Tag Archives: Religion

February 21, 2014 Bible Study — Just Have Faith

     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, 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 10:8-9

     If you are trying to decide if you are wise or foolish, ask yourself this question, how do you feel about someone giving you instructions? Are you happy to listen to(and follow) those instructions? Or are you too busy telling them what you think about the subject?

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Psalm 38:1-22

     Do we feel about our sins the way the psalmist felt about his? Does the very thought of our sins make us physically sick? Are we willing to confess our sins? Do we feel remorse and sorrow for them? Do we turn to God and ask Him for His forgiveness?

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Mark 5:21-43

     This passage contains two stories of faith. The first is a father who is desperate to save his daughter. the second is a woman who had been suffering for years. In both cases they turned to Jesus. The woman’s thought was, “If I can just touch His rob, I will be healed.” Do we have that kind of faith? There is a truth here that we all need to remember. If we get close to Jesus and “touch His robe” we will be healed. Do we desire Jesus’ touch the way this woman did? There is something more for us to see here as well. When the woman came to Jesus, her suffering was over because of her faith. She had faith that Jesus could relieve her suffering and as a result He did. Do we have faith that Jesus can relieve our suffering?
     In the other story, people came to the father and told him it was too late, that not even Jesus could help any longer. Jesus had a message for him, them, and us. “Don’t be afraid. Just have faith.” No matter how bad things appear. Do not let people tell you it is too late. Just have faith. The crowd may laugh at us, but Jesus’ touch can make things better, no matter how far gone it all is. Everyone thought the man’s daughter was dead, but Jesus said she was sleeping. He took her hand, told her to get up, and she got up and walked around. If we know those who need Jesus’ touch, let us have faith that He can heal them. It is never too late for them to take His hand. Two people were healed in this story. One went to Jesus, touched Him and was healed. For the second, someone brought Jesus to them, He touched them and they were healed. Do you need healing? Go to Jesus and reach out to Him. He will heal you. Do you know someone who needs healing? Bring Jesus to them. He will reach out to them and heal them. In either case, just have faith.

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Leviticus 11-12:8

     This passage gave the people of interest a list of animals they could and could not eat. In addition to listing many of the animals they were allowed and not allowed to eat, the passage explained what distinguished between these groups, going so far as to offer examples. Looking at the list it quickly becomes apparent that those which they were not allowed to eat posed a significant health risk if eaten (especially when we consider the food storage and preparation techniques available to them). In the modern day we have seen why it is not a good idea to eat just any animal. There have been several outbreaks of disease that resulted from people eating animals that it is unwise to eat. One interesting things about these outbreaks is that they were not the result of the impoverished eating whatever they could lay their hands on. Rather most(if not all) of them were the result of people who were eating these creatures as a delicacy.

February 20, 2014 Bible Study — Small Things Have Big Results

     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, 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 10:6-7

     If you want people to think well of you after you are gone (whether dead or merely traveled elsewhere), live a godly life. The names of the wicked are forgotten, or remembered as curse words.

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Psalm 37:30-40

     The psalmist contrasts the godly and the wicked. The godly are trusted. They offer wise advice that will help those who listen succeed. The wicked, on the other hand, are looking for an excuse to bring down the godly. They seek to bring down others to make themselves look better. Trust in the Lord and live your life according to His commands and you will do well. The wicked may seem to thrive, but no sooner do they rise to prominence than they are gone. I will seek refuge in the Lord.

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Mark 4:26-5:20

     Mark recounts two of Jesus’ parables about the Kingdom of God. The first one tells us that we will not, and cannot understand, how our actions will lead to the growth of the Kingdom. It is not our job to understand how it works. We are to do the things which God directs us to do and allow His Spirit to cause the Kingdom to grow just as a farmer does not need to understand how a plant grows, he just needs to plant the seeds at the proper time in the proper place. The second parable tells us that seemingly insignificant actions can have tremendous results. We need to do the small things that come our way each day because they have impact way out of proportion to their seeming significance.
     I have to touch on Jesus calming the storm. As He and His disciples crossed the lake, a storm came up. The storm was intense and the disciples were sure that they were going to die. Jesus, on the other hand, slept through it. Most of the time when we read this we talk about the fact that Jesus was able to calm the storm, but I don’t think that is entirely the point here. Jesus was able to sleep through the storm because He knew that the Father was in control. He knew that God had plans for Him and did not worry about the storms which might arise in the meantime. Jesus’ question to the disciples about their faith was about why were they worried and afraid. Didn’t they know that God was looking after them? Do we have the faith to trust that God will see us through the troubles this life brings our way?

