Tag Archives: Christianity

Daily Bible Study

August 6, 2015 Bible Study — Not The Wisdom Of This Age

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For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

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Proverbs 20:24-25

    Do not worry when you cannot understand where your path is taking you. God is directing our steps and has a destination in mind for us. If we love Him and trust Him we will find joy at the end of our road.

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Psalm 28

    This psalm is a call asking God to bring the wicked to justice. Additionally, the psalmist praises God for showing him mercy. Both aspects represent things we should model. However, there is an additional point the psalmist makes I want to take note of today. He says that if God remains silent he may as well die. I want to have a similar desire to hear God speak to me. I wish that every day I felt incomplete until I had heard God speak to me. There are days when I have that feeling, but not every day. I pray that God will make it so that I seek His voice each and every day.

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1 Corinthians 2:6-3:4

    In yesterday’s passage Paul told us that the Gospel is foolishness by human standards. In today’s passage he emphasizes that he did not say that it was actually foolishness. Instead, Paul tells us that the Gospel is wisdom, but not the sort of wisdom which will help you rule the world, or even a piece of it. The lesson in this passage is that the only way we can acquire the wisdom of God, the only way we can know God’s thoughts is by receiving His Spirit.
    Then comes the part I struggle to remember. No matter how eloquently, no matter how clearly, we explain spiritual truths those who have not receive God’s Spirit will consider what we say to be foolish. We will never convince anyone to come to Christ by our grand words. It is only when the Spirit begins to move in their hearts that they will begin to understand the wisdom of the words which the Spirit speaks through our mouths.

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Ezra 3:1-4:23

    I always struggle with the response of the leaders of the returned Exiles when those whom they now lived among asked to work with them to rebuild the Temple. They flatly rejected the offer of assistance. On the one hand, the rejection was flat out and cold. They told those who had offered that they could have no part in the effort. It seems to me that we should accept all who wish to worship God and welcome their assistance in building God’s Kingdom.
    On the other hand, these people had been living in the area all during the Exile, and not once had they thought to rebuild the Temple. They claimed to be seeking God, but they had made no effort to dedicate themselves to serving God until the Jewish Exiles returned. There are dangers to accepting help in doing God’s work from those who are not truly dedicated to serving God. If they have been splitting their allegiance between serving God and other interests they are likely to attempt to bring this same mindset into the new task as well.

Daily Bible Study

August 5, 2015 Bible Study

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For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

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Proverbs 20:22-23

    Do not seek revenge for the wrong you perceive others to have done you. If they have truly done wrong, God will handle the matter. If your perception is in error and you take revenge, you will be the one in the wrong. Trust in God to bring everyone justice.

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Psalm 27:7-14

    God desires that we come and talk with Him. He is calling us to do so, let us listen to His voice and answer Him. When we come to the Lord in prayer, it is not enough to tell Him of our desires, we must also listen to what He has to tell us. If we enter into conversation with God, He will never reject us. Our friends and our family may reject us, but God never will.

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1 Corinthians 1:18-2:5

    The message of the Gospel is foolish to those who rely on human wisdom. We will never find God by seeking out what mankind thinks of as wise. The victory of Christ was dying on the cross. Christ did not achieve His victory by dying. Dying was His victory. Without the Holy Spirit working within us we can never understand this.
    Christ may be foolish to those who are wise by the world’s standard, but for those who have been called by God He is the power and wisdom of God. It is not by what the world views as power, or wealth, or wisdom that we come to God. God chooses those whom the world calls foolish, those whom the world calls powerless, those whom the world calls impoverished, or to sum it up, those whom the world calls worthless. Through those He has called God shows His power, His wealth, His wisdom, and most importantly He shows us that no person is worthless. I will boast about nothing but the power and wisdom of God.

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Ezra 1-2

    When Cyrus of Persia had defeated Babylon he not only allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem, he encouraged them to do so. In this way God fulfilled the prophecy He had given through Jeremiah regarding the length of the Exile.

