Tag Archives: Religion

October 7, 2012 Bible Study

October 6, 2012 AttilaDimedici

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.

Jeremiah 8:8-9:26

Jeremiah condemns those who claim to teach God’s word, but twist it and change it into lies rather than the message that God has given. Jeremiah tells of the judgement God is bringing on a people who are thoroughly dishonest and filled with lies, a people who refuse to acknowledge God. Jeremiah was speaking of the people of Judah, but his prophecies apply equally well to people today who do the same. God will bring judgement on such people. We should not boast of our wisdom, or our power, or our wealth. We should boast only that we know the Lord and understand His unfailing love and justice. The day is coming when God will bring judgement and punishment on those peoples who are circumcised in body, but not in spirit. Jeremiah lists the people he means, “Egyptians, Edomites, Ammonites, Moabites, the people who live in the desert in remote places.” Today these people are for the most part Muslims (and Muslims perform circumcision). Then he adds, “and yes, even the people of Judah.” He tells us that even those these people, including the Jews, practice circumcision of the body, they all have uncircumcised hearts. Do we have uncircumcised hearts? Or have we allowed Christ to cut off the “foreskin” of our sinful nature and transform us into His image?

Colossians 3:1-17

     We have been raised to a new life with Christ. This means that we should set our eyes on heavenly things. We need to put to death the earthly, sinful things within us. Paul gives us a list of the things we should put to death. We should have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. These are all related and are a challenge to overcome. Especially in our society today, which teaches that such things are human nature and unavoidable. They are not unavoidable. We do not have to let our sexual nature control our lives.
     The Church today struggles hard against society on this issue. There are many Christians who make the point that our sexual nature does not have to be who we are…and should not be the be-all, end-all of our self-identification. Perhaps the reason that we so often fail to make a dent in society’s self-absorption with sexual sins is because we do not put enough focus on putting to death the other sins Paul talks about. Paul tells us that we should not be greedy, because greed is a form of idolatry. Those who are greedy pay more attention to material things than they do to God. But there is still more. We need to get rid of anger, rage, malice, slander and filthy language. All too often we justify these things, “Oh, it’s his/her fault I am angry. He/She cut me off in traffic. My anger is justified.” Then we use that anger to justify slandering people and using foul language. But Paul does not tell us to get rid of unjustified anger. He tells us to get rid of anger.
     Instead of sexual immorality, greed, anger, rage, malice, slander and filthy language we are to clothe ourselves, fill ourselves, with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. If we do the latter, we will find it not only easier to avoid the former, we will find ourselves ashamed when we give in to the former. Especially if we follow Paul’s next piece of advice and above all clothe ourselves with love. We are to bear with one another and forgive anyone against whom we have a grievance. Note, this is not an instruction to forgive those who are sorry for what they have done, this is an instruction to forgive those against whom we have a grievance. Period. Full Stop. No exceptions, no special cases. Everyone against whom we have a grievance.
     Everything we do, we are to do in the name of Jesus. We are to remember that we are Christ’s representatives in this world. What people know about Him is what they learn from watching us. Every action we take, every word we speak is to be done or spoken as a representative of Christ. Our actions and words are supposed to be like those of an ambassador in a foreign court. We have been given authority to speak and act in this world in a particular fashion. All of our words and actions should be within that guidance. I often fail at this. I am a terrible ambassador for Christ, but I will strive to do better in the future through the power of His Holy Spirit (the only way that I can hope to do so).

Psalm 78:32-55

The psalmist tells us that despite the many wonderful things God did for the people of Israel they refused to trust Him. Only when He brought judgement against them did they turn back to Him. But even then their allegiance to God was only half-hearted. How often are we the same? How often do we turn to God in times of trouble, only to go our own way again when the trouble has passed? I will strive to dedicate myself to God with my whole heart, not just the part that’s convenient.

Proverbs 24:27

Plan what you are going to do around it before you build a building. If you build first, you may discover that you faced the building the wrong way, or you did not leave enough space to one side or the other for something you wanted to do.

