For today, One Year Bible Online links here.
Justice brings joy to the godly, but the evil hate and fear it. Those who do evil dislike justice, even when it is administered to others.
Those who forget commonsense are endangering their life.
Let us learn to fear the Lord for that is the path to a long and happy life. If we fear the Lord we will not speak evil, nor will we tell lies. It is not enough to not do evil, God calls us to do good. Let us seek out peace and work to maintain it. True peace is more than the absence of strife. God calls us to build that world around us.
As I read this passage, I cannot help but think in sadness of Robin Williams. He never learned what the psalmist taught from personal experience. God will rescue the broken-hearted. He will heal those whose spirits are crushed. Certainly, I would have to say that someone who is so depressed as to commit (or attempt to commit) suicide has a crushed spirit. If you are experiencing that depression, turn to God. He will offer solace. If you think that you are worthless and of no value, remember that God does not agree. God created you for a purpose. God intends to accomplish something in this world through you. Surrender to His will and you will discover a joy that is beyond description.
Having just said that there is no significance to eating meat offered to idols, Paul tells us that it is a bad idea to do so. He points out that we often eat meals together as a way of unifying ourselves. There is the example of eating the bread of Communion together which unifies us as the Body of Christ, even the name “Communion” which we use for it indicates this. The significance is not in the food itself, nor in the idols to which it may have been offered. The significance is in the meanings which people place on the ritual which the food and eating that food is part.
So, we should not worry about whether the food we eat was part of a pagan ritual, but if someone makes it a point of informing us that it was, we should not eat it. We have the freedom in Christ to do anything we desire, but just because we may do something does not mean that we should do it. We should decide whether or not to do something based on how it will effect others. Will our actions help or harm someone else? If I do “this”, will it help another? Or will it lead them to sin? I will choose those actions which will lead others to glorify God and I will avoid those actions which will cause others to curse God.
When they had completed rebuilding Jerusalem, only the leadership of the people were living in Jerusalem. In order to support the people necessary for the Temple to be the center of worship, other people needed to settle in Jerusalem. It was decided that they would select ten percent of the people living in each town throughout the land to move to Jerusalem. There are times when some of us must sacrifice our own comfort, must be willing to move out of our comfort zone, in order to complete God’s mission. Some of us must be willing to fill the support roles, the roles which are not seen as glamorous.