Tag Archives: Psalm 67

Daily Bible Study

September 23, 2015 Bible Study — Happy Anniversary to My Lovely Wife

For today, One Year Bible Online links here. Today my wife and I celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary. I am so grateful both to God and to her for these 15 wonderful years. I pray to God that we have many more together.

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Proverbs 23:29-35

    If you spend your time trying all the latest wines, beers, or mixed drinks, you will suffer for it. I don’t think there is anything I can say to add any clarity to what is said here.

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Psalm 67

    Yes, I will make this my prayer today. May God’s saving power be known to all people throughout the entire earth. May they come to know and praise God. Then, and only then, will there be peace on the earth.

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Ephesians 2

    None of us have any place to boast about our salvation. It was a free gift from God given to us when we were still enmeshed in sin. He did not give it to us as a reward for our righteous behavior, because if salvation was a reward for righteous behavior no one would receive it. No, God recreated us in, and through, Jesus so that we could do good things. The good things we do are not ours to boast of, rather they are God’s doing. I do not do good things because I am a good person. Rather the good things I do are a product of God’s Spirit working through me.
    God, having given us salvation, is now joining us together into a Temple in which He may live. The purpose of this unity is to bring glory to God. We are not called to unity to make people feel better about themselves. We are not even called to unity to help those less fortunate than ourselves. Those are both valuable things, when done in service to the purpose for which God is bringing us together. That purpose is to glorify God. We do not bring glory to God, by proclaiming that sinful behavior is not sinful. However, we need to remember that we are called to confront ALL sinful behavior, not just sinful behavior we find distasteful.

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Isaiah 41:17-43:13

    As I read Isaiah recounting God’s call for the idols to tell us what they had done long ago, I am reminded that scholars and archaeologists frequently question the historical accuracy of the accounts in the Bible. In the early nineteenth century, it was the accepted “truth” that the Assyrian Empire had never existed, that the Biblical writers had invented it to make points about God’s power. Even after the discovery of Nineveh there were those who questioned the accounts given here and elsewhere of the Assyrian siege and withdrawal from Jerusalem, but those have now been confirmed. The idols worshiped by the skeptics had failed to reveal what had happened long ago, just as God had said that they would. Yet the Bible told us of those events. There is a similar call for those idols to tell us what will happen in the future. Before 1948, those who do not accept the Bible and God’s power would have told you that Israel would never again exist in Palestine. Yet, here in Isaiah, God proclaimed that one day He would bring His people back to the land He had promised Abraham.

    There is another theme in this passage which I want to touch on because it struck me as I read this. At the beginning of Chapter 42, we are told of God’s chosen servant, who will not shout, or raise His voice in public. This is a prophecy about Jesus. However, I felt the Spirit talking to me. We are not called to shout, and scream, and stamp our feet. We are called to calmly, gently, and firmly work to bring justice.

Daily Bible Study

March 24, 2015 Bible Study — The Golden Rule

For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

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Proverbs 11:27

    If you search for good, you will find it and people will like you. If you search for evil, you will find that as well, or to be more precise, evil will find you. The former is pleasant, the latter, not so much.

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Psalm 67:1-7

    If I ever need to give a toast at some event, I hope I remember the first verse of this psalm:

May God be merciful and bless us.
May his face smile with favor on us.

It also works as a great closing prayer for a small group or Bible study group. In fact, the entire psalm would make a great invocation for a meeting which focuses on evangelism or mission work.

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Luke 6:12-38

    This passage contains what we refer to as the “Golden Rule”. I have heard many takes on this rule:

  • “Them as have the gold make the rules.”

    • That is nowhere close to what Jesus taught.

  • “Do to others before they do to you.”

    • This sounds closer, but isn’t really.

  • “Do to others what they do to you.”

This is the philosophy most people live by and one which Jesus tells us is not very praise worthy.
    Unlike those, Jesus teaches us “Do to others as you would like them to do to you.” He tells us to love our enemies. If we love those who love us, well, even the most evil people in history loved those who loved them. If we do good to those who do good to us, even Mafia bosses do that. We are to love our enemies, bless those who curse us, and pray for those who hurt us. All in all, this is a tough command to follow. We are not just to do good things for the poor and powerless (feed the hungry, clothe the naked). We are to do what good we can for the rich and powerful. We are to show love to those who mistreat and oppress us.

