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Category: Religion

re·li·gion: a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, esp. when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conductof human affairs. Posts in this category pertain to religious matters and issues.

  • OYB November 16

    Posted December 16, 2006; back-dated.

    Today´s reading:
    OT: Ezekiel 33-34
    NT: Hebrews 13
    Ps: Psalm 115
    Pr: Proverbs 27:21-22

    Today´s notable verses:

    Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, O house of Israel?’

    Ezekiel 33:11 (NIV)

    What was true then is still true today: God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather takes pleasure in repentance that leads to life. His exhortation still applies: Turn! Turn from evil, and live!

    For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them.

    Ezekiel 34:11 (NIV)

    God promised that He Himself would search for His sheep and look after them – and so He did: Jesus Christ came to earth as our Perfect Shepherd. He sought out the lost, healed the sick, and strengthened the weak.

    Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

    Hebrews 13:8 (NIV)

    This truth is one of the greatest and most reassuring of all truths in Scripture! Our God does not change. His Word does not change. His promises do not change. His principles do not change. We can trust what we read in the Bible to be true, and the outcomes of applying biblical principles will not change. It is the immutability of our God and His Word that enables Christians to live life victoriously.

    15 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name. 16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

    Hebrews 13:15-16 (NIV)

    Jesus Christ’s atoning sacrifice on the cross did not abolish the system of sacrifices; rather, it completed and perfected that system. He became the ultimate, complete atoning sacrifice for sin, allowing us to transcend the need for atonement for sin to pursue a higher sacrifice: the sacrifice of self in praise to God and service to others, emulating our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

    The One Year Bible Blog´s comments for today.

  • OYB November 15

    Posted December 16, 2006; back-dated.

    Today´s reading:
    OT: Ezekiel 31-32
    NT: Hebrews 12:14-29
    Ps: Psalm 113-114
    Pr: Proverbs 27:18-20

    Today´s notable verses:

    Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.

    Hebrews 12:14 (NIV)

    As water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects the man.

    Proverbs 27:19 (NIV)

    The One Year Bible Blog´s comments for today.

  • OYB November 14

    Posted December 16, 2006; back-dated.

    Today´s reading:
    OT: Ezekiel 29-30
    NT: Hebrews 11:32-40, Hebrews 12:1-13
    Ps: Psalm 112
    Pr: Proverbs 27:17

    Today´s notable verses:

    1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

    Hebrews 12:1-3 (NIV)

    These beautiful, encouraging verses are the culmination of the Faith Chapter, and the transition into Paul’s discourse on discipline, which he summarizes here:

    No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

    Hebrews 12:11 (NIV)

    As an expectant father, I now read scripture involving parenting and fatherhood in a much more meaningful light. I certainly respect my own father for the love he demonstrated to me through his training and discipline, and as I contemplate demonstrating that same love to my own children I appreciate all the more the difficult position of putting one’s children through the temporary pain of discipline in order to produce in them the eternal harvest of peace.

    As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.

    Proverbs 27:17 (NIV)

    The One Year Bible Blog´s comments for today.

  • OYB November 13

    Posted December 16, 2006; back-dated.

    Today´s reading:
    OT: Ezekiel 27-28
    NT: Hebrews 11:17-31
    Ps: Psalm 111
    Pr: Proverbs 27:15-16

    Today´s notable verse:

    Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings.

    Ezekiel 28:17 (NIV)

    Ezekiel chapter 28 symbolizes the King of Tyre as Satan, and the prophecy and lament against the King of Tyre likewise as against Satan. In this lament we see that Satan’s original sin was that which I believe is the ultimate root of all human sin: pride.

    The One Year Bible Blog´s comments for today.

  • OYB November 12

    Posted December 16, 2006; back-dated.

    Today´s reading:
    OT: Ezekiel 24-26
    NT: Hebrews 11:1-16
    Ps: Psalm 110
    Pr: Proverbs 27:14

    Today´s notable verses:

    1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for.

    Hebrews 11:1-2 (NIV)

    And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

    Hebrews 11:6 (NIV)

    Just a couple of scriptures with very practical, straight-forward explanations of the concept of faith: confidence in that for which we hope, certainty of that which we cannot prove empirically, and belief in a God who exists and rewards those who earnestly seek Him. In other words, we believe in God, we have confidence in our hope for a reward from Him, and we are certain of these truths, even though we cannot completely prove them through means of physical observation.

    If a man loudly blesses his neighbor early in the morning, it will be taken as a curse.

