Tag Archives: Psalm 122

Daily Bible Study

December 3, 2015 Bible Study — How Do We Know What Is Right?

For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

DSCN9629

Proverbs 29:1

    If you are too stubborn to change your behavior when people give you well-deserved criticism you will be suddenly destroyed with no hope for redemption.

DSCN9624

Psalm 122

    Are we like the psalmist? Are we glad when they say, “Let us go to the House of the Lord?” or do we think, “It is so boring there?” Or worse yet, are we the people who cause others to say that the house of the Lord is boring? Let us strive to make the gathering of God’s people a place where others want to be. Let us strive to make the gathering of the Lord’s people something that those who love the Lord are sad when they cannot be there.

DSCN9631

1 John 3:7-24

    If we do what is right we demonstrate that we are righteous in the same way that Christ is righteous, but if we keep on sinning we demonstrate that we belong to the devil. We cannot belong to both God and the devil, we must choose one or the other. And how do we know what is right? We know what is right by loving our fellow believers and acting out that love. Jesus gave us an example of what real love was when He gave up His very life for us. Therefore we should be ready and willing to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters in Christ (and those we hope will be our brothers and sisters in Christ).
    Cain murdered Abel because Abel did what was pleasing to God and Cain hated him for it. In the same way the people of this world are likely to hate us. While the people of this world may hate us, we should love them because God desires for them to become our brothers and sisters. Those who hate others are no better than murderers. In fact, they are murderers. It is not possible to be both a murderer and a loving child of God.

DSCN9625

Daniel 11:2-35

    The angel Gabriel recounts to Daniel the fall of the Persian Empire to Alexander the Great and the four kingdoms into which his empire was divided. The account describes the conflict between the two which fought over the land of Israel. The key message in all of this is that God is in control of history and knows what comes next.

Daily Bible Study

June 04, 2015 Bible Study

For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

DSCN8640

Proverbs 16:19-20

    The lesson of this proverb is one that all too many people today will learn the hard way. It is better, you will be happier and the world will be a better place, if you are poor and humble than if you are proud and have ill-gotten wealth, wealth gained through dishonesty, fraud, and theft. Trust the Lord and be joyful, or spend your life pursuing goals which will never give you the fulfillment you desire.

DSCN8623

Psalm 122:1-9

    There are two parts of this psalm that resonate with me. They are not really connected, at least not for me, today. First, can I say verse one is true for me?

I was glad when they said to me,
“Let us go to the house of the Lord.”

For me “go to the house of the Lord” means going to where God’s people are gathering, when they are gathering. When someone asks me if I am going to such and event, do I reply with a joyful, “Let’s do this thing!”, or do I reply, “I don’t feel like it today”? I pray that God’s Spirit will inspire me to the former.
    The second is in verse 6 where the psalmist asks us to pray for peace in Jerusalem. Every time I read this I am convicted that we should do this. I am not one of those whose actions and attitudes determines whether or not there will be peace in Jerusalem, but I can pray that God’s Spirit will influence those who are. I believe that peace will only come when all of those involved have a heartfelt desire for peace than for whatever else motivates their actions. This is not something which can be imposed from without. Each and everyone of the individuals involved must be transformed by God’s Spirit to desire peace.

DSCN8613

Acts 2:1-47

    On the day of Pentecost when Peter stepped forward to speak to the crowd, he quoted the prophet Joel. What struck me was that the prophecy Peter quoted said that God would pour out His Spirit upon all people in the last days. Peter was saying that the time of that prophecy had come. If those were already the last days, then today we are certainly living in the last days as well. Yet I see a lot of Christians living their lives not expecting the Spirit to be poured out upon them the way it was poured out on the disciples in the upper room on Pentecost.
    I struggle with the fact that we do not see Christians performing the kinds of miracles recounted in the Gospels and the Book of Acts. I struggle with the fact that I do not perform such miracles. Yet, I fear asking for such miracles because I know that hubris, pride in myself, is one of my weaknesses. If I performed the kinds of miracles which Jesus promised to His followers, and to which Peter refers here, I am afraid that I would become full of myself. Perhaps this is the problem, I do not have sufficient humility to allow God to work such wonders through me. Oh Lord, give me the humility which will allow Your Spirit to work through me.