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October 6, 2012 Bible Study

October 5, 2012 AttilaDimedici

Jeremiah 6:16-8:7

The Lord tells us to stop at the crossroads and ask for the old, godly way, but instead people say they don’t want to take that road. People don’t want to take the “old-fashioned”, godly way. They want a new path for modern times. Well, the “new” path isn’t all that new either. The people of Jeremiah’s day tried taking that “new, modern path.” Look where that led for the people of Judah. Jeremiah told the people of Judah that God had prepared their judgement. The armies of Judah’s destruction had been mustered. But even so, if the people would turn from their evil ways, God would turn the judgement aside. The people thought they were safe because the Temple was there. Jeremiah told them that the safety was a myth unless they stopped their evil ways. They needed to treat each other with justice, to stop exploiting foreigners, orphans and widows, to stop harming themselves by worshiping idols. That last is an important point. It is not God whom we hurt by worshiping idols, it is ourselves. Jeremiah concludes this section by noting that when people fall down they get back up, or when they take a trip and discover that they have taken the wrong road, they turn around and go back. Yet today, people continue on the path they have chosen even after they see the bad results. Even as things go wrong, people fail to acknowledge their sin and admit that they have done wrong. I pray to God that I do not follow such a path, that when I see that the path I am on is not the path God has for me I will turn around. Let us turn from the path our society has chosen and instead follow the “old, godly way”. Let us not be embarrassed to be “old-fashioned” and do what is right. Perhaps if we do, those around us will also turn from their sins and be transformed by God’s Spirit.

Colossians 2:8-23

Paul warns us against being caught by empty philosophies that are full of high-sounding nonsense that are based on human logic and the spirituality of this world. We were dead in sin before Christ cut away our sinful nature. But now that we have died with Christ and allowed our sinful nature to be crucified with Him, we are raised with Him to new life. We should not be captured by rules about what we eat or drink, or about celebrating certain holy days. We should not get caught up in “pious” self-denial or worship of angels. We should not get caught up in rules that tell us, “Don’t handle, don’t taste, don’t touch.” Such rules fail to help us overcome our sinful desires. Instead we should focus on imitating Christ and doing the positive will of God. If we focus our energy on doing the things that God wants us to do, we will find that we do not have time to indulge our sinful desires. If on the other hand we focus on not doing the things that we know are sinful, we will find them filling more and more of our minds.

Psalm 78:1-31

Let us tell the stories of what God has done, both in our lives and in the lives of those who came before us. Do not keep these stories hidden. Each generation must set its hope anew on God. People do not inherit a faith in God. They are not born Christians. Everyone must make that choice for themselves. But if we want them to choose to follow God, we must tell them the stories about what God has done. We must not tell just the good stories where we did the right thing and were rewarded. We must, also tell the stories where we made the wrong choice and suffered the consequences of our sin.

Proverbs 24:26

An honest answer is like a kiss. Think about what it is like when you kiss your spouse, the feeling of love and the excitement of more to come. That is how you make people feel when you honestly answer their questions.

Daily Bible Study

October 5, 2012 Bible Study

October 4, 2012 AttilaDimedici

Jeremiah 4:19-6:15

     Jeremiah tells us that the people of Judah were clever at doing wrong, but had no idea how to do right. He speaks of the destruction that God was planning against Judah and Jerusalem because of the people’s sin. Then he speaks of searching Jerusalem for an honest person. He tells us that even under oath to the Lord the people lied. Jeremiah suggests that one might expect no better of the poor, then he tells us that even the leaders of the people and the wealthy are dishonest. God gave them more than enough food and plenty of wealth and in response they turned to idolatry and to sexual sins.
     I read this and it reminded me of the rise of the middle class in the late 19th and early 20th Century. That transition occurred, to a large extent, as a result of well-to-do Christians teaching the poor to live godly lives. Teaching them to not to spend all of their money and time in drunken debauchery. The poor were taught to emulate the social mores and cultural standards of the well-to-do, who were frequently Christian (and when they weren’t, aped Christian morals). Today, our well-to-do emulate the social mores and cultural standards of the poor.
     Jeremiah tells the people of Judah that the wicked have become wealthy and set traps for people. Those with power refuse to provide justice to orphans and deny the rights of the poor. Those who should be messengers for the Lord give false prophecies and use their position for selfish ends. Worse than that, the people like it that way. That sounds much like the people of America today to me. We, as Christians, need to call on people to receive the Holy Spirit and change their lives. We have gotten caught up in the fighting over political power when we should be calling people to the Lord for the transformation of their hearts.

