April 13, 2013 Bible Study — Are We Shrewd Managers?

April 12, 2013 AttilaDimedici

I am approaching the one year mark of doing this daily Bible study blog. I am getting excited about discovering what God has in store for me as I begin blogging about the passages that I blogged about last year. I am debating if I am going to go back and read what I wrote last year to compare it to what I write this year. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. As I said, I am excited to see what difference going through these passages for the second time makes.
I have been using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study for almost a year. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. 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. I hope that the Spirit is moving in others through these posts as the Spirit has definitely been convicting me.

Joshua 7:16-9:2

     The next morning Joshua brought the tribes before him and Judah was selected. Then he had the clans of Judah brought before him and one was selected. Then the families of that clan and finally the individual members of the family that was selected. The man Achan was singled out. When Joshua confronted Achan, Achan confessed to taking some silver coins, a gold bar and a robe from Babylon. He had hidden these under his tent. The Israelites went to his tent and found the items just as he had said. The Israelites took all of Achan’s possessions and destroyed them and executed Achan for violating the command of God.
     After cleansing the people of the sin of Achan, Joshua led the entire fighting force of Israel against Ai. Joshua divided his forces and sent one group around to the other side of Ai to hide and wait in ambush. He then took the main force up towards the main gate. When the forces of Ai came out Joshua had his force flee as if it was defeated just like the previous time. When the forces of Ai pursued them away from the city, Joshua signaled for the ambush force to attack the city. The ambush force entered the city and burned it to the ground. The armies of Ai were disheartened when they saw the smoke from the city. At that point Joshua stopped retreating and attacked the forces of Ai, killing all of them.
     After destroying the city of Ai, Joshua built an altar on Mount Ebal. Joshua copied the instructions that God had given Moses onto the stones of the altar. When he had completed this, Joshua divided the people of Israel into two groups. One group he placed on Mount Ebal, the other group on Mount Gerizim. He placed the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant between them. Joshua then had the groups follow the instructions which Moses had givenfor blessing and cursing the people of Israel. Joshua then read all of the commands which Moses had written in the Book of Instruction to the entire assembly of the people.

Orchids at the front of the auditorium on Sunday

Luke 16:1-18

Having told the parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin and the lost(prodigal) son to the crowds, Jesus tells a story to His disciples. The story is about a manager who has been misusing his boss’ money. The boss found it out and called the manager to a meeting to account for his management. The manager realized that he would be fired and did not want to end up doing manual labor or as a beggar. Jesus tells us that the manager decided to make it so that people would be grateful to him. He called in his boss’ debtors and reduced the amount they owed by a large amount. Jesus told His disciples that the people of this world are more shrewd at dealing with other people of the world than are the people of the light. We should use our wealth to benefit others so that when our worldly resources are gone we will be welcomed into heavenly homes. We should use our worldly resources to serve God’s purposes.
Jesus then says something that is very challenging to me. He says that if we have done poorly in managing the minor matter of the worldly wealth God has given us, why would God trust us with things of heavenly import? I have done a poor job of managing my money. I am striving to improve and pray continually for God’s guidance, but I have gotten myself into a difficult position which requires more stringent control over my impulses than would have been necessary if I had restrained myself earlier. We cannot serve two masters. We must choose to either serve God or material wealth. I strive to be a servant of God and not of material wealth, but I have allowed myself to get into a position where I need to spend more concern for my material well-being than I would like. I continue to strive to manage my money according to God’s will for me and have faith that He will give me guidance and provide for my needs, but it is a struggle I face every day.

Psalm 82:1-8

God sits in judgment over those who rule. He asks them how long they will continue to render unjust judgments that favor the wicked? God will bring judgment against those who fail to defend the weak and the fatherless, who fail to uphold the rights of the poor and the oppressed. Those whom God has granted power on this earth must rescue poor and oppressed from the grasp of the wicked. IF they do not, they will face God’s judgment. As I read this psalm this morning, it reminds me of the trial of Dr. Gosnell, the abortionist who performed abortions for years, coldly murdering those infants which survived his attempts to kill them in the womb and causing the death or injury to many of the women who came to his clinic. He even forced an abortion on one young woman who changed her mind after entering his clinic. All the while, those who claimed they want abortion to be “safe, legal and rare” looked the other way. Who is weaker than the unborn and newly born? Yet those who hold power on this earth can not be bothered to protect them. God will rise up and hold those persons to account. He granted them power on this earth and they failed to use it to bring justice to the poor, the weak and the fatherless. O Lord show me where you have granted me the power to bring justice to those who are powerless.

Proverbs 13:2-3

Wise words will lead us to be well fed, but those who are treacherous seek violence (or perhaps one should read this as saying that those who enjoy violence are treacherous). Those who watch what they say live long and prosperous lives. Speaking rashly will lead to ruin.
This proverb comes as a timely reminder for me as I have a meeting with my boss over an issue where I became angry in response to his actions. This reminds me to choose my words with care and let the Spirit of God guide my actions.

Daily Bible Study

April 12, 2013 Bible Study — Are We Seeking The Lost Sheep?

April 11, 2013 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. I hope that the Spirit is moving in others through these posts as the Spirit has definitely been convicting me.