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Leviticus 9:7-10:20

     Once Aaron and his sons had been ordained, they took up the responsibilities of making the offerings for the people. Our dedication of ourselves to God is not just for our benefit. They did not go through the process of being cleansed and made holy before God for their own benefit. They went through this process in order to be of service to others. The same it true for us. God does not bring us to Him through Christ just for our benefit, but in order to prepare us to serve others.

February 19, 2014 Bible Study — What Type of Soil Am I?

     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, 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 10:5

     Those who are wise work when it is time and do not take their leisure when there is work to be done.

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Psalm 37:12-29

     God will turn the weapons and plots of the wicked against them. I would rather be godly and poor than evil and rich. In due time the wicked will suffer for their evil, but God will care for those who trust in Him. I will allow God to direct my steps because if I do, He will not allow me to fall.

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Mark 3:31-4:25

     Every time I read the parable of the sower, I fear that I am represented by the soil which has thorns. All too often I allow the worries of this life, and my desire for material things, distract me from following God. I know people who are like the footpath and will not give the Gospel message a second thought. That is clearly not me. I, also, know people who are like the rocky soil, when they first heard the Gospel they were enthusiastic, but soon they were subject to scorn because of it and went on to other things. That is, also, not me. Finally, I know people who have produced a wonderful crop of righteousness. I look at my life and do not see a similar crop. I can, however, see those times when the concerns for this life kept me too busy to do the Lord’s work. Oh God, please weed my heart so that I can produce a crop of righteousness for You to put into Your storehouses!

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Leviticus 7:28-9:6

     The passage describes the ceremony which Aaron and his sons went through in order to be ordained priests. It was a seven-day affair. As I was reading this I thought about the effort the people of Israel put out in order to make themselves right with God. Do we work that hard? Is it important enough to us to make things right with God to put out that kind of effort? We don’t need to follow those rituals, thanks to the sacrifice of Christ. I will strive to put that much effort into serving God, not in order to be made right with Him, but because I have been made right with Him.

February 18, 2014 Bible Study — Do Not Worry About the Wicked

     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, 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 10:3-4

     God will provide for the needs of those who follow His commands, but He will not satisfy the cravings of those who seek only their own pleasure. Laziness leads to poverty, hard work to financial security.

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Psalm 37:1-11

     The psalmist reminds us not to worry because there are wicked people in this world and not to be envious of those who do wrong. Rather let us focus on trusting the Lord and doing what is good. It is not my place to worry about what others are doing. I need to commit to do what God desires that I do. If I commit all of my actions to serving the Lord, He will help me. I will not worry about the actions of the wicked, nor get angry because they are doing wrong. I will remain in the Lord’s presence and wait for Him to act. God will bring about the downfall of the wicked in His time. It is my job to do what is right, not to punish the wicked.

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Mark 3:7-30

     Large crowds followed Jesus from all over the region. Out of those crowds Jesus called those He wished to be His disciples and out of those disciples He appointed twelve to accompany Him. He would from time to time send those twelve out to preach, giving them power to heal and cast out demons. I struggle with the message of this passage. Out of the many who desired to follow Jesus He only chose some to accompany Him. Mark does not tell us what led Jesus to choose some over the rest. Mark does not even tell us what led Jesus to choose the twelve out of the rest who He chose to follow Him. The important thing to remember is that we have been chosen. Some of us have been chosen for one role and others for another. Let us fulfill the role which Christ has chosen for us.

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Leviticus 6-7:27

     God instructed Moses that when someone sinned by in some manner depriving another of what was rightfully theirs the person who sinned needs to make restitution. Once they have made restitution to the person they have sinned against they must come before God and offer a sacrifice to make themselves right with God once more. In order to be right with God, we need to at least make the attempt to make things right with those we have sinned against (to the degree which that is possible).

February 17, 2014 Bible Study — New Wine Calls For New Wineskins

     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, 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 10:1-2

     If you demonstrate wisdom it will make your parents proud. If you are foolish, you will bring them shame (and cause them to grieve). You may acquire great wealth by immoral means, but it will not bring you joy and will not last.

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Psalm 36:1-12

     The wicked have no idea that they are truly wicked. They believe that they are good. Yet, they do not act wisely nor do good. They have no fear of God. Let us not make the same mistake. Rather, I will recognize my sinfulness and turn to God for salvation. God’s love will never fail to those who love Him and His faithfulness is beyond measure.