Colossians 1:18-2:7

Once we were alienated from God, enemies of His in our minds. Now we have been reconciled to Him through the death of Christ. We must stand firmly in our faith in this transformation. God’s message was kept secret throughout history preceding Christ’s life, but now it has been revealed. That secret is Christ living within those who put their faith in Him. Let us work and struggle, as Paul did, to spread God’s warning and wisdom to everyone, so that they may also come to a faith in Him and the transformation that flows from that faith. We should pray and work so that believers everywhere will be knit together with bonds of love. I desire that no one be deceived by well-crafted arguments but that they maintain their faith in the Gospel of Christ. WE must continue to follow Jesus and let our roots grow down into Him. We should build our lives on Him and not allow faith in anything else challenge our loyalty to doing His will.

Psalm 77:1-20

The psalmist expresses his feelings that God is not listening, but then he looks back at what God has done and expresses his faith that God will not abandon those who turn to Him. We, also, need to remember that God will act according to His plans and in His time. We need to have faith that God has a plan for us, even when He does not seem to hear our cries.

Proverbs 24:23-25

Showing favoritism when passing judgement is wrong. Judges and peoples who let the guilty go free will be cursed, while those who punish the wicked will be blessed.

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October 4, 2012 Bible Study

October 3, 2012 AttilaDimedici

Jeremiah 2:31-4:18

Jeremiah accuses the people of Judah of worshiping other gods at the same time that they are calling on the Lord to save them from their enemies. He, also, accuses them of putting their trust in other nations to save them from their enemies rather then relying on God. Jeremiah tells them that they while they are crying out to God requesting His aid they are continuing to do evil. I need to study my own life to see how much I am guilty of the same thing. Jeremiah condemns the people of Judah for not turning to God, for following the example of the Northern Kingdom, even after they saw what happened to it. Jeremiah tells the people of Israel and Judah that if they turn back to God He will bring them back from exile. He warns the people of Judah that time is running short to turn back to God and turn from their pride in their evil ways. God has raised up a fire of judgement against them because of their sins. If they do not turn from their sins at once the fire will come down upon them. I believe that God has a similar judgement in store for the people of America. Too many Christians are putting their hope in politics when they should be putting their hope in prayer and in the mercies of an ever-loving God. We should not be campaigning to change the laws of this country, we should be “campaigning” to change the hearts of the people of this country.

Colossians 1:1-17

Paul and Timothy co-wrote this letter to the Church in Colosse. They start off by saying that they pray continuously for the believers in Colosse and thank God for them. This is not the first of Paul’s letters that he began with such a greeting. I think this stands as a challenge and judgement upon the Church in America today. There are few who pray with the dedication that Paul showed. Paul tells the Colossians that the Gospel is spreading throughout the world changing lives. If we would spend the same amount of time and energy praying that Paul did, we would see similar levels of changed lives. Paul commends them for their love for others and then repeats that he has not stopped praying for them. He is praying that God will give them complete knowledge of His will and spiritual wisdom. We should desire the same knowledge and wisdom so that we, also, will lead lives that always honor and please the Lord. Let us pray that those around us will strengthened with God’s power so that they will be given the endurance and patience that they need. I will strive to thank God for everything He has done for me, being continually filled with His joy.