DSCN8582

2 Samuel 22-23:23

    I love the image of God which is conveyed in David’s song recounted here. It is the image of what a father wishes he could do when his child is in danger. It is an image writers of heroic fiction attempt to convey of what their heroes do when confronted by evil. We wish we had the power to confront the dangers this way, but we do not. We need to humbly accept that we are dependent on God for salvation from many of the dangers we, or our loved ones, face in this world. However, read that song and remember that God is indeed capable of such a heroic rescue. When we cry out to God, He will come to our rescue and if it requires a heroic rescue, then a heroic rescue is what we will see.
    I have tried twice to recount stories which remind me of what this song says about God’s power and ability to come to our rescue and could not express the image which this song conveys to me. I mentioned God’s miraculous power in my commentary on Acts. The point of both of the stories was that the heroic, miraculous power which God uses to rescue us is not always obvious as heroic and miraculous. Sometimes, it is just people doing “what anybody would do in that situation.”

Daily Bible Study

December 3, 2014 Bible Study — Live Righteously and Love One Another

For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

DSCN4699

Proverbs 29:1

    Someone who refuses to change their actions, even after repeatedly being told what they are doing wrong, and why it is a mistake, will suddenly be destroyed (well, at least from their perspective). By the time they fall it will be too late to mount a recovery. You know the type of person the writer is talking about. Those people who are even more determined not to change their ways after someone has told them they are wrong.

DSCN4701

Psalm 122:1-9

    I love how this psalm opens:

I was glad when they said to me,
“Let us go to the house of the Lord.”

Are we glad when people invite us to go somewhere to worship God? Do we look forward to our opportunities to join with others in worship? I was going to say that as I get older I find greater joy in doing so, but that is not really true. I have always found great joy in joining others in worshiping the Lord. It is just that I used to be more easily distracted by other pleasures. I have come to realize that the joy I get from worshiping God lasts longer than the pleasure I get from other things (except doing other things to serve the Lord, but that is a form of worship as well).
    The psalmist asks us to pray for Jerusalem to be at peace. This is certainly something we should do. We should pray for peace in all the earth, but there is something especially symbolically important about peace in Jerusalem. Let us pray that one day soon there will be peace in Jerusalem, and that that peace will spread throughout the earth.

DSCN4700

1 John 3:7-24

    In yesterday’s passage, John told us that if we sin, we have an intercessor who pleads our case with God. However, in today’s passage he tells us that those who keep on sinning belong to the devil. Those born of God will not continue to sin. Taken together these two passages teach us that, while God will forgive us for our sins, if we rely on that forgiveness and refuse to change (that is, we do not attempt to stop sinning) we do not belong to God. It is possible to know if we are children of God. If we live righteously and love our fellow believers, we are children of God. If we do not do those things (which are really one and the same thing), we are children of the devil.
    Those who do not live righteously will hate those who do. It should come as no surprise when those who do not strive to follow Christ hate us. What should surprise us, and make us question whether we are being faithful, is when those who reject Christ like us (there will be times when it happens, but we should be very careful when it does). Even when others hate us we should show our love. It is not enough to say that we love, love is not passive. Rather true love is active. If we love those around us we will demonstrate that love by our actions. If we do that which love compels us to do, our actions will show the truth of our faith in Christ for all who see.

DSCN4703

Daniel 11:2-35

    Today’s passage continues to lay out events in Daniel’s future. It talks about a king who will rise to power and will act against God’s people. This king will ally with those who once served God but have chosen to reject God’s will. However, those who truly know God will stand strong and resist such blasphemy. The ending of this passage describes a time when the government will persecute those who attempt to remain faithful to God. Such times have come in the past and will come again in the future. Are we prepared to remain faithful servants of God in the face of persecution?