Daily Bible Study

August 4, 2015 Bible Study — You Do Not Lack Any Spiritual Gift

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For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

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Proverbs 20:20-21

    When we read this proverb we often do not realize the full intent of what it says. When the proverb says “curse” it does not mean use foul language. It means “attempt to cause bad things to happen to someone.” So, those who attempt to cause bad things to happen to their own parents will discover those bad things coming upon themselves. Even if your parents deserved the curse you sent their way, sending it their way will cement yourself into following them in their evil ways.

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Psalm 27:1-6

    If we truly put our trust in God there is nothing for us to be afraid of. There is no one and nothing which can harm us if God does not wish us to be harmed. Just as important as that is the fact that God loves us. If we trust Him and wish to serve Him, then anything which happens to us will bring us joy (if not immediately, then in the long run) as we see how it furthers God’s purpose.

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1 Corinthians 1:1-17

    Usually when I read 1 Corinthians everything before Paul starts talking about division in the Church reads to me as just “intro” or “presenting his credentials”. It does not really register. He tells the Corinthians, and I believe that this applies to us as well, that God has enriched them in every way. God has blessed them(us) with knowledge and skilled speakers (the way Paul says this reads to me as both those oratory skill and those able to talk in various languages). In addition, they(we) do not lack any spiritual gift needed for the life of the Church.
    I realized that Paul was telling us that we have no excuse for failing to accomplish the tasks which God has given us (for this discussion I am talking about us as the local body of believers, not us as individuals). If we think that we are missing some skill or knowledge, we have not looked closely enough at those who are among us, or we have failed to listen to the Holy Spirit’s guidance. God is faithful. He will not call us to a task which He has not provided us the strength, knowledge, and skill to accomplish. We often seek outside of the local body of believers for resources when God calls us in a new direction when we should be looking for whom among us God is raising up for the task. The place we do this most often, to the detriment of the Church at large as well as to the local body, is in the case of pastors. I believe that most of the time pastors should be called from among those who are already part of the local body of believers, rather than from outsiders (there are clear exceptions to this, but we have made those exceptions the norm).

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2 Chronicles 35-36

    I am always uplifted when I read about the Passover which Josiah celebrated. The story makes me envision spiritual revival throughout the land. I imagine the people having a renewed dedication to serving the Lord. But then Josiah goes on an ill-fated expedition. He decides to challenge King Neco of Egypt as the latter marched to do battle against the Babylonians. Josiah died in this battle and the kings who succeeded him did evil leading to the conquest of Judah and Jerusalem. The follow up to Josiah’s glorious reign always saddens me.

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August 3, 2015 Bible Study — Stay Away From People Who Cause Divisions

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For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

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Proverbs 20:19

    If you spend your time with those who are always talking about what others are doing, pretty soon everyone will know what you are doing. More importantly, they will “know” it in a way that is unflattering to you.

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Psalm 26

    If we act with integrity God will declare us innocent, but how can we be sure that we will act with integrity?

    Remember that God examines our hearts and our minds, which should make us aware of His unfailing love and cause us to rely on His faithfulness. This results in us being uncomfortable when we find ourselves around liars and hypocrites, so uncomfortable that we choose to not be around them as soon as we are able. Our integrity will lead us to separate ourselves from gatherings of evildoers and to not aid the wicked in their projects (even those projects which appear to be innocent of their wickedness, because while that may appear to be the case, it is not).

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Romans 16:10-27

    Paul wraps up his letter to the Roman believers by warning them to watch our for, and stay away from those who cause divisions. This is an important message for the Church today. However, it is interesting to note who it is that Paul says causes divisions. The people who cause division are those who teach things which are contrary to what we have been traditionally taught. This strikes me as pointing out a mistake the Church often mistakes. All too often we have allowed and encouraged those who teach, but don’t practice, that some behavior is acceptable to remain in leadership positions.