Psalm 76:1-12

Let us not be afraid to speak the Gospel to those around us, for our God is more powerful than all of our enemies and no one can stand against Him. If we faithfully serve Him, He will defend us. Those who attack us will be destroyed, but let us pray that instead of being destroyed, they allow God to change their lives. Let us intercede with God that instead of bringing judgement and destruction on those who have chosen to be our enemies, He will bring His Spirit into their lives and change them into our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Proverbs 24:21-22

Fear the Lord and do not rebel against Him. Disaster will suddenly strike those who rebel against the Lord.Let us pray for them and strive to bring the healing of the Holy Spirit to them.

Daily Bible Study

October 3, 2012 Bible Study

October 2, 2012 AttilaDimedici

Jeremiah 1-2:30

When God first called Jeremiah, Jeremiah protested that he was too young to be a prophet. God’s answer was that He had put words in Jeremiah’s mouth that Jeremiah must speak. Among those words was the message that the armies of the kingdoms of the north were going to attack Jerusalem. Jeremiah spoke out against a people who lived in a land of plenty, yet turned away from the Lord. People who only turned to the Lord in times of trouble and then only to call on Him for help. Those whose job it was to teach God’s word ignored Him. How often we are like the Israelites whom Jeremiah was preaching to, in that we run after material things rather than doing God’s will. Too often we make deals that seem pragmatic rather than focusing on what is the will of God. All too often as we plan our ministries and services our first question is, “What works best?” When our first question should be, “What is God’s plan for this?”

Philippians 4:1-23

Paul calls on two women who had worked with him in spreading the Gospel to settle their differences, to stop feuding with one another. This is a lesson to us that when we have disagreements with our fellow believers we should work to resolve them and put aside any bitterness toward them. We should rejoice in the Lord all of the time. We should have a gentle, considerate spirit because God is near to us. We should not worry about anything. Instead we should present our needs, wants and fears to God, being thankful in the knowledge that He will address those issues for us. If we take such an approach, God will give us peace in our innermost being. We should focus our attention on things that have positive merit (true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, praiseworthy) rather than spending time thinking about things that are negative. All too often we spend time concerned about what has gone wrong rather than thinking about all that has gone right. Finally Paul shares that he has learned to be content in whatever situation he finds himself in, something we should strive to emulate.

Psalm 75:1-10

God will bring justice against the wicked in His time. Those who defy God will suffer. We should not boast in our pride because God alone will judge the wicked. Instead, we should praise God for His great acts.

Proverbs 24:17-20

We should not take pleasure in the suffering of others, even if they are our enemies. We should empathize with those who suffer, regardless of their past. We should not let the actions of the wicked worry us or work us up, nor should we envy them their success. It will be short-lived and God will bring judgement upon them.

Daily Bible Study

October 2, 2012 Bible Study

October 1, 2012 AttilaDimedici

Isaiah 66:1-24

We humans should not think that we can build a building that can house or contain the God who made the universe. God does not desire that we follow the forms of righteousness. He desires that we have a humble and contrite heart, that we recognize our failures and be sorry for the pains they have caused. God is going to bring judgement on those who follow the forms of righteousness but actually do their own will rather than God’s. He will send messengers (apostles, if you will) to every people of every nation so that everyone will hear of His glory, power and mercy.

Philippians 3:4-21

Paul tells us that if anybody had reason for confidence in righteousness through their actions it would be him. But, he tells us, he has learned that all of the things he once counted as to his gain he now considers worthless. What is of value is knowing Jesus Christ. We should discard all other hopes of righteousness and strive to become one with Christ, counting on our faith in Him to give us righteousness. We should strive to know the mighty power that raised Christ from the dead to the extent of willingly embracing His suffering. We should forget what is behind and press on, striving to become more like Christ every day. We must not allow our appetites for material things to become our gods, but ever strive to serve the Lord.

Psalm 74:1-23

Today the psalmist cries out to God to know how long He will allow people to insult Him. He expresses confidence that in His own time God will defend His cause and punish those who insult Him. Those who have defiled Jerusalem and made it a place of worshiping false gods will pay a price in the fullness of God’s time.

