Tag: Christianity

Today´s reading:
OT: Judges 2:10-23, Judges 3
NT: Luke 22:14-34
Ps: Psalm 92-93
Pr: Proverbs 14:1-2

Today´s notable verses:

After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the LORD nor what he had done for Israel.

Judges 2:10 (NIV)

What a tragic start to Israel’s life in God’s promised land! This verse reminds me of a quote by Billy Graham, and immortalized by one of his proteges, Argentinian evangelist Luis Palau, that “God has no grandchildren.” The generation of Israelites who took possession of the promised land utterly failed in their responsibility to pass on their knowledge of and relationship with the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to their descendants. This responsibility remains the same for each and every generation of Christians today. The heritage of faith must be passed on from generation to generation, from parents to their children.

I am so grateful to my grandmother, who truly is the matriarch of faith of my family. She raised my father and his siblings in the faith, and waited patiently for my grandfather to accept the faith, as well. (I didn’t know until recently that he was not baptized until my father had almost graduated high school.) I have been truly blessed to have a family of such strong faith, in large part due to the perseverance and patience of my grandmother.

Mightier than the thunder of the great waters,
mightier than the breakers of the sea—
the LORD on high is mighty.

Psalm 93:4 (NIV)

Photo © Chip Bennett, all rights reserved.

The One Year Bible Blog‘s commentary for today.

Today´s reading:
OT: Judges 1, Judges 2:1-9
NT: Luke 21:29-38, Luke 22:1-13
Ps: Psalm 90-91
Pr: Proverbs 13:24-25

Today´s notable verse:

⁹ If you make the Most High your dwelling—
even the LORD, who is my refuge-
¹⁰ then no harm will befall you,
no disaster will come near your tent.
¹¹ For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
¹² they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

Psalm 91:9-12 (NIV)

It is true that in this life we will face many hardships, but we have this assurance: that God will command His angels concerning us, to guard us in all our ways and to lift us up in their hands. How reassuring to know that God protects and ministers to us through the Host of Heaven!

The One Year Bible Blog notes:

Proverbs 13:24 is true – “If you refuse to discipline your children, it proves you don’t love them; if you love your children, you will be prompt to discipline them.” The one thing that makes me a bit nervous about this Proverb is that I have a hunch us humans can over-do our discipline. I think there is obviously a difference between loving / godly discipline of our kids and mean / destructive discipline. I pray that we are led by God to know the difference. Yes, discipline is good. Godly / loving discipline. Mean / destructive discipline is not good.

I think the key here is that “discipline” and “punishment” are not interchangeable here. Certainly, discipline includes administering punishment as part of the learning experience that all decisions and actions have consequences; however, discipline also involves positive-reinforcement methods of training. Consider the full definition of discipline (v.):

1. 1. To train by instruction and practice, especially to teach self-control to.
2. To teach to obey rules or accept authority. See Synonyms at teach.
3. To punish in order to gain control or enforce obedience. See Synonyms at punish.
4. To impose order on: needed to discipline their study habits.

Clearly, over-emphasis of only a part of the full meaning of discipline is improper. Also, emphasis on the various methods of discipline will change with the age and maturity/development of the one being disciplined. I was spanked as a young child, but because my parents understood and practiced the full and proper understanding of discipline, by the time I was an adolescent I no longer needed spanking as a form of discipline.

Further, note here the underlying assumption that discipline is administered out of love. Punishment meted out in anger is not loving, biblical discipline.

Posted April 23, back-dated.

Today´s reading:
OT: Joshua 24
NT: Luke 21:1-28
Ps: Psalm 89:38-52
Pr: Proverbs 13:20-23

Today´s notable verse:

But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.

Joshua 24:15 (NIV)

We are presented with the same choice today – each day – and with each decision we make, we have this choice.

¹⁴ But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. ¹⁵ For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.

Luke 21:14-15 (NIV)

What comforting words from our Savior!

The One Year Bible Blog‘s comments for today.

Posted April 23, back-dated.

Today´s reading:
OT: Joshua 22:21-34, Joshua 23
NT: Luke 20:27-47
Ps: Psalm 89:14-37
Pr: Proverbs 13:17-19

Today´s notable verse:

He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.

Luke 20:38 (NIV)

The One Year Bible Blog‘s comments for today.

Posted April 23, back-dated.

Today´s reading:
OT: Joshua 21, Joshua 22:1-20
NT: Luke 20:1-16
Ps: Psalm 89:1-13
Pr: Proverbs 13:15-16

Today´s notable verse:

I will sing of the LORD’s great love forever;
with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations.