Joshua 5-7:15

     When word spread among the peoples living in the land of Canaan that the Israelites had crossed the Jordan on dry ground the people living there became paralyzed with fear. The passage tells us that Joshua had to have all of the men circumcised because the Israelites had not circumcised those who were born while they were in the wilderness. They camped on the plains of Jericho until they were all healed. Then they celebrated Passover and the feast of unleavened bread.
     God instructed Joshua that the Israelites were to march around Jericho once a day for six days with the priests blowing the horns. On the seventh day they were to march around the city seven times with the priests blowing the horns and at the end of the seventh circuit all of the people were to shout loudly. Joshua followed this command, instructing the people to not speak a word until he commanded them to shout. Joshua further instructed the people to destroy everything in the city not made from metal. The objects made from metal were to be kept for the treasury for the Lord’s House. They were to kill everyone in the city except for Rahab’s family. On the seventh day when the Israelites completed the seventh circuit of the city and gave a loud shout, the walls of Jericho collapsed. The Israelites rushed in and completely destroyed the city.
     However, one man kept for himself some of the items which were supposed to be dedicated to God. As a result when Joshua sent a force against the city of Ai, the men of Ai routed the Israelites. Joshua and the other leaders of the Israelites prostrated themselves before God. God told Joshua that someone had stolen items that were to be dedicated to God and instructed Joshua to have the people of Israel spend a day of preparation. Then he was to have the people of Israel present themselves by tribe. God would point out which tribe the miscreant belonged to. That tribe would present itself by clans, then the guilty clan by family and then each member of the guilty family. Once the guilty party had been identified, he and all of his possessions needed to be destroyed.

Luke 15:1-32

     Tax collectors and other sinners came to listen to Jesus teach. The Pharisees began to criticize Him for associating with them. This led Jesus to tell several parables. The first one was about a shepherd who lost one of his sheep. The shepherd will leave the 99 other sheep and go searching for his lost sheep. When he finds it he will react with joy and call his friends and neighbors to celebrate with him. His second parable is about a woman who loses one of ten coins and puts a tremendous amount of effort into finding it. Again she will call her friends and neighbors to celebrate with her when she does find it. Reading these parables I ask myself two questions. The first is, am I working as hard as the people in these two parables to find those who are lost and attempting to bring them home? The second question is just as important, do I celebrate when one of the lost finds their way home? Not just, “Yay, good for you!” but call all my friends and have a parade down main street. OK, maybe not a parade down main street, but we as Christians should be as excited about someone coming to know the Lord as we are when our home town team wins a championship. Does our congregation react to a new Christian the way a city reacts to its baseball team winning the World Series?
     Or, are we more like the older brother in Jesus’ third parable? The third parable in today’s passage is thoroughly familiar to most of us. It is the parable of the prodigal son. The story is basic. The younger of two sons asks his father to give him his inheritance while his father was still alive. By doing this the son was saying that he wished his father was dead. He wanted his independence and his freedom, but he also wanted a share of the wealth that his father had accumulated. The father granted his son’s request and the son went off to live his life as he saw fit. This soon led to the end one should expect of such decisions. The young man had wasted all of his resources and had failed to develop any skills to acquire more. He ended up working for people who treated him terribly. He realized that his father treated even the hired hands better than his current employers treated him and decided to go home and beg his father to give him a job. He vowed to throw himself on his father’s mercy and beg his forgiveness. But on his way home his father was watching for him and saw him long before he got there. His father rushed out to greet him and before the young man realized what was happening his father was hugging him and welcoming him home. The son told his father that he recognized what a bad son he was and that he did not deserve to be treated as a son any longer. The father ignored the son’s protestations and called for his servants to clean the young man up and dress him in fine clothes. Then the father called for a feast.
     This raises several points. Do we recognize how badly we have treated God? Do we recognize how completely undeserving of God’s love we are? The son went looking for his father, but long before he got there his father came and found him. That is how God treats us. When we were lost and began searching, long before we understood what we were looking for, God came out and found us.
     But the story goes on. When the older brother found out that his brother had returned, he did not celebrate with his father. Rather, he was resentful of his father expending resources on his brother. Before we get too judgmental of the older brother let us look at things from his point of view. His younger brother had caused his father immense pain. The older brother had seen his father looking out over the fields to see if his younger brother was coming home. He had seen his father grieve for the loss of his son. He had worked even harder to make up to his father for his brother’s mistreatment of him. Then when his brother comes back after all of this time, his father not only welcomes him back as if nothing had happened, but throws a lavish party for him, something the older brother had never experienced. All too often we sit in judgment of the older brother without thinking that Jesus never tells us how he responded when his father explained why it was appropriate to throw a party for the younger brother. I think that was deliberate. Jesus was telling us that it was natural to feel the resentment that the older brother felt. The question is, how do we respond when our Father explains to us why He is throwing a party? Do we continue to sulk? Or do we recognize our Father’s joy and join Him in celebrating our brother’s return? I pray that I always celebrate with God when one of His prodigal sons (or daughters) return to Him.

Psalm 81:1-16

The psalmist calls on us to praise God for all the good He has done for us. He tells us that God has offered to lift the burdens from our shoulders and ease the difficulties of the tasks we need to accomplish. When we cry out to Him He will save us (and He has done so in the past). If we refuse to bow to other gods, listen to God and follow His ways, He will subdue our enemies and provide us with the finest food. I will praise God and strive to follow His paths in all parts of my life.