Proverbs 24:15-16

When the godly are struck down, they get up and continue on, even when they are struck repeatedly. The wicked on the other hand only need to suffer one disaster to be defeated.

Daily Bible Study

October 1, 2012 Bible Study

September 30, 2012 AttilaDimedici

Isaiah 62:6-65:25

The day will come when God will no longer tolerate people oppressing each other and will intervene to put a stop to it. God stands ready to help, if we but call on Him. Too many of us spend our time worshiping that which is not God and then avoid others because they are not “holy” enough to associate with us. We are afraid of being defiled by the sins of others when our own sins are as bad or worse than theirs. None of us are holy through our own actions. Our righteous deeds are nothing but filthy rags. Christians today need to stop looking for political solutions to what is wrong in this country and the world and call on the Lord in prayer. God is creating new heavens and a new earth, we should pray to Him that all people come to see their need for transformation.

Philippians 2:19-3:3

Paul writes to the Philippians that he hopes to send Timothy to them soon. He is just waiting to see what is going to happen to himself in his current circumstances. He commends Timothy to them as one who genuinely cares about them and contrasts him with the majority who put their own interests ahead of the interests of serving Jesus. Meanwhile he is sending back Epaphroditus, who was their messenger to Paul. He tells them that Epaphroditus had been sick almost to the point of death, risking his own life to serve the cause of Jesus is helping Paul. Let us rejoice in the Lord. We should not fall into the trap of those who believe that we can find salvation through our own actions. We serve God through His Spirit and put no confidence in human effort.

Psalm 73:1-28

The psalmist echoes a common refrain. He knows that God is good, but is often tempted to envy the prosperity of evildoers. It often appears that those who ignore God and strive after their own aggrandizement prosper and live lives of ease. Yet, when the psalmist turned to worshiping God with his fellow believers he saw how empty those lives were. He praises God for keeping him safe and preventing him from surrendering to the bitterness in his own spirit. Let me not develop a bitter envy of those who have more than I.

Proverbs 24:13-14

Just as honey brings pleasure to the mouth when we eat it, so does wisdom bring pleasure to our souls.

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September 30, 2012 Bible Study

September 29, 2012 AttilaDimedici

Isaiah 60-62:5

I cannot decide if this passage is a literal or a figurative prophecy(I am not sure that figurative is the word I am looking for, but its close enough). If it is a literal prophecy, we will see a day in the future where the nation of Israel is the dominant economy in the world. I find it hard to imagine how we would get from where we are today to such a world, but God is powerful and He has worked out things in the past that were hard to imagine before they happened. On the other hand, the prophet refers to God Himself being the light source for this land of Israel rather than the sun, which suggests that this passage may be a figurative account about the impact of Jesus and His Church upon the world.
The next section I am on firmer ground in understanding because Jesus quoted this in a context where He was applying it to Himself. Jesus came to proclaim good news and bring comfort to those who are suffering. He came to declare the day of the Lord’s favor and bring judgement to those who rob, oppress and carry out injustice. God offers comfort and joy to those who worship Him, but judgement to those who choose to mistreat their fellow man.

Philippians 1:27-2:18

We should live as citizens of Heaven, conducting ourselves in a manner worthy of being called the children of God. We should not be intimidated by the enemies of the Gospel because we have the privilege of trusting in Christ along with the privilege of suffering for Him. We should strive to be of one mind and one spirit, loving one another and acting out of that love. We should avoid acting selfishly or in order to promote ourselves. Instead we should look out for the interests of others. We should imitate Jesus, who, even though He was God, humbled Himself and became a servant of others. We should serve others without grumbling or arguing. We should strive to be blameless and pure so that we stand out as a light to the gospel in the warped and crooked generation in which we live.