Daily Bible Study

June 4, 2014 Bible Study — Pray For Peace In Jerusalem

For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

DSCN5917

Proverbs 16:19-20

    It is better to live humbly with barely enough, than to live with great wealth among the proud. However, if you are willing to humbly listen to instruction you will not need to live in poverty for long. Trust in God and do as He commands and you will find joy.

DSCN5915

Psalm 122:1-9

    Do we share the psalmist’s joy at being invited to join others in worshiping and serving God? My first thought every time I read this psalm is about how much joy there is in joining others to serve God, or even just to worship God (which is a form of service). However, I feel a call to follow the psalmist’s request to pray for peace in Jerusalem. I am convinced that if God were to bring peace to Jerusalem in my lifetime, many would stand in awe of His power and worship Him. I will pray for peace in Jerusalem.

DSCN5916

Acts 2:1-47

    When the Holy Spirit came on the disciples on Pentecost, many of those who witnessed it thought they were drunk. Am I willing to let the Holy Spirit control my actions such that those around me think I am behaving foolishly (as if I am drunk)? Peter explained to the crowds what was actually happening and many came to follow the Lord. However, the first step was allowing the Holy Spirit to make all of them look foolish. So, once more, let us ask ourselves, are we willing to let the Holy Spirit make us look foolish so that we can reach those who have not yet met Jesus?
    As important as the story of the day of Pentecost is, Luke’s account of what the believers did following it is at least as important. The believers met together and shared their possessions with those in need. However, they did not meet in private. They met at the Temple. That is, they met in public where anyone could join them. Not only could anyone join them, their meetings were held where they would be witnessed by many who had not yet joined them. The believers did not act in secret. All could see what they taught, and said, and did. Let us live so openly.

DSCN5918

2 Samuel 22-23:23

    As I read David’s song of deliverance, my first thought was how wonderful to have such a great God to whom I can cry out for deliverance. When we cry out to God in our distress, He will come to our rescue. However, I also thought, I do not want to be one of the obstacles between God and those who have cried out to Him for deliverance. I want to be faithful so that God shows His faithfulness to me. I want to live with integrity so that God reveals His integrity to me. I want to be pure so that I can see God’s purity. I do not want to see the hostile face which God turns to the wicked.
    David begins his song by speaking of the protection which God offers us and the security within which He shelters us. However, David reminds us that God does not call for us to cower in His protection. No, God gives us the strength to crush the armies arrayed against us. He will give us the ability to scale the walls which stand in our way. God will give us the strength and the ability to overcome any obstacles that stand in the way of accomplishing the mission which He has given us.

Daily Bible Study

December 3, 2013 Bible Study — Love Is An Action

     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. In order to make that possible I read the passages and write my thoughts a day in advance. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.

DSCN4403

Daniel 11:2-35

     Many modern Bible scholars hold the opinion that the book of Daniel was written in the time of the Maccabees. Today’s passage helps one see why. In the vision of today’s passage, Daniel gives a fairly good synopsis of the events which will happen in world politics in that part of the world from the time of Cyrus to the time of Antiochus IV. Since this passage is written in the style of apocalyptic literature, I do not put much thought into when this passage was written. The purpose of apocalyptic literature is to communicate that God is in control of events. Political leaders will from time to time arise who convince religious leaders to distort God’s word to support a political agenda. At those times there will be wise leaders who remain faithful and teach others to be faithful to God’s word. However, those wise leaders will often suffer persecution.