Proverbs 13:1

Those who are wise accept discipline and listen to instruction, but fools mock those who rebuke their bad behavior. Let me always listen to those who confront me about my flaws and strive to correct my behavior. Let me not attempt to justify my failures and mock those who choose to treat others well.

Daily Bible Study

April 11, 2013 Bible Study — Will We Accept God’s Invitation To The Feast?

April 10, 2013 AttilaDimedici

Joshua 3-4:24

When the time came for them to cross the Jordan River, Joshua instructed the people of Israel to purify themselves. The following morning, at God’s command, Joshua had the priests take the Ark of the Covenant and walk into the Jordan River. As soon as the priests carrying the Ark entered the Jordan River the water stopped flowing from a point upstream of where they entered. The rest of the water continued flowing into the Dead Sea until the Israelites could cross the Jordan River on dry ground. The priests stopped in the middle of the Jordan River while the rest of the Israelites crossed over. Once all of the Israelites had crossed the river, Joshua had twelve men, one from each tribe, go to where the priests were standing and get a stone from the riverbed. They took theses stones and used them to build a memorial of the crossing. The people of Israel stood in awe of Joshua for the faith he showed, and the power God exercised on his behalf, when they crossed the Jordan. When all of the Israelites had crossed the river, Joshua had the priests come out of the Jordan. As soon as the priests left the riverbed and stood on high ground the river began flowing once more. The passage points out that this occurred when the Jordan River was at flood stage.
It is worth noting that stones from a riverbed look different from stones that have not been in a riverbed. The flow of water over the stones smooths and rounds them, giving them a distinct appearance. This is why the memorial that Joshua had built would have been distinctive.

Luke 14:7-35

     Today’s passage takes up with Jesus at a feast at a Pharisee’s house (it is worth noting that despite His many teachings against the hypocrisy of Pharisees, Jesus associated with them). Jesus took note of the fact that everyone was trying to sit in the seats of honor near the head of the table. Jesus tells them that they should not take the seats of honor because it would be terribly embarrassing if the host comes to them and asks them to move because someone more distinguished has come. Rather they should seat themselves at the seat of lowest honor that way they will receive even more honor when the host comes and tells them in front of everyone to move to a better seat. Jesus then turned to His host and told him that when he holds a meal, he should not invite his friends, family and rich neighbors who will invite him back. Rather he should invite the poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind. If he does the latter God will reward him.
     I believe that both of these lessons are for us. We should not honor ourselves. Rather we should live our lives with humility and let others honor us, if and when we are deserving of honor. If we do not receive the honor we deserve in from our fellow man, we will receive it from God. The second lesson is that we should use our resources to help those who have less than we do.
     Someone then called out to Jesus that those who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God were blessed. Jesus used this as the springboard to tell a parable about someone who announced a feast and invited many guests. However, when the time for the banquet arrived the invited guests all presented excuses as to why they could not come. When the man who was throwing the feast heard that his invited guests could not come, he sent his servants out to invite the poor, the sick, the crippled and the lame to his feast. When this was done his servants told him there was still room. So he sent his servants out onto the roads and the byways to compel whoever they could find to come to his feast, but those he had originally invited would not get to taste of the feast.
     There was a part of this parable that I had never noticed before. We all know the part where the original guests offer excuses and refuse to attend the banquet. And most of us know the part where the Master sends out invitations to the poor, the crippled, the sick, the blind and the lame. What I never noticed before is that after inviting those unfortunates, the Master still had room. It was then that He sent out His servants to compel others to attend His feast. The unfortunates are the ones whom God invites first to His feast. It is only after they have all been seated and there is still room that He invited those who were not such unfortunates received an invitation. This is the model we should use when preaching the gospel. We should preach the gospel to the unfortunates of this world and invite them to God’s bountiful table, we should do our best to provide for their needs from the bounty which God has given us. Our ministry to those who are well-off in this world should be a product, an after effect of our ministry to the unfortunates. This is a difficult thing for me to express correctly. It is not that God loves the well-off less, it is just that we should focus our ministry on those who cannot pay us back.
     Finally in today’s passage Jesus tells us that there is a cost to following Him. He tells us that we should look at that cost before we start the journey and recognize the price we will have to pay. Then He makes a statement that many people have trouble understanding. “Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again?” If we as Christians do not live any differently than those around us, what is the point of us being Christians?

Psalm 80:1-19

This psalm is a cry for God to restore His people, to listen to their prayers. For me the key phrase is this:

Turn us again to yourself, O God.
Make your face shine down upon us.
Only then will we be saved.
It is only when God turns us back to Him and away from sin that we can be saved. I read that and think about the way that plants turn themselves to the sun when it shines down on them. In the same way, we need God’s face to shine down on us and we need to turn toward Him when He does so.

Proverbs 12:27-28

I read this proverb and it reminds me of a trip I made with some friends many years ago. We were going up to a cabin in a remote area for an extended weekend. On the way, the car in front of us hit and killed a deer. The people in that car did not want the deer, so my friends, who were hunters, dressed the deer and took it along with us. When we got to the cabin, we butchered the deer (after contacting the state Game Commission). However, my one friend was angry with the others because they cut the best cuts out of the deer to cook and left the rest of the meat for him to cut up. I helped as much as I could, but not being a hunter myself I had little experience with butchering a deer. The thing I learned from that was the importance of preparing all of something at once or losing the opportunity. My friends who cut out just the good cuts they wanted to cook at that moment are like the lazy people in this proverb. My other friend was like the diligent. He made use of everything that was available to him from this chance opportunity. The diligent friend has done well with his life despite many struggles. The lazy friends have since ended up in jail.
I will strive to be diligent and make use of every opportunity for good that God sends my way (whether that is good meat or the opportunity to witness to others).