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2 Chronicles 33:14-34:33

    In yesterday’s passage it told us that King Manasseh did many evil things until he was taken prisoner by the Assyrians. During his captivity he turned to God and repented his sins. Today’s passage starts out by describing how he acted after this transformation. He spent the rest of his life working to reverse the things he had done as a young man. Unfortunately, his son followed his youthful example rather than his mature example.
    However, Manasseh’s grandson sought God from a young age. Josiah started out by destroying pagan shrines and idols as far as his power would reach. He continued by purifying the Temple and restoring it to use. Josiah led a religious revival in the land of Israel, one which extended beyond the area over which he ruled.

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August 2, 2015 Bible Study — It Is Not a Matter of “If God Can”, It Is a Matter of “If God Will”

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Proverbs 20:16-18

    We get pleasure when we gain something by deceit or wrongdoing, but that pleasure is short-lived. After that we must deal with the consequences. Even if no one else ever finds out, we know and we can no longer think of ourselves as a person of integrity (the writer describes that feeling as being like having a mouth full of gravel).

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Psalm 25:16-22

    When our troubles are great we can call on God to come to our rescue (we can do that even when our troubles are small). If we call on God we need to trust that He will answer. If we trust that He will answer when we call on Him for aid, we will live lives of honesty and integrity. There is no reason for lies and deceit if we truly trust God.

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Romans 15:23-16:9

    Paul describes the reason he is traveling to Jerusalem. He is taking the money which the Churches in Macedonia and Achaia had collected to the believers in Jerusalem. The emphasis Paul places on this donation tells us that those of us who are doing well economically should contribute to the support of those believers who are struggling, even when those believers are distant from us. The other side of this lesson is that if we should accept such assistance when other believers give it to us. If you genuinely do not need to aid you are being given, pass it on to others in need.
    There is a second lesson for us here. Paul requests that the believers in Rome aid him by praying for him and for the mission he is on. We must remember that even when we are far from those who are struggling and we do not have the ability to send them economic assistance we can help them by praying for them. I do not understand how prayer works, but I know that it does. Let us pray for those far from us who we wish we could aid in what we view as more substantive ways. Prayer may not have substance, but it is still a powerful force for good.

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2 Chronicles 32:1-33:13

    I love reading the story of the Assyrian invasion while Hezekiah was king. The Assyrians were confident that nothing could stand in their way. The people of Jerusalem had no hope to stand against them. Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem knew that from the perspective of the world the Assyrians were right. They knew that they could not stand against the Assyrian army in battle. However, the Jews and the Assyrians disagreed on one point. The Assyrians were sure that God would not, and could not, protect Jerusalem from them. Hezekiah and his people knew that God could stop the Assyrian army if He so chose. Their only question was “Would He?” They turned to God in humility and prayer and God did indeed force the Assyrian army to turn aside from Jerusalem.

Daily Bible Study

August 1, 2015 Bible Study

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For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

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Proverbs 20:13-15

    I am not sure what the writer intended but the middle verse reminds us of the danger in an economy where bargaining over the price of everything is common. In such a situation we are rewarded for being dishonest. Buyers are encouraged to deceitfully downplay their interest; sellers are encouraged to deceitfully say that something is better than it is. It is better for society that things be sold at the same fair price to all who wish to buy.
    The third verse reminds us that finding someone who will give us wise advice is more valuable than any treasure we can find. A short study of the professional athletes who are bankrupt a few short years after their careers ends, despite the many millions they earned over that career, shows us the truth of this.

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Psalm 25:1-15

    I found my prayer for today, and one which would be good to pray each day:

Show me the right path, O Lord;
point out the road for me to follow.
Lead me by your truth and teach me,

Actually, this whole psalm is one which it would be good for me to meditate on. The Psalm begins by reminding us why we give our lives to God, why we trust in Him. No one who trusts in God will be disgraced. Instead it is those who rely on deceit who will be disgraced (note: this means that if you trust in God you need to avoid deceit).
    God will show us the path we should follow. He will teach us the truth which He will use to lead us in the way we need to go. God will mercifully forget out youthful, and not so youthful, sins because He is merciful. If we keep our eyes on God we will avoid the traps which our enemies have set for us.