    Proverbs 27:14(NIV)

    Certainly, if such loud blessing early in the morning disturbs the sleep of the intended recipient, such praise will indeed be taken as a curse! This author agrees, and so does this one. However, could this proverb refer to something deeper than such mundane advice? Perhaps it is a warning against flattery; however, if this verse were intended solely as a warning against such flattery, wouldn’t the phrasing be “it should be taken as a curse”, rather than “it will be taken…”? That is, the wise response would be one of skepticism of the blessing as flattery. As it is written, the phrasing seems to imply that all such loud, early morning blessing will be taken – inherently – as a curse. If the verse were intended as a warning against flattery, given the insidious nature of that flattery, the blessing would not be taken inherently as a curse. Otherwise, no reason would exist for the warning against it. That said, Matthew Henry’s concise commentary agrees with this interpretation that the verse is intended as a warning against love of praise.

    The One Year Bible Blog´s comments for today.

  • OYB November 11

    Posted December 16, 2006; back-dated.

    Today´s reading:
    OT: Ezekiel 23
    NT: Hebrews 10:18-39
    Ps: Psalm 109
    Pr: Proverbs 27:13

    Today´s notable verses:

    The older was named Oholah, and her sister was Oholibah. They were mine and gave birth to sons and daughters. Oholah is Samaria, and Oholibah is Jerusalem.

    Ezekiel 23:4 (NIV)

    A brief explanation, based on even more brief research, of the prophecy of the adulterous sisters, Oholah and Oholibah, in Ezekiel chapter 23: Oholah is a proper feminine Hebrew name that means “her own tent”; Oholibah is a proper feminine Hebrew name that means “woman of the tent” or “the tent is in her”. At this point in the history of Israel, the nation is divided between the southern kingdom of Judea and the northern kingdom of Israel. Jerusalem, the original capital of the nation of Israel, is within the southern kingdom. The city of Samaria is established as the capital of the northern kingdom. I believe the root, tent, refers to the place or object of worship: tent – tabernacle – temple. God’s chosen place of worship for His people – the Temple – was in Jerusalem; thus both the rightful place and object (since God inhabited the Temple) of worship were found within Jerusalem. The Israelites of the northern kingdom were God’s people, thus they were people of the “tent” – that is, people of the Temple, or people who worshiped the God who inhabited the Temple in Jerusalem. Thus, the allegorical prostitution of both Oholah and Oholibah refers to the worship of other gods by the northern and southern kingdoms of Israel, as explained in the subsequent verses. For further research, see the Jewish Encyclopedia.

    24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

    Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIV)

    It is important to remember that, while our faith and our relationship with God are intimate and very personal, the Christian life and Christian walk were never intended to be solitary. God created us in His image; part of that likeness includes our relational and communal character. God intended humanity to be in relationship with Him and with each other.

    The One Year Bible Blog´s comments for today.

  • OYB November 10

    Posted December 10, 2006; back-dated.

    Today´s reading:
    OT: Ezekiel 21-22
    NT: Hebrews 10:1-17
    Ps: Psalm 108
    Pr: Proverbs 27:12

    Today´s notable verse:

    The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it.

    Proverbs 27:12 (NIV)

    The One Year Bible Blog´s comments for today.

  • OYB November 9

    Posted December 10, 2006; back-dated.

    Today´s reading:
    OT: Ezekiel 20
    NT: Hebrews 9:11-28
    Ps: Psalm 107
    Pr: Proverbs 27:11

    Today´s notable verse:

    Whoever is wise, let him heed these things and consider the great love of the LORD.

    Psalm 107:43 (NIV)

    The One Year Bible Blog´s comments for today.

  • OYB November 8

    Posted December 10, 2006; back-dated.

    Today´s reading:
    OT: Ezekiel 18-19
    NT: Hebrews 9:1-10
    Ps: Psalm 106:32-48
    Pr: Proverbs 27:10

    Today´s notable verse:

    Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Let all the people say, “Amen!” Praise the LORD.

    Psalm 106:48 (NIV)

    The One Year Bible Blog´s comments for today.

  • OYB November 7

    Posted December 10, 2006; back-dated.

    Today´s reading:
    OT: Ezekiel 16:42-63, Ezekiel 17
    NT: Hebrews 8
    Ps: Psalm 106:13-31
    Pr: Proverbs 27:7-9

    Today´s notable verse:

    He who is full loathes honey, but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet.

    Proverbs 27:7 (NIV)

    The One Year Bible Blog´s comments for today.