Daily Bible Study

April 10, 2013 Bible Study — Enter Through the Narrow Door

April 9, 2013 AttilaDimedici

Deuteronomy 34:1-12

After giving his final instructions to the people of Israel, Moses went up to the top of Mount Nebo. From there God allowed him to see the entire land that He was giving the people of Israel. Moses died there and was buried. The passage tells us that no one today knows where Moses body was buried. The Hebrew is unclear as to who buried Moses body. Many have interpreted it to mean that God buried Moses’ body, thus explaining why no one knew where he was buried, but the literal translation is “He buried him in Moab” or “He was buried in Moab.” The passage tells us that even though Moses was 120 years old, his eyesight was still good and his body strong at the time if his death.
The Spirit of God rested on Joshua and he took over leading the people of Israel after Moses’ death.

Joshua 1-2:24

     When the time of morning for Moses was complete, God spoke to Joshua. God told Joshua to be strong and courageous and to study the Book of Instruction which Moses had written, which contained God’s commands for the people of Israel. God told Joshua that if he followed those commands he would be prosperous and successful in all that he did. If we follow God’s commands, we will prosper and be successful in all that we do.
     Joshua then commanded the leaders of the people of Israel to prepare to begin the invasion of the land which God would give them. He went to the tribes which had been given land to the east of the Jordan River and reminded them of their promise to help the other tribes conquer the lands on the other side of the Jordan River. Those tribes reaffirmed their commitment and promised to obey Joshua’s commands.
     Joshua secretly sent two spies to investigate the land around Jericho. They went and stayed at the house of Rahab, a prostitute. The king of Jericho found out about them and sent to Rahab ordering her to bring them forth. Rahab told the king’s men that the spies had left just before the gates closed at dusk. In the meantime, she had hidden the two spies. The king’s men set out in pursuit of the spies. Rahab then went to the spies and requested that they promise to spare her life and that of her family. They made such a promise and instructed her to tie a scarlet cord out the window through which she let them out of the city. In addition, they told her to make sure that all of her family stayed in her house when the Israelites invaded. If she followed these instructions, they promised to preserve the life of her and her family. Rahab let the two spies down outside the walls and tied the scarlet cord to the window. The spies hid out for three days and then returned to Joshua.

Luke 13:22-14:6

     While Jesus was teaching someone asked Him if only a few would be saved. He answered that we should make every effort to enter through the narrow door because many would try but few would be able. The time will come when it will be too late to enter. After that many will come and knock on the door crying out for the door to be opened, but will be told that He does not know them. There will be those who took their admittance for granted, who assumed that they would get in because of who they were, or who their parents were. But because they did not take action and enter when the door was open to them, their place in God’s kingdom will be taken by others. Jesus goes on to say that many who seem unimportant now will prove to be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven and many who seem important now, will prove to be unimportant in the kingdom of heaven. We should act to be acknowledged by God, not by our fellow-man.
     Some Pharisees came to Jesus and warned Him that He should go into hiding because Herod wanted to kill Him. Jesus responded that He would continue His ministry until it was complete and that He would be killed in Jerusalem. He continues to say that He longed to gather Jerusalem under His protection, but the people were not willing.
     One Sabbath when Jesus was eating in the house of a prominent Pharisee there was a very sick man present. Jesus turned to the Pharisees and teachers of the law that were present and asked them if it was lawful to heal on the Sabbath. They did not answer His question (probably being aware of His previous teachings on this subject and afraid of looking bad in front of others for being unable to present a good argument against Him, but not being willing to agree either). Jesus then turned to the man and healed him, telling the Pharisees that if a child or a cow fell into a pit on the Sabbath, they would get it out.

Psalm 79:1-13

The psalmist cries out to God for salvation. He acknowledges that they are suffering as a result of the sins of their ancestors. He acknowledges that he has sinned and asks God for forgiveness. He asks God for help, not because of his own worthiness but in order to bring glory to God’s name. I will call out to God to act in my life so as to bring glory and honor to His name. I will seek to order my life so that those around me will see that the good that comes to me is a credit to the glory and honor of God. When I experience good things I will praise God and honor His name.

Proverbs 12:26

I really like the NIV translation of this proverb:

The righteous choose their friends carefully,
but the way of the wicked leads them astray.
It is important to choose our friends wisely because godly friends will help us to live godly lives, while if all of our friends are wicked they will lead us astray. But more than that, I will strive to be a godly friend who gives my friends advice that leads to righteousness.

Daily Bible Study

April 9, 2013 Bible Study — It Is Never Wrong To Relieve Suffering

April 8, 2013 AttilaDimedici

Deuteronomy 33:1-29

Having warned the people of Israel about the results of breaking their covenant with God, he declares a blessing on them, picking out each of the tribes for a specific blessing. Moses told them that they would live in safety as long as they faithfully served God.