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Mark 2:13-3:6

     In the past when I have read this I have seen it as several different themes: associating with sinners, appropriate times for fasting, keeping the Sabbath vs meeting human needs. These themes are all there. However, there is also a single theme which runs through this passage. I am not quite sure how to sum up that theme. In this passage, Jesus time after time puts human needs and caring for others above following a legalistic interpretation of the law. In the first vignette, Jesus is condemned for calling a tax collector as one of His disciples and then going to a party with him and his friends. Jesus’ response is that there is nothing to be gained by spending all of His time with the “righteous”. They either are truly righteous and therefore don’t need to hear what He has to say, or they think they are righteous and won’t listen to what He has to say. On the other hand, those who know that they are sinners know that they need to hear His words. There is a second point here that definitely applies to us today. How can we reach the unsaved for Christ if we don’t spend any time with them? How do we show them that Christ can solve their problems if we do not take the time to know what their problems are?
     In the next vignette, Jesus is confronted over the fact that His disciples do not fast. I do not fully understand Jesus’ answer. On the surface He seems to be saying that His disciples will fast after He has returned to Heaven. However, He also talks about new wine and new wineskins vs old wine and old wineskins. I am going to understand Jesus as saying that fasting should not be part of some ritual that we do at predesignated times, but rather something we do as part of the Holy Spirit’s leading at the times when it becomes appropriate.
     The last two vignettes talk about keeping the Sabbath. These are both pretty clear as to their meaning, and they fit together to illustrate Jesus’ understanding of God’s laws and commands. God’s laws and commands are designed to make our lives better. If our understanding of them interferes with our making our lives and the lives of those around us better, we are not understanding what God said properly. Sometimes the failure is in understanding what God said and sometimes the problem is with our understanding of what we need to do to make our lives and the lives of those around us better.

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Leviticus 4-5:19

     This passage talks about the various sin offerings. There is an interesting phrase in each of these descriptions, “if someone sins, but doesn’t realize it. They are still guilty.” In other words, there are going to be times when we sin without realizing it. However, our lack of awareness does not make us not guilty. When we become aware that we have done wrong, we need to confess our mistakes and work to make them right.

February 16, 2014 Bible Study — How Long, O Lord, Will You Look On and Do Nothing?

     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, 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 9:13-18

     Folly appeals to those with poor judgment. Those who indulge in foolishness have short-term pleasure, but the consequences of their actions are long-term suffering. The fool is unaware that he(or she) does not know enough to make a good decision and does not take the time to discover this.

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Psalm 35:17-28

     The psalmist does not answer his question directly, but he makes it clear that he knows that God will take action. God will come to his rescue, just as He will come to ours. When God has rescued us from our troubles in the past, have we praised Him before others? Have we praised Him in front of those who do not believe in Him?
     Other questions to ask ourselves, do we come to the defense of those who are attacked without cause? Do we take up the cause of the innocent who are under assault? Are we willing to stand with the righteous who are persecuted? Do we rejoice when God vindicates those who call on Him?
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Mark 1:29-2:12

     When Jesus healed Peter’s mother-in-law the passage tells us that she immediately got up and fixed them a meal. The point of this is not that she got up and fixed a meal. Rather the point is that she immediately returned to full strength and was able to fix them a meal. The following morning Jesus got up before dawn so that He could have some alone time in order to pray.
     Jesus went from there and preached throughout Galilee. During this trip, He was approached by a man with leprosy. The first thing that strikes me about this passage is that the leper says to Jesus, “If you are willing, you can heal me…” The NIV chooses to translate that Jesus was indignant (other translations go with the manuscripts which say He was filled with compassion). What does it say about the other healers of Jesus’ day that the leper’s concern was with whether or not Jesus was willing to heal him? Are we willing to touch those who our society says are unclean in order to bring them healing?

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Leviticus 1-3:17

     Today’s passage discusses different types of sacrifices offered for differing reasons. There is a recurring theme throughout these descriptions, the offering must be “without defect”. When we make offerings to God, they are to come from the best that we have to offer, not from the cast-offs we were going to throw away anyway.

February 15, 2013 Bible Study — The Beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ

     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, 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 9:11-12

     Those who acquire wisdom and plan their actions according to it will benefit from it. Those who ignore wisdom and do not use it to guide their actions will suffer from their choice. It is entirely up to each individual whether they gain the benefits of wisdom or suffer from its absence. You must decide for yourself.

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Psalm 35:1-16

     The psalmist calls on the Lord for deliverance from his enemies. He calls on God to smite them. The reason he believes that God will come to his aid can be summed up in a line he repeats, “I did them no wrong,…” When we turn to the Lord and ask Him to rescue us, can we say the same about those arrayed against us? Are those opposed to us repaying us evil for good? Or do they have legitimate grievances against us? Let us be careful not to be the ones who are repaying evil for good. Rather let us repay evil with good. If we are always doing good for those around us, even when we believe they have done us wrong, we will not be the ones the psalmist was speaking of.