Psalm 89:1 (NIV)

The One Year Bible Blog‘s comments for today.

Posted April 23, back-dated.

Today´s reading:
OT: Joshua 19-20
NT: Luke 19:28-48
Ps: Psalm 88
Pr: Proverbs 13:12-14

Today´s notable verse:

Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.

Proverbs 13:12 (NIV)

The One Year Bible Blog‘s comments for today.

Posted April 23, back-dated.

Today´s reading:
OT: Joshua 16-18
NT: Luke 19:1-27
Ps: Psalm 87
Pr: Proverbs 13:11

Today´s notable verse:

¹ The allotment for Joseph began at the Jordan of Jericho, east of the waters of Jericho, and went up from there through the desert into the hill country of Bethel. ² It went on from Bethel (that is, Luz), [b] crossed over to the territory of the Arkites in Ataroth, ³ descended westward to the territory of the Japhletites as far as the region of Lower Beth Horon and on to Gezer, ending at the sea. ⁴ So Manasseh and Ephraim, the descendants of Joseph, received their inheritance.

Joshua 16:1-4 (NIV)

A couple things interest me here: first, we see that Joseph was the patriarchal heir to the Promise of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Joseph received the birthright – which normally goes to the firstborn son – of a double share of the inheritance; both of his sons Ephraim and Manasseh each received an allotment of land. Second, the descendants of Joseph received as part of their allotment the place that represented God’s promise, covenant, and presence to the patriarchs: Bethel.

The One Year Bible Blog‘s comments for today.

Posted April 23, back-dated.

Today´s reading:
OT: Joshua 15
NT: Luke 18:18-43
Ps: Psalm 86
Pr: Proverbs 13:9-10

Today´s notable verse:

Teach me your way, O LORD,
and I will walk in your truth;
give me an undivided heart,
that I may fear your name.

Psalm 86:11 (NIV)

The One Year Bible Blog‘s comments for today.

Posted April 23, back-dated.

Today´s reading:
OT: Joshua 13-14
NT: Luke 18:1-17
Ps: Psalm 85
Pr: Proverbs 13:7-8

Today´s notable verse:

¹³“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ ¹⁴ “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Luke 18:13-14 (NIV)

The One Year Bible Blog‘s comments for today.

Today´s reading:
OT: Joshua 11-12
NT: Luke 17:11-37
Ps: Psalm 84
Pr: Proverbs 13:5-6

Today´s notable verse:

³⁴ I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. ³⁵ Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left.

Luke 7:34-45 (NIV)

I always think of the song “I wish we’d all been ready”, written originally by Larry Norman and re-made by DCTalk.

The One Year Bible Blog asks:

Proverbs chapter 13 verse 5 – “Those who are godly hate lies; the wicked come to shame and disgrace.” Here’s a question – is it ever okay to lie? I’ve spoken with friends who have said they believe it is okay to lie to preserve an innocent life. And I guess if you think about maybe someone who saved lives in the Holocaust by lying, then this would seem to be an okay instance to lie? I mean, you are lying to save an innocent life. Is that okay? I realize the trick becomes where do you draw the lines on when it is okay to lie. We could rationalize almost anything saying it was okay to lie because of x, y, z greater good. This Proverb says those who are godly hate lies. I am sure we all do hate lying. But is it ever okay to lie? To save an innocent life – is it okay?

Amazing, how the wisdom and truth of the Word can be so simple and obvious, and yet we still try to rationalize our own wisdom to justify acting contrary to the Word! The problem I have with justifying lying as a means to save an innocent life is two-fold: first, the ends never justify the means; second, choosing to act ungodly in the name of a righteous end is choosing to act outside of faith. God never intends to use sin to fulfill His will. (To be sure, God is in control of every situation, and can bring about His will despite and through our acts of sin; but God’s way is perfect and holy.) If we think that we have to lie in order to preserve an innocent life, then we deny God’s power and ability to work through the situation to accomplish His Will and to preserve that innocent life. If we in faith speak the truth, then we acknowledge God’s sovereignity and put our faith and trust in Him to accomplish what He will in a way we perhaps cannot see with our own understanding.

And let me play Devil’s Advocate. Two questions: one, what life is truly innocent? And two, are not God’s ways higher than our own ways? The fate of that life (innocent or otherwise) is in God’s hands, and he will spare that life or not, according to His will and His ways. Our responsibility is to act in obedience to Him – which requires our honesty, and not lies.