Luke 13:1-21

     Jesus was told about a group of Galileans who were killed by Pilate while they made their sacrifices in the Temple. Jesus told the people that the Galileans who were killed were no greater sinners than anyone else. Jesus told us that unless we repent and turn from our sins, we will suffer a similar fate.
     Jesus then told a parable about a fig tree that a man planted. He repeatedly looked to see if it had borne fruit and it had not. Finally, he decided to cut it down and burn it. His gardener told him to give it one more year. The gardener would give it special attention and care. If it did not bear fruit after one more year, than the owner should cut it down and burn it. Have we borne fruit for God? How long do we have left to be fruitful servants of God before He cuts us down and throws us in the fire?
     One Sabbath when Jesus was teaching in a synagogue, He saw a woman who was crippled with bad back pain (the description sounds like someone with bad arthritis in their back). Jesus turned to the woman, told her she was healed and touched her. Immediately she was able to stand up straight and she praised God. The synagogue leader was furious that Jesus had healed on the Sabbath. He told the people that there were six days for working and they should come for healing on one of those days, not the Sabbath. Jesus was equally furious and called the synagogue leader (and those who shared his sentiment) a hypocrite. He told those there that they already did some work on the Sabbath, they fed and watered their animals on the Sabbath (He was not condemning them for doing that). If it was OK to feed and water mere animals on the Sabbath, isn’t it fit that a child of God be healed on the Sabbath? We should never let our rules interfere with doing good for others.
     Jesus then tells two parables about what the Kingdom of God is like. In one He compares it to a mustard seed, which is tiny yet grows to be a large bush/tree. In the other He compares the Kingdom of God to yeast, of which only a small amount is needed to cause a large amount of dough to rise. The point here is that we should not let the fact that we are weak and/or few in number keep us from doing the will of God. If we do the will of God we will have disproportionate impact on the world around us. Even if we are weak or few in numbers (or both), if we do the will of God we will have a huge effect on the society around us. In some cases, God will call us to be like the mustard seed where we will start something going that will grow into a large “tree” that will provide for the needs of those suffering. In other cases, God calls us to be like yeast, where our dedication to God and His ways will transform society around us in the way that yeast causes dough to rise to multiple times its original size.

Psalm 78:65-72

The psalmist concludes this psalm by telling us that after allowing the children of Israel to suffer the results of their sins, God rose up and drove their enemies back. He raised up David to lead them to defeat their enemies and back to serving Him. We can remember this, God will allow people to suffer the consequences of their sin for a time, but then He will raise up leaders to bring them back to Him and bring them relief from their suffering.

Proverbs 12:25

People become weighed down and depressed due to worry. However, if we offer those struggling with worry an encouraging word it will build them up and lift them up. Let us put aside worry and the depression that comes with it, trusting in God to provide for our needs. Let us further work to encourage those whom the worries of this life have overwhelmed and left depressed. I will strive to show them how God’s wondrous power will relieve them of their troubles.

Daily Bible Study

April 8, 2013 Bible Study — Which Side Are We On?

April 7, 2013 AttilaDimedici

Deuteronomy 32:28-52

In today’s passage, Moses continues the song he taught the people of Israel. He says that despite suffering the results of their sins the people of Israel would continue to sin and to suffer. Yet the time would come when God would stop punishing His people and allowing their enemies to dominate them. God will repay those who hate him. He will punish those who persecute His servants. When Moses completes the song, God instructs him to go the Mount Nebo and look out across the land of Canaan, which God is giving to the people of Israel. There Moses will die and join his ancestors.

Luke 12:35-59

Jesus tells His disciples to be ready and prepared for His return. We must be ready at all times because He will return at a time when He is least expected. Peter then asks Him if this illustration is just for the disciples or is it for everyone? Jesus’ answer is interesting. He tells Peter that a faithful, sensible servant will be given authority over other servants and responsibility for feeding them. He goes on to say that a servant who knows what the master wants and fails to do it will be punished more harshly than a servant who fails to do what the master wants because they did not know. Jesus concludes this teaching by telling His disciples that those to whom much has been given are expected to do more.
Jesus then tells His disciples that He has come to bring a fire onto the earth, a fire that He wished was already burning. He goes on to say that He did not come to bring peace, but rather division. That families would be divided over Him, some would support Him and some oppose Him. I think what He is teaching here fits in with His earlier teachings where at one point He said that whoever is not against us is for us and elsewhere that whoever is not with us is against us. Everyone needs to make a choice as to what side they are on. Are they for Jesus or against Him?

Psalm 78:56-64

The psalmist tells us that despite suffering the results of their sin the children of Israel continued in their rebellion against God. They turned to the worship of other gods, gods that had no power. In His anger God allowed their enemies to overrun them and kill them. Today’s psalm sums a common problem of the human condition, all too often we fail to learn from our mistakes and continue in the sins that got us into trouble in the first place.

Proverbs 12:24

Those who work hard become leaders, those who are lazy are enslaved by others.

