Daily Archives: July 17, 2019

Daily Bible Study

July 18, 2019 Bible Study — Doing Things According to God’s Timetable

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Ecclesiastes 1-6.

The writer of Ecclesiastes tells us that there is nothing new.  While there are some new things, people do not change.  Someone may say, “Well, the way we look at X is new,” but if you study history you soon see that it is just a return to the way X was viewed long ago.  Or to put it another way, the more things change the more they stay the same.  No matter what we do we cannot change the world.  As a result the only meaningful thing we can do is serve God.

I love the beginning of chapter 3.  Ever since I first heard The Byrds’ “Turn! Turn! Turn!” i have loved the idea that there is a time for everything.  That song emphasized that the final line of the poem was about a time for peace.  I am quite convinced that the writer intentionally chose to put peace last to emphasize it.  However, a sentence or so later the writer tells us the point of there being a time for everything: God has designed things so that there is beauty in doing the right thing at the right time.  Speaking out when it is time to be quiet is no better, or worse, than being quiet when it is time to speak.

Daily Bible Study

July 17, 2019 Bible Study — Wisdom Leads to Self-Control

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Proverbs 29-31.

I want to write about all of the things touched on in today’s passage, but you can read them for yourself.  Instead I will focus on just a couple of them.  First, in several different ways the passage tells us that wisdom leads to self-control.  The wise control their anger and work to calm that of others.  Only fools try to work people up and get them agitated.  But the self-control of the wise is not just over their temper; they also control their tongue and avoid bragging and lying.  Only a fool says every thought which comes to his mind; the wise think before they speak or act.

Despite the constant emphasis on being truthful throughout the Book, it reminds us that only with God’s help will we succeed in avoiding lies.  I love how Agur asks two things of God: to avoid lying and to provide him only with enough for his needs.  He does not find it necessary to explain the first, but does explain the latter.  If we become rich we may forget God and turn from Him.  On the other hand if we are poor we may give in to temptation and steal, thus dishonoring God.  Yes, I ask God to give me enough to meet my needs and to help those who struggle.