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Romans 15:1-22

    If we are strong in our faith we should be sensitive to those who think things we find acceptable are sins. We should strive to please our neighbors so as to build their faith. Since Christ accepted us in our sins we should strive to accept others in their sins. Of course, when Christ accepted us He also began transforming us so that we would no longer sin.

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2 Chronicles 30-31

    Hezekiah called for the people of Judah to celebrate the Passover, which had not been done in many years. However, not enough Levites and priests could be purified in time to hold it when the law declared that it should be held, so Hezekiah and his advisers decided to hold it a month later. In addition, Hezekiah sent messengers throughout the territories which had been the Northern Kingdom inviting the people to come celebrate the Passover.
    Most of the remaining northern Israelites laughed at the messengers, but a number chose to come. As a result of the spiritual revival which occurred as a result of this celebration the people went out and destroyed the idols and pagan shrines, not only in the areas of Judah, but throughout the land which had been Israel.
    So, let’s recap. Hezekiah called on the Levites and priests to purify themselves. They responded to his call and rededicated themselves to serving God. Once they had purified themselves they reached out to the people and led them back to God. All together the people, the Levites, and the priests held a celebration of God which resulted in spiritual renewal through the entire land. This is a model which we should seek to follow.

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July 31, 2015 Bible Study — The Earth Is the Lord’s and Everything In It

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For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

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Proverbs 20:12

    God gave us ears so that we could hear and eyes so that we could see. So, let’s USE them! That means listen to what people say and pay attention to what we see.

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Psalm 24:1-10

    The first verse of this psalm sums up why we serve the Lord:

he earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.
The world and all its people belong to him.

Everything we have belongs to God, including ourselves. They are His to be used for His purposes.

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Romans 14:1-23

    Paul tells us not to argue with other believers over “disputable matters”. Some people believe that we may eat any food, others, whom Paul characterizes as having weak faith, believe that we should only eat vegetables. He tells us that we should not argue over such things. Paul tells us not to judge one another over such things. There are those who argue that we should accept those who practice things which have traditionally been considered sins (usually, sins which are sexual in nature) without condemning them (I think that what Paul writes about the man sleeping with his stepmother in 1 Corinthians suggests otherwise, but that is another point).
    However, if this passage were to apply, those who believe those sexual behaviors are not sin would be in the same class as those who believed it was OK to eat anything. Paul tells us that if your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat (or in this case, who you have sex with), you are no longer acting in love. He goes on to say, “So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God.” Paul says that it is better not to do anything which might cause your brother or sister to fall. So, you should not do things which your fellow believers think is sinful where they might find out. If there is any chance they will find out about it, you should not do it at all.

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2 Chronicles 29:1-36

    When Hezekiah took the throne he immediately began to reverse the evil which his father, Ahaz, had done. He called on the Levites to first purify themselves and then purify the Temple. When they had purified the Temple, they purified the people. This should serve as a model for us. I believe our nation has fallen into the sort of situation which Judah was in when Ahaz was king (although, I do not believe the U.S. is God’s chosen nation, unlike Judah). If we want to turn that around we need to first purify ourselves. Then we need to purify the Church (and I do not mean the building). Only then will we be able to purify the people of this nation.

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July 30, 2015 Bible Study — Submit To Governing Authorities

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Proverbs 20:11

    We start judging children by their attitudes towards others at a young age. How much more will others judge us by our attitudes towards those around us?

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Psalm 23

    I always struggle with this psalm because I want to write something which doesn’t feel to me like I am just repeating what I heard someone else say. I am going to review what the psalmist’s imagery means to me. Jesus is my shepherd, He guides me and directs me. Sometimes that guidance is gentle and friendly, sometimes it is harsh and scary. However, that guidance leads me to places so that all of my needs are provided. One place I find sustenance, another I find rest. Sometimes that guidance sends me through dangerous territory, but I can travel that path without fear because I know that God is right beside me to protect me. The image that comes to me is a father leading his child through the forest with a weapon in his hand. The child does not fear, even when wild predators come forth because he knows his father will not allow the animal to threaten him. The predator may growl and snarl, but all I need to do is huddle close to God and they will not dare attack.
    The image changes for me in the next verse. Here I imagine a person of consequence honoring me in the face of those who have belittled and humiliated me in the past. God will honor us in the presence of those who told us we were worthless. God’s goodness will be with us for all of our lives. We will be surrounded by God’s love for as long as we live, and after that we will be in His Presence for eternity.

