De·vo·tions: an act of religious observance or prayer, especially when private. Often used in the plural. Posts in this category pertain to my observations and commentary regarding Bible study and devotions.
Today´s reading:
OT: Ruth 2-4
NT: John 4:43-54
Ps: Psalm 105:16-36
Pr: Proverbs 14:26-27
Today´s notable verse:
The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death.
Proverbs 14:27 (NIV)
The One Year Bible Blog‘s comments for today.
Today´s reading:
OT: Judges 21, Ruth 1
NT: John 4:4-42
Ps: Psalm 105:1-15
Pr: Proverbs 14:25
Today´s notable verse:
23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.
John 4:23-24 (NIV)
Worship is not merely something we do; rather, it is what we are – every action, every decision, every thought and attitude: each one presents an opportunity for worship, and each one demonstrates our true nature, whether we are worshippers of the Father, or of the world.
The One Year Bible Blog‘s commentary for today.
Today´s reading:
OT: Judges 19-20
NT: John 3:22-36, John 4:1-3
Ps: Psalm 104:24-35
Pr: Proverbs 14:22-23
Today´s notable verse:
He must become greater; I must become less.
John 3:30 (NIV)
The One Year Bible Blog‘s commentary for today.
Today´s reading:
OT: Judges 17-18
NT: John 3:1-21
Ps: Psalm 104:1-23
Pr: Proverbs 14:20-21
Today´s notable verse:
He who despises his neighbor sins,
but blessed is he who is kind to the needy.Proverbs 14:21 (NIV)
The One Year Bible Blog‘s comments for today.
Today´s reading:
OT: Judges 15-16
NT: John 2
Ps: Psalm 103
Pr: Proverbs 14:17-19
Today´s notable verse:
The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.Psalm 103:8 (NIV)
What stood out to me about Samson’s story in today’s Judges passage was that Samson kept putting himself in bad situations:
1 One day Samson went to Gaza, where he saw a prostitute. He went in to spend the night with her. 2 The people of Gaza were told, “Samson is here!” So they surrounded the place and lay in wait for him all night at the city gate. They made no move during the night, saying, “At dawn we’ll kill him.” … 6 So Delilah said to Samson, “Tell me the secret of your great strength and how you can be tied up and subdued.” … 10 Then Delilah said to Samson, “You have made a fool of me; you lied to me. Come now, tell me how you can be tied.” … 13 Delilah then said to Samson, “Until now, you have been making a fool of me and lying to me. Tell me how you can be tied.” … 15 Then she said to him, “How can you say, ‘I love you,’ when you won’t confide in me? This is the third time you have made a fool of me and haven’t told me the secret of your great strength.” 16 With such nagging she prodded him day after day until he was tired to death. 17 So he told her everything…
Judges 16:1-17
Apparently, Samson never learned from his previous experiences. Unfortunately, we are often the same way today. And, when we fail to learn from our previous mistakes, eventually we find ourselves outside of God’s grace, facing the consequences of our actions, and subject to God’s loving discipline. I pray that we make the most of God’s grace when we make a mistake, thanking Him for protecting us from the worst of the potential outcomes, and choosing to learn from the experience, not again making the same mistake!
The One Year Bible Blog‘s commentary for today.
Today´s reading:
OT: Judges 13-14
NT: John 1:29-51
Ps: Psalm 102
Pr: Proverbs 14:15-16
Today´s notable verse:
He then added, “I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”
John 1:51 (NIV)
The full meaning of Jesus’ statement here eluded me until compared with an in-depth study of Genesis. Jesus is invoking the very patriarch of Israel, Jacob:
10 Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Haran. 11 When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep. 12 He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13 There above it stood the LORD, and he said: “I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. 14 Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. 15 I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.
Genesis 28:10-15 (NIV)
The reference would not have been lost on these first disciples, nor would have its meaning or impact been lost. Jesus is confirming the proclamation of John the Baptist concerning him, that He is indeed the Messiah, the Lamb of God.
The One Year Bible Blog‘s commentary for today.
Today´s reading:
OT: Judges 11-12
NT: John 1:1-28
Ps: Psalm 101
Pr: Proverbs 14:13-14
Today´s notable verse:
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it… 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:1-14 (NIV)
I love the affection and intimacy of the Gospel of John. I think none of the other disciples could have so eloquently or so beautifully described Jesus. I love the description of Jesus as the Word; such a powerful perspective, and such imagery it invokes! I am reminded of the Creation, which God the Father spoke into existence. The emanance of that which is spoken is the Word, which is carried on the breath. God the Father: Speaker/Voice; God the Son, Jesus: the Word, the spoken manifestation; God the Holy Spirit: the breath of life, carrying the Word. Perhaps it is just me, but this thought paints such a beautifully interwoven picture of the intimate involvement of the Triune God in the very act of creation.
The One Year Bible Blog‘s commentary for today
Today´s reading:
OT: Judges 9:22-57, Judges 10:1-18
NT: Luke 24:13-53
Ps: Psalm 100
Pr: Proverbs 14:11-12
Today´s notable verse:
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.Psalm 100:4-5 (NIV)
The One Year Bible Blog‘s commentary for today.
Posted April 29; back-dated.
Today´s reading:
OT: Judges 8:18-35, Judges 9:1-21
NT: Luke 23:44-56, Luke 24:1-12
Ps: Psalm 99
Pr: Proverbs 14:9-10
Today´s notable verse:
Fools mock at making amends for sin,
but goodwill is found among the upright.Proverbs 14:9 (NIV)
The One Year Bible Blog‘s comments for today
Today´s reading:
OT: Judges 7, Judges 8:1-17
NT: Luke 23:13-43
Ps: Psalm 97-98
Pr: Proverbs 14:7-8
Today´s notable verse:
40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Luke 23:40-43 (NIV)
This last sentence sometimes perplexed me; Jesus was in the grave for three days, so how could he be with this forgiven criminal in paradise on the day of their death? But then I realized: Jesus was physically in the grave, yet spiritually he never died. He never sinned; therefore, spiritually He remained always alive to God the Father. Since Jesus is God, Jesus is omnipresent, and therefore He indeed was in Paradise with this man!
I pray that I have the humility and faith of this condemned man!
The One Year Bible Blog‘s comments for today.