Daily Bible Study

April 7, 2013 Bible Study –Seek the Kingdom of God Above All Else

April 6, 2013 AttilaDimedici

Deuteronomy 31-32:27

     When Moses had finished repeating the commands that God had given the people of Israel he told them that he would not be able to lead them into the land. He commissioned Joshua to take his place as their leader. He then gave a written book of all of the instructions God had given him for the people of Israel to the priests. He instructed them that every seven years they were to read this book of instructions to the people of Israel to remind them of God’s commands. God told Moses that in the future the people of Israel would rebel against Him. God gave Moses a song to teach the people of Israel for them to remember when His judgment came against them for their sins.
     Moses sang of the great things that God had done. He praised God and sang of His glory. He sang of how God made the people of Israel rich and happy. Then he sang that when the people of Israel became wealthy, they would turn from God to offer sacrifices to demons and idols. They would neglect God and His commands. In His anger, God would punish them. He would bring disaster and disease upon them. However, God would not destroy them because if He did, Israel’s enemies might think that they had destroyed Israel through their own might and fail to recognize that it was God’s judgment against Israel for their sins.
     This song reminds me of how easily we fall away from God when things go well. We start to believe that our success is a product of our own hard work and ability, rather than praising God for the wonders He has performed for us. I strive to not let such happen to myself. I will strive to glorify God even when things are going well for me. I know that my success is not a product of my virtue, but a gift from God’s wondrous grace.

Luke 12:8-34

     Jesus tells us that if we acknowledge Him before men, He will acknowledge us before God. On the other hand if we deny Him before men, we will be disowned before God’s angels. He goes on to say that those who speak out against Him can be forgiven, but those who credit the good acts of the Holy Spirit to evil can never be forgiven (my interpretation of what He means by blasphemy against the Holy Spirit).
     While Jesus was teaching someone in the crowd asked Jesus to instruct his brother to share his father’s estate with him. Jesus replied that He was not sent to make such judgments. He then goes on to warn us against greed of all kinds. Jesus then gives an example of a farmer who harvests a bountiful crop. The farmer does not have sufficient space to store the entire crop, so he tears down his barns and builds bigger ones. The farmer says to himself that then he will be able to relax and lead a life of ease. Jesus then tells us that that very night the farmer died. He never got to enjoy that life of ease. We should not store up wealth on this earth, rather we should strive to be rich with God.
     Jesus goes on to explain this parable to His disciples. He tells them not to worry about what they will eat or wear. We cannot by worrying extend our lives by even a single hour. Since we cannot even do that, what is the point in worrying about anything? Jesus gives examples of how birds are fed even though they do not farm and flowers are clothed beautifully even though they do not sew. Those who do not worship God spend their time seeking to accumulate food, clothes, shelter and wealth. God knows what our needs are and we are more valuable than the birds and flowers that He provides for so abundantly. We should seek God’s kingdom and He will provide for our needs. We should use our resources to provide for those in greater need than ourselves. By doing that we store up wealth in heaven where it will never be destroyed. We should dedicate our resources to the place where we want our focus to be. If we focus on spending our wealth on material things, we will focus on the material world. On the other hand, if we focus on spending our wealth serving God, our focus will be on God’s kingdom. If we seek first God’s kingdom and His will, He will provide for our needs. I strive very hard to remember this teaching. I will seek God’s kingdom and His will above all else. Am I willing to sacrifice my desires for material goods in order to serve God?

Psalm 78:32-55

The psalmist tells us that despite the wonders that God performed for the people of Israel and despite the suffering they experienced when they rebelled against Him, they nevertheless continued to sin against Him time and again. Yet for all of this God was merciful and forgave them when they turned to Him. This is cause for hope for us, at the same time that it is a condemnation. If we turn from our sins to God and request His forgiveness and aid, He will forgive us and act on our behalf once more. I have repeatedly sinned, yet I continue to strive to give over all of my life to God so that He may change me and make me more like Him.
This is the basic human desire and the root of all sin, to be like God. God does call on us to be like Him. However, the root of all sin is when we attempt to put ourselves in God’s place and become like Him through our own power. My goal is to submit to God and become like Him through His transformation of my being. I do not have the ability to make myself like God. However, God has the power to transform me into His likeness if I am willing to submit to Him and His will.

Proverbs 12:21-23

The godly rarely run into trouble, but the wicked are constantly running from one problem to another. God hates those who repeatedly tell lies, but loves those who are truthful. The wise do not tell everyone everything they know, but fools reveal their folly by attempting to appear knowledgable.

Daily Bible Study

April 6, 2013 Bible Study — God’s Will Is Not Too Difficult For Us To Understand

April 5, 2013 AttilaDimedici

This hyacinth will open its bloom eventually

Deuteronomy 29-30:20

Moses reviewed the covenant between God and the people of Israel once more. He told the people of Israel that this covenant was not just with them but also with their descendants. Moses told them that if they obey the terms of the covenant they would prosper in all that they did. He further warns them to take the curses seriously, if they believe that they are safe even though they do not follow God’s instructions and commands they will experience the curses of the covenant in fullest measure.
Moses goes on to promise them that in the future, after they have been exiled because they broke the covenant, if they turn back to the Lord and once more keep the commands of the covenant and walk in the ways of God, God will restore them. Finally Moses tells them that the message of the covenant is not hard to understand, it is not in some distant place where a Hero will need to be found to go and fetch it. God’s commands are written on our hearts and on our lips so that we can do as God desires if we so choose. We have a choice between life and death. If we choose life, God will set His Spirit upon us and give us the power to follow His ways, the ways of life.

