For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

Proverbs 19:18-19

    Parents who fail to discipline their children are not doing them any favors, the lack of discipline will ruin the children’s lives. If you save someone from the consequences of losing their temper once, they will not learn and you will have to do it again and again.

Psalm 15:1-5

    While the psalmist says that he is listing characteristics of those who will be allowed to worship God, the list is actually a list of the characteristics of those who do worship God.

• blameless
• lives righteous life
• speaks the truth from the heart

Note that they do not just speak the truth, but speak it from the heart (which I take to mean that they speak it out of concern for those they speak to and about)

• utter no slander
• does not wrong their neighbor

Note Jesus’ definition of who is our neighbor in the story of the Good Samaritan

• casts no slur on others
• despises vile people
• honours those who fear the Lord
• keeps their promises, even when it is inconvenient, or causes pain
• lends money without charging interest
• will not accept a bribe to lie about the innocent

These are the characteristics of those who worship the Lord. These acts taken together as a whole are a significant part of what it means to worship God. We are worshiping God when we do these things and it is not possible to do the opposite of these things and worship God.

Romans 5:6-21

    Paul points out that a few exceptional people might be willing to die for someone who they perceived as being exceptionally upright, exceptionally good. But Christ died for us when we were sinners, enemies of God. It was by Christ’s death that we were made right with God. If Christ was willing to die in order to make us right in God’s sight and restore us to friendship with God, surely He will bring us into life through His resurrection.
    This passage is such a wonderful account of God’s love and a challenge for us. Jesus was willing to suffer and die for us when we were living lives in conflict with God. We should be willing to follow His example and risk our lives in order to show those around us God’s love for them. All too often, we are not even willing to inconvenience ourselves to show God’s love to those around us. Oh, Lord let me follow your example and willingly risk myself in order to show others how to be made right with you!

1 Chronicles 28-29:30

    David gave his son Solomon some advice that every father should give his son, and to which all of us should pay heed:

learn to know the God of your ancestors intimately. Worship and serve him with your whole heart and a willing mind. For the Lord sees every heart and knows every plan and thought. If you seek him, you will find him. But if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.

God does indeed see every heart and know every plan and thought. We cannot fool God as we may fool our fellow-man. However, if we seek Him, we will find Him. Let us commit ourselves to worshiping and serving God with our whole being. Let us never be reluctant to do so. The consequences of forsaking God are too awful to bear.

     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.

1 Chronicles 28-29:30

     David summoned all of the leaders of Israel to give his final instructions to them and to Solomon. He told Solomon that God had chosen his family out of all of Judah to be kings over Israel, chosen David out of all of his father’s sons, and now chosen Solomon out of all of David’s sons. David gave Solomon an important piece of wisdom. He told him that if he seeks God, he will find Him. David then went on to give Solomon detailed instructions for building the Temple. David then turned to the leaders of Israel and told them what treasure he was giving from his personal wealth for the building of the Temple and asked them to do something similar. The leaders responded by giving a large amount of wealth. David gave over $3 billion worth of gold at today’s prices and the leaders of Israel all together gave over $5 billion worth. In addition, they, David and the leaders, gave silver and other metals for the construction.
     David then prayed a prayer of praise where he acknowledged that everything which he had had come from God. He refused to accept any credit for the wealth which he had donated to the Temple construction, since that wealth came from God in the first place. David tells us that we have nothing to give to God, because we have nothing that did not come from God.

***
     There are a couple of things in this passage I want to highlight as timeless messages. The first is what David tells Solomon, “If you seek Him, you will find Him.” That is as true today as it was in the time of Solomon. Anyone who truly, with all of their heart, seeks the Lord will find Him. Of course the rest of what David said to Solomon there is true as well, “But if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.” I will continue to seek the Lord.
     There is a second message here that David gives in his prayer. Everything that we have comes from God. We have nothing that we can call our own to give to God. We are on this earth for a mere moment and all the joys and pleasures we experience are gifts from God. We have no basis to feel put upon when God asks us to give to His causes from the bounty He has provided us.

Romans 5:6-21

     Paul tells us that very few people would be willing to die for someone who was a “good person”, a few more might be willing to die for someone who was universally acknowledged as good. But Christ died for us when we were sinners, enemies of God. If we were reconciled to God through Christ’s death while we were still in opposition to God, how much more will His life bring us salvation? Jesus has made us friends with God, allowing us to rejoice in our new relationship with Him.
     Paul goes on to draw the comparison between Jesus and Adam. It was through Adam that sin and death entered the world. Adam’s one sin led to the sins of many. Christ’s obedience to God led to many being made righteous. Through Adam’s sin, sin came to rule over the earth, bringing death to everyone. Through Jesus’ obedience onto death, God’s grace wrested the rulership over the earth from sin resulting in eternal life through Jesus.

Psalm 15:1-5

     Today’s psalm gives us a list of how we should attempt our lives.

1. speak the truth
2. refuse to gossip
3. refuse to harm our neighbors
4. refuse to speak evil of our friends
5. despise flagrant sinners
6. honor those who faithfully follow the Lord
7. keep our promises even when it hurts
8. lend without interest
9. do not accept bribes to lie about the innocent

If we do these things we will stand firm no matter what troubles come our way.

Proverbs 19:18-19

     I read the first of these proverbs and could not help but think of reports I have read concerning the youth in our country. So many parents want to be their children’s friends and don’t want to anger their children. So rather than disciplining their children they are becoming a willing party to their death. I have watched several families raise their children. The children of the strictest disciplinarians went through life knowing they were loved. The children of the most permissive spent their lives looking for love.
     The second proverb has a similar message. If you save someone who allowed anger to overcome their better judgment from the consequences of their actions, they will not learn their lesson and will repeat the mistake.