Psalm 72:1-20

This psalm is written from the perspective of those governing, but it can be seen from the other side as well. If the people fear God and serve Him, God will give them rulers who love justice and rescue the poor. A people who love and fear God will have rulers who help the oppressed and defend the helpless. If we praise God and work to fill the land with His glory, we will prosper.

Proverbs 24:11-12/a>

This proverb is a condemnation of those who stood by and allowed the Holocaust to happen in Nazi Germany, but it is also a condemnation of those who support legalized abortion. There are other situations where we are called on to speak up against the mistreatment of those who are unjustly condemned to death.

Daily Bible Study

September 29, 2012 Bible Study

September 28, 2012 AttilaDimedici

Isaiah 57:15-59:21

The prophet Isaiah condemns those who put on the forms of piety and righteousness without actually behaving in a righteous manner. He uses fasting as the example behavior, but I believe this applies to all sorts of “righteous” behavior. There are many people who claim to be working to do good who are in actuality merely working to please themselves. God gives the standards by which He judges righteousness. It is to free those who are wrongly imprisoned, to lighten the workload of those who work at your command. It is sharing your food with the hungry and shelter to the homeless. It is giving clothes to those who need them and making oneself available to relatives that need help. If you do these things, then God will bless you. This is not something that you delegate to someone else, whether that someone else be the church or the government. Further you need to keep the Sabbath as a day of rest and a day to focus on worshiping the Lord, not a day to pursue your own interests. This is where I most often fail. I too often spend my day of rest pursuing that which gives me pleasure rather than focusing on God. It is not the doing of that which gives me pleasure that is wrong. It is the failure to focus on God. Isaiah goes on to condemn a nation where lawsuits are based on lies. A nation where the courts oppose the righteous and justice is nowhere to be found. A nation where anyone who renounces evil is attacked. But God will step in. He will apply justice and save those who renounce evil. We must not delegate doing right to others.

Philippians 1:1-26

Paul begins his letter to the Philippians by praying that their love may grow with increasing knowledge and wisdom. I think this is an important connection. How do we know if our knowledge and wisdom are truly growing in a Godly fashion? The answer is that if they are, the increase in knowledge and wisdom will lead to an increase in our love for others and for God. If we find ourselves fighting with others and with an ever shrinking circle of people with whom we associate (or who associate with us) then we can know that our knowledge and wisdom are not growing in the fashion God intends.
Paul goes on to say that because of his imprisonment the gospel is being preached boldly. While some are preaching the gospel out of jealousy and rivalry with Paul, many are preaching it sincerely. Paul does not care what motives lead people to preach the gospel, as long as what they are preaching is the gospel. This passage concludes with Paul telling us that he is torn between continuing to serve God on this earth and dying and going to be with the Lord. This represents what our attitude towards life and death should be. We should view death as a joyous reward where we get to be in the presence of God completely. On the other hand we should view this life as an opportunity to serve God in all we do.

Psalm 71:1-24

The psalmist turns to God in his time of trouble. He calls on God to rescue him. Like the psalmist, God has been with me since childhood. I was raised in a Christian home by Godly parents. While there have been times in my life where I have fallen away from God, God has been part of my life since my earliest years. I hope that I have been an example to many, but I wonder if I have been less of a servant than I could have been. I call on God to use me as an example going forward so that those who meet me will desire to know Him as I do.

Proverbs 24:9-10

Fools scheme to commit sins. Do not take pride in your strength if it fails when times get tough.

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September 28, 2012 Bible Study

September 27, 2012 AttilaDimedici

Isaiah 54-57:14

When I read this passage I think of the modern state of Israel. I am in no way saying that this passage points to the modern state of Israel, but I would also hesitate to say strongly that it does not. However, this verse seems apt: “But in that coming day no weapon turned against you will succeed.”
The next section is full of important words. The Lord will provide for those in need, all they need to do is come to Him and listen to His words. However, we need to seek the Lord while we can find Him, while He is near to us. If we reject the Lord when we know that He is calling us, we may not have the choice to answer later. When we are troubled by the way things are going on this earth we need to remember this:

