It is not wise to constantly remind others of how much you know. Even if you are as knowledgeable as you think you are, you will not advance your cause by telling people everything you know.
This psalm is further reminders of how God continued to forgive the sins of the Israelites despite their faithlessness. Reading this description of how the Israelites did not stay faithful to God despite the great signs and wonders He did on their behalf makes it tempting to feel smug. However, when I look over my life, I see the same thing in my past. God has done wonderful things for me and has demonstrated His power in arranging my life, yet I have time and again fallen short of obeying His will. Perhaps, my readers have done better than I in that respect…it is hard to imagine that they have done worse. This psalm reminds me that God will give me another chance to serve Him. I pray that the Holy Spirit move me to be faithful this time.
Jesus throws out a challenge to us in this passage. Are we willing to acknowledge Him publicly? If not, He will not be willing to acknowledge us before the Father. One of the reasons we sometimes are afraid to stand up for Jesus is because we do not know what to say when people challenge our faith. Jesus assures us that the Holy Spirit will provide us with the right words at the right time. This does not mean that we do not need to spend time studying so that we know how to answer those who challenge our faith. It just means that we should acknowledge our faith, even if we are unprepared.
There is a bumper sticker which says, “He who dies with the most toys wins.” It is wrong, very wrong. Jesus tells us that our material wealth will not be of any use to us when we face God. Let us use the wealth that comes our way on this earth to build up a relationship with God. Jesus goes on to remind us of how flowers are beautifully clothed and birds obtain enough to eat. He tells us that we are much more valuable to God than either of those. God knows what we need and will provide for those needs. It is verse 31 that has long been dear to me,
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need.
It inspires me and comforts me. As I write this my spirit within me is once more inspired to strive after the Kingdom of God above all else.
The wise do not boast about what they know, nor do they make an effort to convince everyone of their superior knowledge. Those who attempt to show everyone how much they know an any given subject instead reveal how foolish they truly are.
The psalmist reminds us how time and again the people of Israel rebelled against God, despite the wondrous acts which God performed in order to rescue them. Nevertheless God saved them once more when they turned to Him again. Let us strive not to follow their example. But even if we do, when we turn once more to God we can know that He will forgive our sins and welcome us back. Even so, let us remember that every time we turn away from God there is a risk that we will not turn back to Him before we meet our end.
Jesus tells a story that reminds me of a bumper sticker that was popular for a while, “He who dies with the most toys, wins.” This story tells us that the opposite is true; he who dies with the most toys, loses. Jesus goes on to point out that we should not worry about what we will eat, or what we will wear. God knows our needs and will provide for them. Rather than worry about material things, let us seek to do God’s will and serve His kingdom. If we do this, God will provide for our needs. Jesus reminds us to use our material possessions to serve God by assisting the poor and needy. By doing this we will store up treasures where they will last for eternity, rather than where they can only do us good for the short length of time which we will live.
God told Moses that he was about to die. So Moses brought his assistant Joshua before the people of Israel and named Joshua as his successor. It is worth noting for every leader that Moses had trained Joshua for many years. Then when the time came that he would no longer be able to lead Israel he appointed Joshua to replace him. In addition to training a leader to succeed him, Moses left written instructions for the people of Israel, instructions which he had received from God. It is important that those who lead a group make provision for its continued leadership after they are no longer able to provide leadership.
Moses wrote a song as part of his farewell to the people of Israel. This song reminds us that all too often when God blesses us with material possessions we forget Him and turn away from Him. This goes well with Jesus’ instruction to use any material wealth which we acquire to help the poor and oppressed. If we do not focus on using our material possessions to serve God we will end up serving our material possessions rather than God.
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. I hope that the Spirit is moving in others through these posts as the Spirit has definitely been convicting me.
When Moses had finished repeating the commands that God had given the people of Israel he told them that he would not be able to lead them into the land. He commissioned Joshua to take his place as their leader. He then gave a written book of all of the instructions God had given him for the people of Israel to the priests. He instructed them that every seven years they were to read this book of instructions to the people of Israel to remind them of God’s commands. God told Moses that in the future the people of Israel would rebel against Him. God gave Moses a song to teach the people of Israel for them to remember when His judgment came against them for their sins.