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Mark 1:1-28

     I like the way the New Living Translation begins the Gospel of Mark, “This is the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God.” Like most of this Gospel, it is clean and to the point. I looked at other translations to see if the start in the NLT was consistent with how others translated the beginning. When I read it in the NASB, it occurred to me that their translation explains why Mark is so sparse. They translated the first phrase as, “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” While that certainly means the beginning of Mark’s account of Jesus’ life, I believe in a way it also means that Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection are merely the beginning of the Gospel, the Good News, of Jesus Christ. The good news does not end with Jesus’ resurrection. It does not end as long as this world endures, there is always more to learn about the Gospel.

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Exodus 39-40:38

     When the work on the Tabernacle was completed this passage describes how Moses set up the Tabernacle step by step. After each step we are told that Moses had done this “just as the Lord commanded him.” Each day as we go through the day we should conduct ourselves the same way, so that others can describe what we have done by saying that we did it “just as the Lord commanded him (or her).” Then we will be a “Tent of Meeting” where people can come face to face with God. Let us build our lives to be just such a place.

February 14, 2014 Bible Study — He Isn’t Here

     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, 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 9:9-10

     I was going to write something about the wise always being willing to be corrected for their mistakes and the righteous always being grateful to those who show them their sins (and well, I guess I just did). However verse 10 in today’s Proverb’s passage needs to be quoted in full:

Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom.
Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment.

We do not truly start to acquire wisdom until we learn to fear God. As we learn to know God we develop the tools necessary to exercise good judgment.

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Psalm 34:11-22

     The psalmist reminds us that the first step in serving the Lord (and thus having a healthy and happy life) is learning to control the words we say. He tells us to avoid speaking evil and telling lies. This is a necessary step to turning away from evil so as to do good. I love the way the psalmist couples those two things. It is not enough to turn away from evil, we must turn and do good. If we do what is right we will still face many troubles, but God will rescue us from those troubles. I will strive to avoid evil words and lies. Beyond that I will turn to doing what is good. God rest Your Holy Spirit upon me and show me how to serve You.

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Matthew 28:1-20

     When I first read the beginning of this passage today, it struck me as a statement of great joy, which indeed it is. I do not know how to express the thought that went through my head as I read, “Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning,…” In part it made me want to go out early in the morning and worship God as the sun is just rising over the horizon at dawn. There is something inexplicably exciting about a new day dawning. I don’t often greet the day by worshiping God as the sun rises, but perhaps I should do so more often.
     While my first reaction to this passage today was somewhat different than usual, my second thought was something I have often thought about when I read this passage. The women went to the tomb looking for Jesus, the angel told them, “He isn’t here.” How often do we go looking for Jesus in places where He no longer is? How often does God have to send us messengers to tell us, “He isn’t here.” The angel told the women to go to the disciples and tell them, “He is going ahead of you to Galilee.” That is God’s message to us. The place may not be Galilee (as a matter of fact, for most of us it isn’t), but Jesus is going ahead of us to the place where God wants us to go next. Let us always remember that, if we want to be with Jesus we need to go where God is sending us, because Jesus is already there waiting for us.
     The passage concludes with the Great Commission. Many have commented on it and I doubt I can add any new insight to it (and I will not try). Jesus told His disciples to go. That meant that they had to leave their comfort zone and do some things that made them uncomfortable. We too need to leave our comfort zone and do some things that make us uncomfortable (that’s a tough one for me…even though, or maybe because, there is not a lot that makes me uncomfortable). He told them to make disciples. Disciple is closely related to the word discipline. We cannot be disciples if we do not have discipline. We cannot make disciples if we do not teach others to be disciplined.

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Exodus 37-38:31

     I am not much for “ostentatious” decor, especially not in a place of worship. However, this passage is a reminder that there is a place for opulence. Under the right conditions such decor can inspire us to higher levels of awe towards God. This passage describes in some detail how beautiful and sumptuous the Tabernacle was. I have upon occasion entered places of worship which by their grandeur inspired worship of God. On the other hand, I have more often entered places that were supposed to be places of worship which, rather than inspire worship of God, inspired admiration for those who built them. Most of the time I find it easier to worship God some place that is built simply and humbly, but their are times and places for more grandeur and this passage reminds us of that.