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Deuteronomy 2-3:29

    Moses continued his speech recounting the travels of the Israelites from the time they turned away from the Promised Land until that moment in time. He described how God had forbidden them to make war on, or cause trouble for, the Edomites, the descendants of Abraham through Esau. Nor were they allowed to make war on the Moabites and the Ammonites, descendants of Lot, Abraham’s nephew. However, the Amorites, who were not related to Abraham at all, not only refused the Israelites permission to pass through their land, the mobilized their armies and attacked them. In response the Israelites completed destroyed two Amorite kingdoms.
    Having conquered a foothold on the east side of the Jordan, the Israelites prepared to cross the Jordan and take control of the land there. Moses delegated control over the Israelite fighting force to Joshua and made it clear that Joshua would lead the attack into the Promised Land. God had forbidden Moses to enter into that land, despite Moses’ desperate pleading for the opportunity to cross over and see the land. However, God did send Moses up onto a high mountain and gave him a view over the land He was giving to the Israelites. In some ways, this was a foreshadowing of how the various Old Testament prophets would look forward to the coming of Jesus, the Messiah.

Daily Bible Study

September 23, 2014 Bible Study — Happy Anniversary, Love

For today, One Year Bible Online links here. Today marks the 14th year of my marriage to the my lovely wife. I thank God every day for bringing this woman into my life. Happy Anniversary, Darling!

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Proverbs 23:29-35

    This is a clear and concise warning about the dangers of becoming enticed by alcohol. While moderate drinking can have benefits, drinking all the time will lead to health problems and social difficulties.

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Psalm 67:1-7

    This psalm will be my prayer for today. How much better would this world be if people everywhere were to pray this psalm, if God’s ways were known and followed throughout the earth? Yes, I will pray this psalm and hope that what it asks for comes to pass. May all the nations praise God and people everywhere fear Him.

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Ephesians 2:1-22

    At one time we were all dead to sin. We all served the one whose spirit is at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. Ultimately, everything we did served death. We served our sinful desires and made ourselves objects of God’s anger. In this way, we were no better than anyone else. But God, in His rich mercy, loved us so much that He gave us life by raising Christ from the dead. We cannot take credit for this transformation from death to life because it was none of our doing. It was a free gift from God.
    We did not receive salvation as a reward for our good works, rather God gave us salvation in order to create a great masterpiece. He created a work of art out of the junk we had made of our lives. He transformed us into a new creation in Christ in order that we might do the good works He planned out for us long ago. Once we were divided into groups, and nations, a races, but God united us into one people, joining us together to be a temple where His Holy Name is worshiped. Let us seek to bring glory to God in all we do, encouraging others to praise His holy name.

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Isaiah 41:17-43:13

    As I read the beginning of this where the Lord calls on the idols men worship to tell what they had done in the past, or predict what would happen in the future, or to just do something, I was reminded of all of the models which people have proposed over the last century or two. Models which they claimed everyone should use to guide their lives, some of those models were economic models, some were scientific models, but all claimed they could tell us what the future held and demanded our loyalty. All of those promises proved to be empty and meaningless. But God has told us what He will do and we have seen it come to pass.
    Isaiah then prophesies in the name of the Lord about the coming of the Christ, a prophecy fulfilled with Jesus coming. Further he tells us to look to the past and learn from what others have experienced. Let us look to the past and see how when people refuse to serve the Lord, death and destruction come upon them. Those that continue to heed His word are completely destroyed. But those who turn to Him and seek to follow His ways make their way through the times of trouble and oppression. God will deliver them out the other side. We have the examples of the way in which He treated His people Israel, predicting the troubles that would come from their sins, and predicting the ways in which He would redeem them once more.

Daily Bible Study

March 24, 2014 Bible Study — We Will Be Judged By the Standard We Judge Others

    I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I write this daily blog because it helps me pay closer attention to the Scripture as I read it. Before I started writing this blog I had trouble disciplining myself to read the Bible regularly, let alone every day. I hope that by posting my thoughts I can encourage others to regularly read the Bible (and perhaps my thoughts will give someone encouragement in their walk with Christ). In order to make it possible for others to use my blog as part of their daily Bible Study (the hubris of that idea never ceases to amaze me), I read the passages and write my thoughts a day, or more. in advance. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.

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Proverbs 11:27

    Those who seek good will find both it and favor with others. Those who seek evil will find it, to their own loss. If you seek evil, you will suffer evil.

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Psalm 67:1-7

    This psalm reminds us to praise and bless God because He has blessed us by providing for our needs. Yet it also carries the reminder that as we praise and obey God, we will be blessed by Him even further.