Luke 11:37-12:7

     A Pharisee invited Jesus to eat with him. Jesus went and sat at the table. The Pharisee was surprised because Jesus did not follow the hand washing ritual of the Pharisees. Jesus replied to this criticism by telling the people there that the Pharisees make a lot of show of cleaning the outside, but inside they are full of greed and wickedness. If they truly want to be clean, they should be generous to the poor. He tells them that they are scrupulous to tithe from their herb gardens but neglect justice and love of God. Jesus says that they should have focused on the latter without neglecting the former.
     A teacher of religious law responded to what Jesus had just said by saying that His statements might be taken as applying to teachers of religious law as well. Jesus did not pull back, rather He said that “Yes, those comments applied to all teachers of religious law as much as it did to the Pharisees.” Jesus then went on to say that the teachers of religious law took the key to knowledge away from people. They did not enter into fellowship with God and interfered with those who were attempting to do so. All too often throughout history those who have studied God’s word have set themselves up as authorities to interpret it for everyone else, making it seem as if only those with special knowledge can know what God desires. Jesus emphasizes here and elsewhere in His ministry that God’s will is accessible to anyone who desires to look for it. What Jesus is teaching here fits with what Moses said in today’s Old Testament passage. God’s word is not difficult to understand and we do not need someone to go up on the Mountain to commune with God on our behalf. Everyone of us can understand God’s word for ourselves and God will speak with each of us, if we but listen.
     Jesus goes on to warn us to watch out for the hypocrisy of those who claim to be the experts on God’s word, those who claim to be more righteous than others. No one is the arbiter between us and God. Jesus came and died on the cross so that He could present us directly to the Father, so that we could listen directly to the commands that God has for us. We should not fear any human agent, who when they have killed our bodies can do no more. We should fear only God, who can not only kill our bodies but also destroy our souls. However, sparrows are cheap, but God keeps track of every one. God has counted every hair on our heads and we are more valuable to Him than all the sparrows on the earth. We should only fear God and there our fear should be mitigated by the fact that God loves us dearly.

Psalm 78:1-31

The psalmist tells us to learn from our past, to look at the wonders God has performed. He tells us not to repeat the sins of those who came before us, who saw the wonders that God performed, but nevertheless rebelled against God because those wonders were not enough for them. God provided them water, but they believed that He could not provide them food and complained about the lack. God gave them manna from heaven and they complained because He did not give them meat. So, God gave them meat, but while they were still stuffing themselves with the meat, He sent a plague upon them to punish them for their rebellion. Let us learn from their example and honor God for the great things He has done. I will praise God for the great things He has done and petition Him to meet my current needs, then I will patiently wait for Him to meet those needs according to His wisdom and glory.

Proverbs 12:19-20

When we tell the truth our statements will be supported as events unfold. When we tell lies, the falsehoods will soon be revealed. Those who are deceitful are plotting evil, while those who promote peace are filled with joy.

Daily Bible Study

April 5, 2013 Bible Study — Whoever Is Not With Me Is Against Me

April 4, 2013 AttilaDimedici

Deuteronomy 28:1-68

Moses tells the people of Israel that they will be blessed if they keep the commands of the Lord. If they obey the commands of the Lord, they will be solidly established in their land, they will be prosperous and want for nothing. All nations will stand in awe of them. On the other hand, Moses tells them the curses they will experience if they rebel against God’s commands. If they do not keep God’s commands they will experience confusion and frustration in everything they do. They will suffer from diseases and natural disasters. They will work hard and have little to show for it. They will be conquered by foreigners and their children made slaves. They will be terrified by everything around them. I believe that these blessings and curses are there for any society that follows God’s commands or rebels against them.

Luke 11:14-36

     One day Jesus drove a demon that had made a man mute out of the man. The man began to speak and the people were amazed. However, some of them claimed that He drove out demons by the power of the prince of demons. Others demanded that He give them a sign from heaven. Jesus answered by telling them that any organization that is divided against itself is bound to fall. He tells them that if Satan grants someone the power to cast out demons, Satan would be acting against his own interests. He then asks them by what power the other exorcists are casting out demons?
     Jesus concludes that whoever is not for Him is against Him. This is interesting because only a little while earlier He told the disciples that whoever is not against them is for them. I think these two comments by Jesus tell us something about how people must react to Jesus. Ultimately everyone must choose, are they for Jesus or against Him? There is no middle ground. The earlier passage tells us that we should not alienate those who have not outright rejected Jesus and His teaching. Today’s passage tells us that over time people will either start to follow Jesus or to oppose Him.
     Jesus concludes His discussion of casting out evil spirits by telling us that when an evil spirit is cast out, it will wander through desolate areas. It will then return to the person it had left and find them “swept and in order”. It will get seven other spirits even more wicked than itself and together they will reenter the person. The end result will be that the person is worse off than before. My father used to say that the point of this passage was that it was not enough for the person to have evil spirits cast out. If they were not filled with the Holy Spirit in the place of the demons, the demons would return and possess them once more. I believe that my father was correct in his interpretation.
     Jesus then addresses the issue of those demanding a sign from heaven. He tells them that the only sign they will receive will be the sign of Jonah. That just as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so Jesus would be a sign to His own generation (and those that followed). There has been a relatively recent archeological discovery which suggests that the idea that the Messiah would die and rise after three days was present in first century Jewish thought. If such is the case, it would mean that Jesus’ audience knew exactly what He was saying here. He went on to tell them that on the day of judgment the men of Nineveh would condemn the current generation because the men of Nineveh listened to Jonah and repented, but the current generation did not listen to the One who was greater than Jonah.