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Romans 13

    Paul writes that we should submit to the governing authorities (it is worth noting that Paul says “submit”, not “obey”. We are to submit to governing authorities, but to obey only God). Those authorities only have that authority because God has given it to them. Rebelling against government authorities is rebelling against God, because God gave them authority in order to punish wrongdoers. When a government stops punishing wrongdoers and begins punishing those who do right it has lost its legitimacy. However, even in that case it is not our job to overthrow that government. God will overthrow a government which has lost its legitimacy in His own time. We should remain in submission to government authorities for as long as they remain in authority. Let us give what we owe to whoever we owe it, taxes to those whom taxes are due, revenue to those whom revenue is due, and respect to those whom respect is due.

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2 Chronicles 26-28

    For whatever reason, I tend to think that the kings of Judah after Joash were all progressively more evil. However, this is not the case. While Joash’s son, Amaziah, turned to idol worship, the next two kings in line served the Lord. As a result of their faithfulness, they became strong and mighty rulers. Unfortunately, the third king in today’s passage turned from God as well, with the resultant decay in the position of the kingdom of Judah. The lesson we learn from this passage is that when a people and their leaders are faithful to God the wealth and power of the nation increases. When they turn from God they suffer defeat and economic hardship.

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July 29, 2015 Bible Study — Do Not Conform To the Pattern of This World

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Proverbs 20:8-10

    Cheating others, no matter how we sell it to ourselves is wrong. I don’t think what I am about to write next is something the writer of this proverb would have said he meant, but I think he would have been pleased that someone took this lesson from what he wrote. God is unhappy when we treat different people differently in the marketplace. If your price is one thing for Joe, then it should be the same price for Judy, and vice versa. Do business with everyone fairly and honestly.

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Psalm 22:19-31

    In the first half of this psalm, which we read yesterday, the psalmist expresses his deep despair. He was calling on God for rescue and wondering when God would answer his cry. Yet here in the second half, he states what he will do as if God had already relieved him of his burden. The psalmist made his plans based on the assumption that God would rescue him. In the midst of his despair, he praised God for rescuing him. Let us follow his example.

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Romans 12

    This passage has so much in it that I feel like I ought to to talk about that I am not going to get to all of it. It starts with something which the Mennonite Church has always emphasized. Paul warns us against conforming to this world. This is a constant battle for Christians because it is not enough not to get caught up in the dominant culture. I know Christians who have gotten caught up with the liberal culture around us, and others who have gotten caught up in the conservative culture (and these are just two examples of secular subcultures to which we can find ourselves conforming). Instead, of that, our minds should be transformed by the Holy Spirit as it renews us day in and day out. The key to understanding how to do this is when Paul refers to renewing our minds. We experience renewal when we go on a retreat, or take part in some other event which changes how we perceive everything in the world around us. We should take every opportunity for spiritual renewal which presents itself to us, but there are two opportunities which we can take every day: reading the scripture and spending disciplined time in prayer.
    Paul continues by warning us against arrogance. We are not to judge ourselves as more important than we are. However, Paul does not just warn against arrogance, he is also warning against false humility, against thinking we are inferior to others. Each and every person has an important place in the Kingdom of God, in the Body of Christ. When people choose to not exercise the gifts which God has given them we are all diminished. It is important to both be aware of our own importance to the Body of Christ and of the importance of those around us. Whatever gifts God has given us we should exert ourselves to use them to the fullest of our ability, not spend our time bemoaning the fact that we do not have some other gift. It is important that we recognize that our gift does not make us more important than others, nor does our lack of some particular gift make us less important.
    In the final section of today’s passage (Oh look, three parts, not just two) Paul talks about love. He calls us to sincerely love others and not just our fellow Christians (although he points out that that is where the loving should start). We are to bless those who persecute us and refuse to repay evil with evil. When we are wronged we are not to seek revenge. If we have indeed been wronged God will pay back those who have done so. Rather than seek revenge on those who have wronged us we should desire to see them transformed in the same way in which the Holy Spirit is transforming ourselves. As part of this Paul says something very important. We are to seek to live at peace with everyone, but he recognizes that it is not always within out ability to do so. There are people who will refuse to live in peace with us. We are not called to compromise our beliefs in order to live at peace.