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Luke 6:12-38

    Luke tells us that people came from all over to hear Jesus preach and to be healed by Him. In addition, he puts a phrase hear which reminds me of the woman who was healed when she touched the hem of his robe. “Everyone tried to touch him, because healing power went out from him, and he healed everyone.” (verse 19) Then we have Luke’s take on the beatitudes. These are more troubling than Matthew’s version. Jesus said that those who were poor, hungry, and sorrowful are blessed because they will inherit the Kingdom of God, be fed, and experience joy. The scary part is that Jesus then goes on to tell those who are experiencing the good life will experience sorrow and misery in the future. I do not think this second part is a promise, but rather it is a warning (at least I hope so) because of what He says next.
    Jesus transitions from His warnings of sorrow by saying, “But to you who are listening…” He tells us to love our enemies, do good to those who hate us, bless and pray for those who treat us badly. We are to do to others as we would like them to do to us. It is not enough to do good things to those who can/will return the favor. We need to be nice, do good things for, those who will not and/or cannot be nice and/or do good things in return. God has been merciful to us, as undeserving as we were, and are. If we expect God to reward us, we must be merciful to those who do not deserve it, and will not deserve it. Let us work to imitate God’s goodness. Jesus tells us that we should not hold others to a higher standard than we wish to be judged by ourselves. If we wish to be forgiven, we need to forgive others. I just realized that there is an implicit understanding of human nature here. Those who are unwilling to forgive others are those who think of themselves as not needing forgiveness. The measure by which we give to others (in forgiveness, good will, and material goods) is the measure by which we will be rewarded. Let us give to others generously.

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Deuteronomy 2-3:29

    Moses continued his account of the time the Israelites spent in the wilderness. He recounts how God instructed them to avoid conflict with both the Edomites and the Moabites (descendants of Esau and Lot respectively). Moses then told of how he sent messengers to Sihon, the king of Heshbon, requesting permission to pass through his lands as they had through the lands of the Edomites and the Moabites. Sihon rejected Moses request and attacked the Israelites. I am reminded as I read this that God will provide for us. There will be obstacles in the path that God sends us on, but God will remove those obstacles. Let us not become hostile towards those who do not share our goals until they take action against us. Even then, we need to rely on God to defeat them for us.

Daily Bible Study

September 23, 2013 Bible Study — Saved To Do Good Works

     Thirteen years ago today my wife and I got married. So far, God has given us thirteen years together. Not all of that time has been great, but I would not trade any of it. I continue to thank God every morning for the wife He has given me and I am grateful to her for marrying me.
     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.

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Isaiah 41:17-43:13

     The poor and needy will search for their basic needs and not be able to find them. However, God knows of their need and will provide for them. Those who see what God has done will praise His name for His miraculous love. I am not going to try and summarize this passage as I often do, there is just too much in it. Rather I am going to pull out segments that speak to me today. I will. however, strongly encourage anyone reading this to go and read the entire passage, because there are more beautiful portions to it than I am going to touch on.
     The prophet tells us that God’s chosen one will not shout or raise His voice in public. However, He will bring justice to all who have been wronged. I think this is a model we should attempt to emulate. I want to strive to remain calm and explain what I believe in a quiet, rational voice. When I disagree with others, I do not want to shout them down, rather I want to calmly explain why I disagree. I believe that this is part of my calling from God, to be a calming and steadying influence. I do not always succeed. Sometimes I allow my passions to overcome me, but I have observed that I am at my most effective when I remain calm. It is my ambition to leave the forceful overwhelming of opposition to God.
     I do not want to be one of those who sees, but does not pay attention, or hears, but does not listen. When God speaks to me, I want to pay attention. I do not want God to get out the “two by four” to get my attention by smacking me upside the head. I will not be afraid for I know that God is with me.

“From eternity to eternity I am God.
No one can snatch anyone out of my hand.
No one can undo what I have done.”

***

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Ephesians 2:1-22

     We all used to be dead in our sins, obeying Satan as his servants. We, like everyone else, was deserving of God’s anger. But God, because of His great love, gave us life through Christ’s death and resurrection. Our salvation from death and despair came about by God’s gift and had nothing to do with anything we ourselves had done, or will do. We have been saved from sin and transformed by God’s grace so that we can now do the good and holy things which He planned for us. We are not save because we do good things. We do good things because we are saved.

***

     We as humans have a tendency to divide ourselves into groups. We attempt to make ourselves part of a group where some people are on the inside and are the “good” people while others are on the outside and are “bad” people. Christ came into the world to destroy those divisions. Christ came to break down the walls between us and make us all one people by reconciling us to God. If we wish to be part of God’s Temple, we must allow Him to put our hostility others to death on the cross with Christ. That is the hostility towards others because they are part of “that” group and the hostility towards others because they cut us off in traffic. God loved us when we were hostile to Him and acted to reconcile us with Him. We are called to act in a similar manner.

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Psalm 67:1-7

     There is a phrase in this psalm that I wish to make my prayer:

May your ways be known throughout the earth,
your saving power among people everywhere.

I desire that everyone on earth praise God. The more people who turn to God to serve and worship Him, the less poverty and misfortune there will be in the world.

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Proverbs 23:29-35

     Those who drink to excess will find many troubles.