Moses sang of the great things that God had done. He praised God and sang of His glory. He sang of how God made the people of Israel rich and happy. Then he sang that when the people of Israel became wealthy, they would turn from God to offer sacrifices to demons and idols. They would neglect God and His commands. In His anger, God would punish them. He would bring disaster and disease upon them. However, God would not destroy them because if He did, Israel’s enemies might think that they had destroyed Israel through their own might and fail to recognize that it was God’s judgment against Israel for their sins.
This song reminds me of how easily we fall away from God when things go well. We start to believe that our success is a product of our own hard work and ability, rather than praising God for the wonders He has performed for us. I strive to not let such happen to myself. I will strive to glorify God even when things are going well for me. I know that my success is not a product of my virtue, but a gift from God’s wondrous grace.
Jesus tells us that if we acknowledge Him before men, He will acknowledge us before God. On the other hand if we deny Him before men, we will be disowned before God’s angels. He goes on to say that those who speak out against Him can be forgiven, but those who credit the good acts of the Holy Spirit to evil can never be forgiven (my interpretation of what He means by blasphemy against the Holy Spirit).
While Jesus was teaching someone in the crowd asked Jesus to instruct his brother to share his father’s estate with him. Jesus replied that He was not sent to make such judgments. He then goes on to warn us against greed of all kinds. Jesus then gives an example of a farmer who harvests a bountiful crop. The farmer does not have sufficient space to store the entire crop, so he tears down his barns and builds bigger ones. The farmer says to himself that then he will be able to relax and lead a life of ease. Jesus then tells us that that very night the farmer died. He never got to enjoy that life of ease. We should not store up wealth on this earth, rather we should strive to be rich with God.
Jesus goes on to explain this parable to His disciples. He tells them not to worry about what they will eat or wear. We cannot by worrying extend our lives by even a single hour. Since we cannot even do that, what is the point in worrying about anything? Jesus gives examples of how birds are fed even though they do not farm and flowers are clothed beautifully even though they do not sew. Those who do not worship God spend their time seeking to accumulate food, clothes, shelter and wealth. God knows what our needs are and we are more valuable than the birds and flowers that He provides for so abundantly. We should seek God’s kingdom and He will provide for our needs. We should use our resources to provide for those in greater need than ourselves. By doing that we store up wealth in heaven where it will never be destroyed. We should dedicate our resources to the place where we want our focus to be. If we focus on spending our wealth on material things, we will focus on the material world. On the other hand, if we focus on spending our wealth serving God, our focus will be on God’s kingdom. If we seek first God’s kingdom and His will, He will provide for our needs. I strive very hard to remember this teaching. I will seek God’s kingdom and His will above all else. Am I willing to sacrifice my desires for material goods in order to serve God?
The psalmist tells us that despite the wonders that God performed for the people of Israel and despite the suffering they experienced when they rebelled against Him, they nevertheless continued to sin against Him time and again. Yet for all of this God was merciful and forgave them when they turned to Him. This is cause for hope for us, at the same time that it is a condemnation. If we turn from our sins to God and request His forgiveness and aid, He will forgive us and act on our behalf once more. I have repeatedly sinned, yet I continue to strive to give over all of my life to God so that He may change me and make me more like Him.
This is the basic human desire and the root of all sin, to be like God. God does call on us to be like Him. However, the root of all sin is when we attempt to put ourselves in God’s place and become like Him through our own power. My goal is to submit to God and become like Him through His transformation of my being. I do not have the ability to make myself like God. However, God has the power to transform me into His likeness if I am willing to submit to Him and His will.
The godly rarely run into trouble, but the wicked are constantly running from one problem to another. God hates those who repeatedly tell lies, but loves those who are truthful. The wise do not tell everyone everything they know, but fools reveal their folly by attempting to appear knowledgable.