DSCN4404

1 John 3:7-24

     John reminds us that, even though we have an intercessor with the Father for those times we do sin, if we continue to sin we belong to the devil, not to God. If we are truly children of God, we will be unable to make a practice of sinning because God’s Spirit is within us. There are two ways that we can tell that we are truly God’s children, we will do what is right and we will love all of our fellow believers. Chances are good that the reason one person will hate another is because that second person makes the first person aware of their sinfulness. If we hate our fellow believers we are no better than murderers.

     Jesus showed us what real love was by giving up His life for us. This means that we should be willing to lay down our lives for our fellow believers. It is not enough to say that we love one another, we must show it by our actions. If we have enough and more than enough to meet our daily needs and do not help provide for our fellow believers in need, we do not truly love them. I ask God to help me to show my love whenever the opportunity arises for me to do so. If we do what God asks us to do, He will give us whatever we ask of Him. God asks of us that we love one another, not just in thoughts and words, but in deeds and actions.

DSCN4405

Psalm 122:1-9

     Am I truly glad to go to the house of the Lord, to gather with fellow believers to praise Him? This psalm encourages us to pray for peace in Jerusalem and what is best for Jerusalem and I believe that we should do so. However, in this psalm, Jerusalem is also a metaphor for the Church, the Temple of God which He has built out of those who follow and serve Christ. We should pray for peace in the Church and for what is best for the Church, as well.

DSCN4408

Proverbs 29:1

     Those who refuse to accept criticism, who refuse to change their ways after being repeatedly rebuked, will suddenly find destruction coming upon them, with no hope of escape.

Daily Bible Study

June 4, 2013 Bible Study — Was I Glad When They Said to Me, “Let Us Go to the House of the Lord?”

     I have been using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study for almost a year. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I started writing this blog because the only way I can get myself to read the Bible everyday is to pretend that I am teaching someone about what it says to me. 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.

Rose bush begins to bloom
Rose bush begins to bloom

2 Samuel 22-23:23

     Today’s passage includes the song David sang when God rescued him from his enemies (it is not clear to me if this was a song David sang from time to time or one he composed and sang on one particular occasion). It reminds me of the song “I Will Call Upon the Lord” by Petra. The opening stanza gives us a basic statement of faith.

The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;
my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.
He is my shield, the power that saves me,
and my place of safety.
He is my refuge, my savior,
the one who saves me from violence.
I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise,
and he saved me from my enemies.

It is God who provides us with protection and shelter from the storms of this life. If we call on Him, He will save us from our enemies. We read here what happens when we trust in God to be our savior:
But in my distress I cried out to the Lord;
yes, I cried to my God for help.
He heard me from his sanctuary;
my cry reached his ears.

Then the earth quaked and trembled.


The song goes on to tell more of how all that exists is shaken to its core when God responds to the cries of His people, those who serve Him. We learn who gets this response from God:
For I have kept the ways of the Lord;
I have not turned from my God to follow evil.

As long as we follow God’s path and turn to Him rather than follow evil, He will come to our rescue when we are in distress. Even if in the past we have turned away from God, if we turn to Him today, He will hear our cry and deliver us. All too often I face trouble in this life because I have taken my eyes off of God and been seduced by something else. There is so much in this passage for us. God shows Himself faithful to those who are faithful and demonstrates His integrity to those who act with integrity. God will rescue the humble, but He will humiliate the proud. Towards the end of the song, David sang these words which lift my spirit and echo in my mind:
The Lord lives! Praise to my Rock!
May God, the Rock of my salvation, be exalted!

     The passage goes from this song to a description of David’s last words and then lists the mighty men whom God placed around David to help bring him to victory. David did not stand alone, God gave him some mighty warriors to stand by his side. These men became recognized because they did not turn from danger, but stood firm in the Lord. In this life we do not go it alone, God has sent us to be part of a team. If we are faithful and serve God, He will send mighty warriors to fight at our side (or perhaps we will be the mighty warriors He sends to fight at someone else’s side). Let us stand firm and not flee the battle because we are outnumbered. Let us look at those who were called the Three. One stood fast and defeated 800 men in one battle. Another stood firm when the rest of the army had fled and fought until his arm was too tired to lift his sword. The third did something similar, he held his ground when the rest of the army had fled and by doing so God brought about a great victory. Let us continue to fight God’s fight until we are too tired to continue. God promises that if we are truly fighting His battle that He will bring about a great victory.