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2 Chronicles 24-25

    Joash was saved from the attempt by his grandmother, Athaliah, to wipe out the House of David. He was raised by the high priest, Jehoida, who put him on the throne when he was seven years old. Joash enthusiastically served God for as long as Jehoida lived. However, as soon as Jehoida died, Joash came under the influence of other men who sought to use their influence for their own advancement, not to better Joash or the kingdom. We see this happen over and over throughout history, a young man, or woman, strives to better themselves and those around them under the influence of a strong mentor. That mentor dies and the young man, or woman, comes under the influence of unsavory characters who encourage them down a path which wastes all of their youthful promise, or worse, encourages them to become actively evil. I am not sure how you avoid this, but if you are mentoring someone it is important to encourage them to stand up on their own two feet and not shelter them from the evil in this world.

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July 28, 2015 Bible Study

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For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

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Proverbs 20:7

    This proverb tells us that the godly behave with integrity. Integrity means more than being honest and truthful. It means being internally consistent. It means that if you say it is wrong to hunt animals in order to harvest ivory, you do not buy ivory or things made with ivory. True integrity means that if you say it is wrong to have sex outside of marriage, you do not fantasize about sex outside of marriage. Parents who live such a life are leaving their children a legacy of inestimable value.

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Psalm 22:1-18

    This is the beginning of the psalm which Jesus referenced while He hung on the cross, just before He died. We can look at it to see how it applied to Jesus as He died. I have done that in the past and will probably do it again in the future. However, today I want to look at how we can take lessons from it for our walk with the Lord.
    The psalmist expresses utter despair about a life where things have gone wrong. He cries out to God, but has not received an answer. He knows that God is holy. He knows that others have cried out to God in the past and God has rescued them. He has reached the limit of what he can endure. Yet he still has faith in what God has done for him in the past and believes that God is just and righteous. In the depths of our despair let us have a similar faith, a similar trust that God is working for the good of those who love Him.

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Romans 11:13-36

    In today’s passage Paul addresses those who are Christians and hold animosity towards Jews. He reminds us that the Jews are still God’s chosen people, even if many of them have rejected Jesus. God still desires that they turn to Him. Earlier in this letter Paul said that God chooses to whom He will give mercy, suggesting that whether or not someone comes to faith in Jesus is decided by God. In today’s passage, Paul indicates that the people of Israel, the Jews, have the choice of turning to God and accepting His grace through Jesus. Further, he suggests that those of us who have accepted God’s wonderful grace could choose to turn from God and lose that grace. These two things seem contradictory and are examples of how our limited minds struggle to understand God’s plan.
    I will strive to explain what I understand Paul to be saying. On the one hand, the fact that we have chosen to believe in and obey Jesus does not give us any room to boast that we are better than those who have not done so because it was God’s action which caused us to make this choice. On the other hand, each and every day we have the choice of doing God’s will. It is our obligation to make that choice.

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2 Chronicles 21-23

    Jehoshaphat died and the Kingdom of Judah paid the price for his friendship with King Ahab. Jehoshaphat had arranged for his son, Jehoram, to marry Ahab’s daughter. Jehoram followed the example of Ahab. His first action as king was to kill all of his brothers. He followed this by building pagan shrines and encouraging the people to worship idols. His son, Ahaziah, was not better and died after only a short reign. At which point Jehoram’s wife, Ahab’s daughter, Athaliah, seized the throne. She attempted to kill all of the remaining members of the House of David, but her daughter took her grandson out of the nursery and stole him away to the Temple. When the boy was seven, the high priest led a rebellion against Athaliah and put him on the throne.