***

Daily Bible Study

March 24, 2013 Bible Study — Everyone Speaking Well Of You Is a Bad Sign

     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.

Tulips poking up
Tulips poking up

Deuteronomy 2-3:29

     Moses recounts how the people of Israel wandered in the wilderness for a generation, until God instructed them to turn north. God told them not to attack the Edomites because they were the descendants of Esau, Jacob’s brother. So, the Israelites went around the land of Edom. God also instructed them not to attack either the Moabites or the Ammonites. However, God told them to attack the Amorites. First, Moses offered the King Sihon that they would travel through his lands without causing disruption, paying for any food or water they consumed in their travels. King Sihon responded by mustering his armies and attacking the Israelites. The Israelites completely destroyed King Sihon and his people. Then King Og of Bashan attacked them and they turned and destroyed his people, conquering his lands.
     Moses divided this land among the tribes of Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh on the condition that they send their fighting men across the Jordan with the rest of the tribes to help them conquer the land there. Moses then tells the people that he appointed Joshua as his successor and had given Joshua instructions concerning leading the people. Moses told them that he had begged God to be allowed to cross the Jordan and see the land on the other side. However, God was angry with Moses for things he had done while leading the people in the wilderness. God told Moses to go up to the top of a high peak which would allow him to look out over the land on the other side of the Jordan, but that Moses would not be allowed to cross the Jordan into the Promised Land.

Fire in the fire pit
Fire in the fire pit

Luke 6:12-38

     Jesus spent a night in prayer to God and in the morning He called all of His disciples together and chose twelve of them as His messengers (the original Greek word for apostle means “messenger”). When they came down from the mountain, Jesus stood on a large level area surrounded by crowds who had come to hear Him preach and be healed by Him. The passage does not spell it out, but it reads to me like Jesus chose a natural amphitheater to preach from. Luke tells us that in the middle of this crowd, Jesus began to teach His disciples.
     Jesus tells His disciples that those who are poor and hungry are blessed by God and will be satisfied. When people hate, persecute us and reject us as evil because we follow Jesus’ teachings, we should rejoice because that is how their ancestors treated the prophets. Jesus then goes on to tell us that those who are wealthy and well-fed now will suffer deprivation later. More importantly He tells us that we should be concerned if everyone speaks well of us, because that is how their ancestors spoke of the false prophets.
     We should pay attention to this, those that our society thinks highly of are not the people we should be listening to. On the other hand, we should look closely at what those our society condemns to see if they are preaching the word of God. We should remember that those who tell people what they want to hear are almost always deceivers seeking to accomplish evil goals. When everyone speaks well of someone it is a sign that their message is probably false. Unfortunately, the converse is not necessarily true. When everyone maligns someone, that does not mean that their message is true. However, society will, sooner or later, denigrate anyone who speaks God’s message truthfully.
     Jesus goes on to tell His disciples (us) that they should love their enemies and do good to those who mistreat them. We get no credit for being nice to those who are nice to us, even sinners do that. We are to go beyond what sinners do and be nice to those who mistreat us. Jesus goes on to tell us not to judge or condemn others. Rather we are to forgive others so that we may be forgiven. The measure we use in giving to others, God will use in giving to us. This is not about receiving material wealth in return for our charitable giving (although there is an element of that in this teaching), rather it is about us treating others better than we think they deserve because God treats us better than we deserve.

Snow on the road
Snow on the road

Psalm 67

     Every day I am finding the psalms I read a blessing. I am truly blessed by the opening to today’s psalm:

May God be merciful and bless us.
May his face smile with favor on us.

However, I am challenged by the next phrase:
May your ways be known throughout the earth,
your saving power among people everywhere.

How will that happen if I am not demonstrating those ways and teaching those ways to those I meet? Yes, I want the nations and people everywhere to praise God and sing for joy in the knowledge of His governance. But that can only happen if I tell those I meet about it. As Paul writes in Romans 10:14 “But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?” Have I done all I can to tell others about God? The answer is “No”, which means that I must find more ways to spread the word of God’s love. I know that part of my reluctance to do more is a fear that others will condemn me for it. Yet Jesus tells us that we should rejoice when others condemn us for preaching His word. I will strive to live up to that going forward.

Quilt on display at Peter Becker Flower Show
Quilt on display at Peter Becker Flower Show

Proverbs 11:27

     If you look for good, you will find it and people will look favorably on you. On the other hand if you look for evil, you will find that as well and will experience it. While evil is out there and we should be aware of it, we should look for good in those around us because if we do, we are likely to find it. Those who expect others to treat them well usually experience that type of treatment, while those who expect others to treat them badly almost always receive the treatment they expect (especially since they tend to interpret the treatment they do receive in the most negative light possible).