Author: Chip Bennett

Posted December 10, 2006; back-dated.

Today´s reading:
OT: Ezekiel 7-9
NT: Hebrews 5
Ps: Psalm 105:1-15
Pr: Proverbs 26:28

Today´s notable verse:

⁸ Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered ⁹ and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him

Heb 5:8-9 (NIV)

The One Year Bible Blog´s comments for today, which include:

Melchizedek was clearly important, as Abram gave him a tenth of everything. And Christ is a “High Priest in the line of Melchizedek.” The thing to keep in mind is that Melchizedek is not Christ. So, for us today, it’s fine history to know. But, Christ is our High Priest, as this chapter of Hebrews makes clear.

It is true, that Melchizedek is not Christ; however, the significance of Christ being “in the order of Melchizedek” is two-fold. One, in recorded history, Melchizedek is without beginning and without end – we do not know his ancestors nor his descendants, his birth nor his death; likewise, Christ is without beginning and without end – he is eternal: the first and the last. Two, the priesthood of the order of Melchizedek is mutually exclusive of the priesthood of the order of Aaron – and the priesthood of which Christ is High Priest is likewise mutually exclusive of the priesthood of the order of Aaron. The Aaronic priesthood, being human, was intrinsically flawed and ultimately failed. The priesthood of Christ is both pure and perfect.

Posted December 10, 2006; back-dated.

Today´s reading:
OT: Ezekiel 3:16-, Ezekiel 4-6
NT: Hebrews 4
Ps: Psalm 104:24-35
Pr: Proverbs 26:27

Today´s notable verse:

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Heb 4:12 (NIV)

May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD rejoice in his works

Psalm 104:31 (NIV)

The One Year Bible Blog´s comments for today.

Posted December 9, 2006; back-dated.

Today´s reading:
OT: Ezekiel 1-2, Ezekiel 3:1-15
NT: Hebrews 3
Ps: Psalm 104:1-23
Pr: Proverbs 26:24-26

Today´s notable verse:

But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.

Hebrews 3:13 (NIV)

The One Year Bible Blog´s comments for today.

Posted December 9, 2006; back-dated.

Today´s reading:
OT: Lamentations 4-5
NT: Hebrews 2
Ps: Psalm 103
Pr: Proverbs 26:23

Today´s notable verse:

¹⁷ For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. ¹⁸ Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

Heb. 2:17-18 (NIV)

Since Jesus faced the very same temptations we face – and defeated those temptations, both in resisting their influence and in overcoming their power through His death, burial, and resurrection – He truly is able to help us who are being tempted. What a wonderful blessing it is to serve a High Priest who is able to help us so intimately!

The One Year Bible Blog´s comments for today.

Posted December 9, 2006; back-dated.

Today´s reading:
OT: Lamentations 3
NT: Hebrews 1
Ps: Psalm 102
Pr: Proverbs 26:21-22

Today´s notable verse:

Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?

Heb. 1:14 (NIV)

The One Year Bible Blog´s comments for today.

Posted December 9, 2006; back-dated.

Today´s reading:
OT: Lamentations 1-2
NT: Philemon 1
Ps: Psalm 101
Pr: Proverbs 26:20

Today´s notable verse:

I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.

Phil. 1:6 (NIV)

It is a good reminder here, that to fully understand our life and blessing in Christ, we must actively share our faith – that is, our obedience of Christ’s commission activates our own faith, and enlightens us in greater understanding of the blessing and goodness of life in Christ.

The One Year Bible Blog´s comments for today.

Posted December 9, 2006; back-dated.

Today´s reading:
OT: Jeremiah 51:54-64, Jeremiah 52
NT: Titus 3
Ps: Psalm 100
Pr: Proverbs 26:18-19

Today´s notable verse:

Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order that they may provide for daily necessities and not live unproductive lives.

