For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I added a “Ministry Links” tab to my blog. On it I am going to link to the websites of various Christian Ministries which I support to one degree or another. Currently, it has a link to the congregation I attend and of which I am a member and a link to a ministry which does wonderful work in Honduras and elsewhere: MAMA Project
Those who always eat and/or drink to excess are going to end up in poverty. As will those who pursue any pleasure to excess. Do not spend your time with those who do not live in moderation, or you will join them in their poverty.
I will not beat my chest and boast. I will quietly wait for God to act, because He is the source of any successes I may have. God is my rock and my fortress. I will put my trust in Him. What a contrast between what the psalmist says and the way people so often behave today. Let us learn to follow the psalmist’s example and not that of the spoiled brats who brag over every little victory and taunt their opponents.
We are all equal, no one is better than another. If we have been baptized into Christ, we are all one. This passage is such a basic principle of the Christian faith. Jews are not better than Gentiles, nor vice versa. Men are not better than women, nor vice versa. Slave and free, before God there is no difference. If we belong to Christ, we are heirs to God’s promises to Abraham.
We cannot earn favor with God by following rules and regulations. It is not by somberly following rituals or observing the correct Holy Days that we will gain favour with God. God desires that we joyfully and gratefully do His will. Let us be cautious about zealots who are quick to separate themselves from the established Church and seek to convince others likewise. There is nothing wrong with being zealous, as long as we are zealously doing good and not just when those we wish to impress are watching. Let us zealously seek to do good for others, even when no one will notice, perhaps especially when no one will notice.
As I read this passage, I was reminded of those who think they can cut a deal with evil. They think that they can remain safe by telling people what they want to hear, even when they have no intention of acting accordingly. However, God has established a firm and solid base against which right and wrong can be measured. It is only by measuring our words and our actions against that foundation that we can find safety. You can claim to be a Christian all you like, but unless your actions conform to your claim it will do you no good. The number of people who loudly proclaim that society should adhere to Christian moral standards while not maintaining them themselves always amazes me. Those who proclaim such high standards while making no effort to uphold them will face more severe judgement than those who openly revel in immorality.