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.

     Babylon was the mightiest nation on earth when Jeremiah prophesied her fall. God had used Babylon to punish the people of Israel for their sins, but that did not free them from responsibility for their own sins. Among those sins was mistreating the people of Israel. Babylon was wealthy and the mightiest city on earth, but that did not save them from the consequences of their sins. In the same way today, our wealth and military might will not save us from the consequences of our sins. Only by turning to God and crying out to Him can we be saved from our sins.

     Paul instructs us to live wisely. We should be a role model for others, doing all kinds of good works. Everything we do should reflect the integrity and seriousness of what we believe and teach. Above all we should teach the truth. We should live and teach in such a way that those who oppose us have nothing bad to say about us. If you work for someone else, be trustworthy and good, do not talk back or steal. In all ways work to make the teachings about God that we follow attractive. Let us turn from godless living and sinful pleasures, instead living lives of wisdom, righteousness and devotion to God. Jesus gave his life to free us from sin and cleanse us, let us be committed to doing good deeds. We are to teach these things and encourage other believers to do them.

     Let us praise the Lord. Throughout history men and women of God have called on Him for help. When they cried out to Him, He answered them. If we cry out to Him today for help, He will answer us. God will discipline us when we do wrong, but when we turn to Him and attempt to follow His commands He will forgive us our failings.

     Getting involved in someone else’s argument is likely to end badly.