For today, One Year Bible Online links here. Christmas is coming soon. Let us remember what it is truly about, the birth of Jesus Christ. Let us strive to not be caught up in the commercialism which is what this season is about for many in our society today.

    The proverb writer reminds us that children will only learn wisdom through discipline, the NIV says “a rod and a reprimand”. An undisciplined child disgraces its mother. If you have disciplined your child, you will be able to have peace of mind when they are out of your care. You will not worry that he will do something foolish which will get him killed (or otherwise seriously hurt). Parents who do not discipline their children do not truly love them.

    The opening of this psalm tells us an important lesson. No matter how noble, no matter how admirable the task we set for ourselves, if it is not one which God has set for us, we will not succeed. God does not desire for us to work from sunup to sundown and beyond. His plans leave time for us to rest.

    There are two contrasting teachings which the New Testament writers warn us against. The first is the belief that we can earn our salvation by living good and pure lives. Paul makes it clear in his writings that no one can live a good enough and pure enough life to earn salvation. The second, and the one which Jude addresses, is the idea that, since God, from His amazing grace, will forgive our sins, we do not need to even attempt to live good and pure lives,
    Jude tells us that such teachings are nothing new and have been condemned by God whenever they appear. Inevitably, accepting sexual immorality leads to sexual perversion, which leads to a multitude of other sins. Taken together these things lead to destruction. Jude tells us that those who teach that God’s grace allows us to live immoral lives base their teachings on their dreams and “visions”. They must do so since the Scripture so thoroughly condemns what they wish to teach.
    Throughout my life I have been taught that we must be equally on guard against both of the teachings I mentioned above. However, as I have been reading through the Bible over the last several years, I noticed something. The places where the second teaching is condemned and warned against are much more frequent, and emphatic, than the places where the first is warned against. Yes, we must be careful not to get caught up in legalism, in the belief that our righteous acts make us better than others and/or make us deserving of God’s love. However, the much more dangerous idea is that, because God will forgive our sins, we do not need to stop sinning.

    The prophet warns that the richer people get the more idols they build to worship. Yet it does not have to be that way. God calls us to plant seeds of righteousness so that we may harvest a crop of love. Now is the time to seek the Lord. Tomorrow may be too late. As I read this entreaty, I am reminded that last week one of my co-workers was killed on the way to work. I did not know him well, but from what my co-workers have said, I believe he knew the Lord. He was well-loved by all who knew him and he is harvesting a crop of love as my co-workers, and others, are raising money to care for his family.
    But Hosea warns us that all too many of us have sown seeds of wickedness. Those who have done so will harvest a crop of sin. Rather than live lives of righteousness, they have chosen to believe that a strong military and powerful police force will protect them from troubles. How has that worked out in various cities across this country during the riots which have happened over the last few weeks? Far better to saw a crop of righteousness and trust in God for a crop of love.

     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.

     Hosea prophesied against Israel, but the contents of this passage apply to all peoples in all times. The richer people get, the more they turn to the worship of idols. People spout empty words and make promises they do not intend to keep (sound familiar?). The result of all of this is that injustice springs up among the people, getting continually worse. From time to time I have heard people justify lies and broken promises as necessary to fight against injustice. This passage reminds us that lying and making promises you do not intend to keep in order to fight injustice is like randomly shooting into a crowd to prevent the people in the crowd from being shot.
     The people fear that something bad may happen to their idols, the things they worship and rely on in place of God, more than they fear injustice or that their neighbor will suffer. People believe that a strong military will keep them safe, even if they commit injustices and sin against their fellow-man. They cheat and steal from their neighbor and think that such actions are the method by which they can acquire wealth. They fail to recognize that their wealth was a gift from God, given to them so that they may carry out God’s will.
     Hosea tells us what we must do if we want to avoid destruction. We must turn to God and confess our sins. Then God will heal us of our faithlessness. Let us stop worshiping things that are not God and turn to walk in His paths. Everything of value comes from God, I will trust in Him and strive to do His will.

     Jude warned us against those who claim that God’s grace leaves us free to live immoral lives, that we do not need to live righteous lives because of God’s grace. God rescued Israel from the land of Egypt but later destroyed those who did not remain faithful. The same is true for us, God rescued us from sin, but will destroy those who choose to return to that sin.
     There are people who claim to have received authority from their dreams, or some other source that cannot be confirmed by others. They use this imputed authority to justify living immoral lives, defy those whose authority derives from more traditional (and verifiable) sources, and scoff at the supernatural. The writer reminds us that we do not have power over supernatural beings, our power versus the devil is not our own. We merely have the authority to invoke Jesus’ power. Those who scoff at what they do not understand are blemishes on our fellowship gatherings. They are people who use others for their own aggrandizement and give nothing in return. They are a contamination of the body of Christ.
     Jude tells us how to recognize them. They do not produce the fruit of the Spirit (see Paul’s writing to know what that is). They grumble and complain, only interested in what satisfies their own desire. They spend their time telling others about all of the “wonderful things” they have done. They tell you what a wonderful person you are in order to get you to do what they want (if you dare to resist their desires, you suddenly become a pariah). I watch my behavior because these characteristics are a sign that I am drifting away from God’s will for my life (or have already moved away from it). It is these sorts of people who create division in the Church.
     Jude concludes by telling us the counter to such people, the way to live so as not to be like them (or be led astray by them). He tells us to build each other up in our faith in Christ, show mercy to those who struggle with doubts. Let us reprove those who are destroying themselves with their sin, but extend friendship and hospitality to those who are struggling. As we strive to show love to those who are struggling in sin we must be cautious not to allow their sin to become our own. In all of this, let us never forget that God is able to keep us from falling into sin, if we only trust and rely on Him.

     Today’s psalm is an important reminder that no matter how skilled we are, no matter how hard we work, all of our efforts will be wasted if we do not work within God’s will.

     It is through being disciplined that children learn wisdom. It is only by the discipline instilled by our parents when we were young that we learned the skills we need to thrive in this world. It is only through the discipline instilled by God that we learn the skills we need to thrive in the next.