enemies? I pray that your are, and that God will give me the strength to do so as well.

    We cannot make ourselves right with God by following the rules. This does not mean that the rules are meaningless. It instead means that we should live by God’s grace, or as Paul states it, “It is no longer I who lives, but Christ who lives in me.” We live by trusting Christ, and living as the Scripture and the Holy Spirit indicate to us that He would live. The biggest problem with living according to a set of rules is that we can always find loopholes in the rules. There are no loopholes to be found in living according to what the Holy Spirit tells us is right. Perhaps the most important thing for us to recognize is that we cannot win our salvation by our own effort. No matter how good we are, we have still done some things wrong. Let us not live our lives so that people will see us as good, let us live our lives so that people will see Christ as good.

    The people of Jerusalem took all of the basic precautions. They stockpiled weapons, they inspected and repaired the city walls, they made sure they had stores of water and food. However, they did not do the most important thing. They did not call on God and listen to His instructions. He told them to repent in sorrow for their sins. Instead, they continued to celebrate and party. Let us turn to God in mourning for what we have done wrong.