More early rose bush blooms
More early rose bush blooms

Acts 2:1-47

     During the Jewish Festival of Weeks after Jesus death and resurrection, the disciples were gathered together in one place. Suddenly there was the sound of a windstorm and what appeared to be fire distributed itself onto each one present. The people present began speaking in
different languages. The passage tells us that they spoke according to what the Holy Spirit moved them to say. The noise of what happened was so loud that people from all around came running to see what was happening (perhaps not running, but they gathered to see what was going on). At the time there were Jews from all over the world in Jerusalem. Those who gathered were amazed at what they heard when they got there. They heard these hicks from Galilee speaking in their native tongue. No matter what their native tongue was, one or more of the disciples was speaking it. Most of the crowd was amazed to hear the disciples, who were all from Galilee, speaking in their own tongues, telling of the wonderful things God had done. However, some of the crowd dismissed it, saying that the disciples were merely drunk.
     At this, Peter stood forward as the spokesman for the group (the Greek implies that he was put forward as the spokesman). Peter told the crowd that rather than the disciples being drunk, it was after all only nine in the morning, the crowd was witnessing the fulfillment of the prophecy from Joel. The prophet Joel said that God would pour out His Spirit on all people so that they will prophesy, see visions and dream dreams. God’s Spirit will perform wonders through all who will receive Him. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
     Peter told the crowd that God had endorsed Jesus by doing great wonders through Him, as the crowd was well aware. Jesus was betrayed and turned over to Gentile authorities to be killed, according to God’s foreknowledge and planning. Peter doesn’t pull any punches in this sermon. First he told the crowd that they were well aware of the miracles which Jesus had performed through the power of God. Then Peter told the crowd that THEY had nailed Him to the cross and killed Him. But, Peter told them, God was not finished yet. He did not abandon Jesus to the grave, nor allow His body to rot, just as David had written in Psalm 16. Rather God had raised Jesus from the dead and the disciples were witnesses to that resurrection. Peter concluded his sermon by telling the crowd that Jesus, whom they had crucified, was made Lord and Messiah by God.
     Peter’s words convicted many in the crowd so that they asked him, and the rest of the disciples, what they should do. Peter gave a series of steps to follow:

  1. Repent of your sinsTurn to God
  2. Be baptized in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins

    3. Once you have done these three things, you will receive the Holy Spirit. These three steps are steps for us to follow today, both for ourselves and when preaching salvation to others. The first step to salvation is that we must acknowledge that we have been sinful and done things which harm ourselves, our fellow man and our relationship with God. Then we must turn to God in the desire to have a relationship with Him. Finally, we must be baptized in the name of Jesus in order to receive the forgiveness of sins. Once we have completed these three steps, God will give us the gift of the Holy Spirit. Peter continued to preach calling on those listening to separate themselves from a crooked generation. A message that we should be preaching today. The passage tells us that 3,000 new believers were baptized that day.

    Rhododendron to be planted
    Rhododendron to be planted

    Psalm 122:1-9

         This psalm starts off with a great line for worship: I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.” We no longer have to go to a specific location to join with others to worship God, but are we filled with joy when someone says to us, “Let us get together to worship the Lord.” Or are we “too busy?” Are we willing to put aside our other concerns in order to spend time with our brothers and sisters worshiping the Lord?

    Rhododendron just starting to bloom
    Rhododendron just starting to bloom

    Proverbs 16:19-20

         It is better to be humble and live in poverty than it is to be among the proud who divide plunder taken from others. If you are willing to take instruction, you will do well in this life and those who trust God will find true happiness.