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts than your thoughts.”
We cannot fully understand God’s ways and He does not do things the way we would. He sends His word out and it bears fruit. It accomplishes what He desires and prospers where He sends it. If we are faithful and listen to His voice, He will bring joy and peace to us and all of the world around us will sing joyful praises to Him. Up until here one could interpret this passage as only applying to the descendants of Israel. But now Isaiah tells us that God says that those who commit themselves to Him from every nation will be brought into His promises. He will bless those who love and serve His name.
This passage wraps up with a condemnation of leaders who use their position merely to enrich themselves rather than to serve the people they lead. He condemns those who worship things other than God. They may proclaim that they have done good deeds in the name of these false gods, but God will reveal the truth of the matter.

Ephesians 6:1-24

As is usual with good relationship advice, Paul here addresses both sides. Children should honor and obey their parents. Good things will come from such a course of action. On the other hand parents should not provoke their children to anger. If it always seems like your parents can push your buttons, as someone once told me, there is a reason for that; they put those buttons there. This means that parents know what makes their children angry and they should not do things which make their children angry just for the sake of making them angry. Then he gives advice to slaves and to masters. While we do not have slaves and slave owners in our society today, I believe that the advice Paul gives here is equally applicable in the modern workplace. If you are an employee, work with enthusiasm as if you were working for the Lord (because you are). On the other side, if you are an employer, treat your employees as your brothers and sisters in the Lord (for such they are, or at least, you should wish for them to be so).
Then Paul tells us to arm ourselves for spiritual warfare. There are people who spend a lot of time working up how Christians should prepare for spiritual warfare, but Paul lays it all out right here. We need the belt of truth. That means that we need to rely on being honest. There is no room in spiritual warfare for lies or deceptive behavior. No “spinning” to make red seem like green. There is no room for anything but the unvarnished truth. If you are tempted to say something that is truthful, but that you know your listeners will hear as something other than what is really true, don’t say it. Do your best to make sure that your listeners know what you think the truth about the situation at hand is. Put on the breastplate of righteousness, which is Jesus Christ. Recognize openly and honestly that our only claim to righteousness comes from our faith in Jesus. Stand grounded in the gospel of peace. Take up the shield of faith. Know that you don’t have to know the answer to every attack. Have faith that God has an answer that He will reveal to you in His own good time. Wear the helmet of your knowledge that you are saved through faith in Jesus. Then finally take up your offensive weapons. Use the sword of God’s word to go on the attack against our true enemies. Not the people who attack our faith, or otherwise make our lives difficult. No, our true enemies are the spirits to which those people are enslaved. Paul himself is evidence that, if we remember who our real enemies are in spiritual warfare, the most devastating attackers against God can be turned into even more effective promoters of His kingdom. People are not our enemies. Spiritual powers are our enemies and Christ has already defeated them. We need merely stand strong in our faith and they will flee from God’s Spirit which lives within us.

Psalm 70:1-5

As for me, I am poor and needy, without the aid of God I can do nothing. This is a good reminder for me. I was struggling with a project for work, where I had bitten off more than I could chew. For the last week, I have been praying for God to guide me through this project. I was struggling and not finding my way through. I prayed to God that He work it out according to His plans form me. Yesterday, I threw out the part of the problem that had stumped me to several of my friends. I was just looking for someone to point out where I had dotted an i or crossed a t wrong, but one of my good friends took what I had put together and reworked it in a fashion much more elegant than I could manage on my own. Everything else just fell into place after that. I have thanked my friend for his aid in my time of need. Now I am praising God for coming through for me what I was needy.
Magrat on her rock[/caption]

Proverbs 24:8

This proverb needs little explanation. People quickly learn who lays the plans that bring trouble for all around them.

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Tag Archives: Religion

October 7, 2012 Bible Study

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October 2, 2012 Bible Study

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October 1, 2012 Bible Study

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September 30, 2012 Bible Study

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September 29, 2012 Bible Study

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September 28, 2012 Bible Study

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