Psalm 77:1-20

The psalmist in today’s psalm is distressed because he has experienced trouble and has not heard an answer from God. When he become convinced that God had turned His back on him, the psalmist remembered all of God’s great deeds in the past. By looking back over all the things which God had done in the past, his hope was restored. He knew that God would act when the time was right. I am glad that I am reading this psalm today after reading Jesus’ teaching on prayer yesterday. The two go together. Jesus told us to be persistent in our prayers. This psalm tells us to remember what God has done in the past when He does not seem to be answering our prayers today. When I look over my life I can remember times when I was desperate for change in my life and cried out to God. He did not answer at once, but when He did answer, His plan proved to be wonderful.
This psalm today, coupled with yesterday;s passage from Luke with its emphasis on persistence in our prayers, reminds me that God is faithful and will answer my prayers in His time according to His plans. Those answers when they come will be better than anything I could have imagined when I was praying. I will not lose faith that God will answer my prayers because I remember the great things He has done in the past.

Proverbs 12:18

Today’s proverb hits home to me. There have been times when I have reveled in my ability to make stinging remarks that generated a laugh. I am not going to say that there is never a place for such exchanges. However, this proverb reminds me of something that I have recently been trying to work on. That is the quick quip which builds up the target rather than tearing them down. I have discovered that if I try I can get just as good of a laugh by cleverly worded quips about the positive aspects of a person as I can from quips which tear them down. It is harder to do, but much more satisfying. All too often I have been lazy and gone for the easy, cheap, negative laugh. I will strive going forward to do the extra work to make the quips which build others up and let them know that I think well of them.

Daily Bible Study

April 4, 2013 Bible Study — The Lord’s Prayer

April 3, 2013 AttilaDimedici

Deuteronomy 26-27:26

Moses instructed the children of Israel that every year they were to bring some of the first produce from each crop and present it to the Lord as a gift offering. As part of the offering ceremony they were to recount what God had done for them as a people. Every third year they were to give a special tithe offering to the Levites, foreigners, widows and orphans among them.
Moses called on them to remember the laws which he told them and to obey all that God had commanded them. When they crossed over into the land, they were to set up an altar on Mount Ebal and offer sacrifices to God there. After they had done that, some of the tribes were to go up on Mount Gerizim to proclaim a blessing over the people of Israel. At the same time, other tribes were to go up on Mount Ebal and declare a curse over the people of Israel. Moses gave them a list of actions to declare would lead to being cursed. The list was such things as:

Cursed be anyone who dishonors father or mother
Cursed is anyone who leads a blind person astray on the road.
Cursed is anyone who denies justice to foreigners, orphans, or widows.
Cursed is anyone who accepts payment to kill an innocent person.

There were more, but the above list is a good example of the curses which Moses declared should be agreed to by the people of Israel.

Luke 10:38-11:13

When Jesus entered the town that Martha lived in on His way to Jerusalem, she invited Him into her home. Her sister Mary sat at Jesus’ feet listening to what He had to say. Martha however was distracted by the preparations that needed to be made. She came to Jesus and asked Him to tell Mary to help her with the work. Jesus answered her that she was worried about many things, but there is only one thing that needs to be worried about and Mary had chosen that. Jesus finished by telling Martha that what Mary had chosen would not be taken from her. Martha was too busy with the preparations to spend time with her guests, Mary was too busy visiting with their guests to work on the preparations. There are several different ways to interpret this passage, but today I see it as emphasizing that it is more important to spend time with people than it is to make sure that all the details are “right”.
Luke tells us that the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray. Jesus gave them the sample prayer we call the Lord’s Prayer. For this I prefer the NIV:

“Father,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins,
for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.
And lead us not into temptation.”

Psalm 76:1-12

God is a mighty God, let us honor His name. No one can stand against Him, those who defy Him just bring glory to His name. God will judge those who do evil and rescue the oppressed. He will break the pride of the rulers of this earth. I will sing praises to God and vow to follow His ways.

Proverbs 12:15-17

It is foolish to think that you are the only one who knows the right answer to a problem. Listen to what others think and change your mind when they say things that will help you make better decisions. Those who are foolish rapidly get angry at perceived insults, while the wise stay calm and listen to what is said to see what they can do to make things better. Those who tell the truth almost always tell the truth, once people have caught you in a lie they will not trust anything you say ever again.

Fact and Fantasy

Monthly Archives: April 2013

April 13, 2013 Bible Study — Are We Shrewd Managers?

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April 12, 2013 Bible Study — Are We Seeking The Lost Sheep?

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April 11, 2013 Bible Study — Will We Accept God’s Invitation To The Feast?

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April 10, 2013 Bible Study — Enter Through the Narrow Door

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April 9, 2013 Bible Study — It Is Never Wrong To Relieve Suffering

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April 8, 2013 Bible Study — Which Side Are We On?

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April 7, 2013 Bible Study –Seek the Kingdom of God Above All Else

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April 6, 2013 Bible Study — God’s Will Is Not Too Difficult For Us To Understand

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April 5, 2013 Bible Study — Whoever Is Not With Me Is Against Me

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April 4, 2013 Bible Study — The Lord’s Prayer

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