February 13, 2014 Bible Study — This Man Truly Was the Son of 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. In order to make that possible 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 9:7-8

     If you attempt to correct the mistakes of mockers or the wicked, you will be insulted and possibly even injured. On the other hand when you offer correction to the mistakes of the wise, you will make a friend. How do you react when people correct your mistakes? Are you grateful for the correction, or do you revile them?

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Psalm 34:1-10

     This psalm is wonderful, and a challenge. I strive to praise the Lord all of the time. I wish to be constantly telling others of the wonders He has done for me, but I do not always do so. The psalm tells me how to get better at it, get together with others who have experienced the wonders of God and want to talk about it. The Lord listened to my prayers and rescued me from my troubles. The psalmist writes, “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” I will echo that idea. If you are facing problems and troubles (or even if you aren’t), try believing in God, or at least, live as if you believe in Him. You will see a wonderful difference in your life. It will not be long until you really do believe, and not just believe, you will know.

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Matthew 27:32-66

     Usually when I read this passage, I am struck by the fact that, in the throes of the agony of crucifixion, Jesus praised God by quoting Psalm 22. Matthew makes a very strong effort to make sure that his intended target, who would have been intimately familiar with Jewish Scripture, cannot miss it. He points out the soldiers dicing for Jesus garments(Psalm 22:18). He points out the religious leaders saying, “He trusted God, let God rescue Him.”(Psalm 22:8) And of course, Jesus Himself crying out, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” (Psalm 22:1) However, that is not the part that speaks to me today.
     What speaks to me today is the reaction of the Roman soldiers who oversaw the crucifixion. When they saw how Jesus faced death, a terrible, horrible death, and the events which followed His death, they could not help but exclaim, “This man truly was the Son of God.” Matthew points out all the fulfillment of signs from Scripture that were fulfilled at Jesus’ crucifixion, yet it was not the people who knew the Scripture forward and backward who saw the hand of God. No, it was the pagan oppressors, the Roman soldiers who saw God’s wondrous power in Jesus’ death. Do we see God’s power in the world around us? Do we see how God is working His wondrous plan in the suffering of those who love Him? Are we willing to suffer in order for others to experience God’s wondrous love?

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Exodus 35:10-36:38

     Moses told the people what materials were needed to build the Tabernacle. The people responded by gathering their gold and jewels, their silver and bronze objects. They gave it all to the Lord. Those who had the skill spun thread and prepared fine linen. They gathered all of the fine materials that were needed to build the Tent of Meeting. The passage tells us that “all whose hearts were willing” came and presented goods for the Tabernacle. Moses appointed the craftsmen God had selected to oversee the construction of the Tabernacle and they began to work. But the gifts from the people did not stop. They continued to give gold, silver, bronze, jewels, thread, fine linen, fine wood. Until finally, the craftsmen came to Moses and told him that they had all of the materials they could use. Are we like that? Are our hearts willing to give to God’s cause to the extent that the workers have to tell us to stop?

February 12, 2014 Bible Study — Wisdom Is Offered To All Who Seek It

     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, 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 9:1-6

     Wisdom has laid out a feast and invited everyone to come. No one needs to remain mired in foolishness, wisdom is offered to any who wish it. Those who desire wisdom are welcome to partake, there are no excuses for foolishness. If you lack wisdom, it is your own fault.

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Psalm 33:12-22

     It is not by the size of its army that a nation remains strong, and it is not by my strength that I will overcome obstacles. Neither weapons nor skill will ensure the victory. God will watch over and rescue those who rely on Him. I will put my hope in Him alone. His unfailing love surrounds me. When your enemies surround you (or better yet, before that) turn to God and put your trust in His name. He will be your help and your shield. He will make your heart rejoice. Don’t take my word for it, try it yourself.

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Matthew 27:15-31

     Pilate attempted to evade responsibility for the decision at Jesus’ trial before him. First, he attempted to convince the crowd to accept Jesus as the prisoner to be released as his Passover gift to the people of Israel. When that failed, he refused to accept responsibility for Jesus’ death even as he gave the orders for his crucifixion. How often do we do the same thing? Attempt to pass off responsibility for a decision which is ours to someone else? Despite the fact that the crowd accepted responsibility, it was still Pilate’s decision to make. Pilate was no more able to pass off responsibility for this decision than he was to evade being recorded in the Gospels as the one who made it. Ultimately, we are responsible for the decisions we make. for good or for bad.

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Exodus 34-35:9

     God commanded Moses and the people of Israel to make no treaties with the people of the land He was giving to them. At first this sounds harsh, but then as you read further you realize that God is telling them that the halfway point between righteous and evil, is still evil. The compromise between worshiping idols and worshiping only God is still idolatry. Ultimately, compromise with sin is still sin.