Titus 3:14 (NIV)

Interestingly, Paul here says that, in order that we may provide for daily necessities and not live unproductive lives, we must devote ourselves not to our daily work, but rather to doing what is good. That is not to say that we should not devote our utmost to our occupational work: the Bible clearly admonishes us to give our best and to work as if we were working for the Lord (Col. 3:23-24). But the emphasis here is that, even though we must give our all to our occupational work, it is through our devotion to serving the Lord in doing what is good – at all times, in all things – that God will bless us and provide us with our daily necessities. It is a reminder also that we are serving God, not our jobs – and that no matter what the occupation in which God places us, He will provide for our basic needs if we will be faithful to the position in which He has placed us and continue to serve Him whole-heartedly.

The One Year Bible Blog´s comments for today.

Posted December 9, 2006; back-dated.

Today´s reading:
OT: Jeremiah 51:1-53
NT: Titus 2
Ps: Psalm 99
Pr: Proverbs 26:17

Today´s notable verse:

⁶ Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. ⁷ In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness ⁸ and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.

Titus 2:6-8 (NIV)

Great words of wisdom from Paul to Titus, regarding admirable, exemplary character traits for Christian young men: self-control, integrity, seriousness, and sound speech. Since I am in this category, it is good to reflect on these traits, and to strive to emulate them in my own life.

The One Year Bible Blog´s comments for today.

Posted December 9, 2006; back-dated.

Today´s reading:
OT: Jeremiah 49:23-39, Jeremiah 50
NT: Titus 1
Ps: Psalm 97-98
Pr: Proverbs 26:13-16

Today´s notable verses:

To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted.

Titus 1:15 (NIV)

“To the pure, all things are pure…” – one one hand, this principle could be misconstrued as naivety; however, I think it more analogous to the programmer’s mantra: “garbage in, garbage out”. Just as to an immature boy or “dirty” old man everything has a perverted innuendo, to a Christian everything should be pure and righteous – that is, purity and righteousness should be the “filter” through which we form our point of view. The thoughts of the immature boy or “dirty” old man dwell on prurient interests, just as such people view, read, and talk about those same interests. To the contrary, for the Christian, Paul admonishes an opposite direction:

Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things.

Philippians 4:8 (NIV)

When our external stimuli and our internal thought life coincide with this admonishment from Paul, we will begin to understand what he means when he tells Titus, “To the pure, all things are pure…” Once we understand this principle, we will also understand its inverse and why it is also true. Understanding these principles helps us better understand our world and the people in it.

That said, understanding these principles is not a license to naivety. We are called to be both innocent and wise, which sometimes requires us to follow the worldly thought process in order to understand the worldly conclusion to that thought process. If we are called to demolish worldly arguments (II Cor. 10:5), then we must know how to deconstruct those arguments and counter them with godly wisdom.

Let those who love the LORD hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.

Psalm 97:10 (NIV)

In addition to the consistency of this verse with the earlier reading from Titus, I can’t help but think that Paul had this verse in mind when he wrote what I listed as a notable verse yesterday, in II Timothy 4:18 – “The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom.“

The One Year Bible Blog´s comments for today.

Posted December 9, 2006; back-dated.

Today´s reading:
OT: Jeremiah 48, Jeremiah 49:1-22
NT: II Timothy 4
Ps: Psalm 95-96
Pr: Proverbs 26:9-12

Today´s notable verse:

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

II Timothy 4:7 (NIV)

Should my grave have an epithet, I want it to be this declaration from Paul – to state with the same confidence that I walked every step of the path God laid out for me, and that I did so by His grace, firmly established in faith.

The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

II Timothy 4:18 (NIV)

Paul wrote these words shortly before his death – and even in the face of that certain death, he maintained his eternal focus. I pray that I will face all of life’s struggles likewise. This past year has not been the easiest, in a lot of ways; but I thank God that He has seem me through each struggle. Not only that, but even in the midst of such a difficult season, God has blessed and enriched my life beyond measure. I pray also that my life brings Him glory, as did Paul’s life.

The One Year Bible Blog´s comments for today.