Tag Archives: Deuteronomy 9-10:22

March 28, 2015 Bible Study — How Do We Know Where the Gospel Will Thrive?

For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

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Proverbs 12:2-3

    This proverb contains a truth which those who conduct foreign policy all too often fail to heed. Those who perform wicked deeds will never create stability. Stability is a byproduct of the godly people in a society. The roots referred to in this proverb provide stability not just for the godly but for the community around them, just as the roots of a tree growing on a hill reduce the chance of a mudslide by providing stability to the soil around them.

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Psalm 69:19-36

    The psalmist continues to describe his depression. Despite his desperate depression he continues to call on God and to praise Him. As I read this psalm there was one phrase which makes me want to cry:

If only one person would show some pity;
if only one would turn and comfort me.

Every time I read this I vow that I will be that one. I know that I fail, but nevertheless, God calls us to be that one. The one who makes the difference, who shows the person suffering depression that they are not alone and that God loves them.
    Oh God, whoever it is who is crying out as the psalmist does her, if they are someone I know, make me be the one who turns and comforts them…or better yet, let me be just one of Your many servants who turns and comforts them.

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Luke 8:4-21

    I will repeat what I have said elsewhere where I have blogged about the parable of the sower. Every time I read this passage, I fear that I am the soil with the thorns. I know I am not the hard soil, because I have responded to God’s message. I know I am not the rocky soil because I do not wilt in the face of opposition. On the other hand, I have trouble seeing myself as producing a crop that is a hundred times what was planted.
    That being said, I have been starting to get a different view of this parable recently. I noticed that the farmer spread the seed on all of the soil. Why would he waste seed on soil where it would not thrive? You could say, “Well, he did not know where it would thrive?” There is some truth to that, but surely he could tell where the soil was too packed down to thrive? The answer to that is that something might happen to change things. Perhaps the soil of the path would get broken up and the seed could settle in before the birds got to it. Perhaps the rocks would get dug out of the rocky soil, allowing the seeds to thrive (I know from a farming perspective that is silly, but bear with me). Perhaps someone would come and pull out the thistles and other weeds so that they could not strangle the good crop. The point is, we don’t know where the Gospel message will thrive so we should spread it to everyone we meet.

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Deuteronomy 9-10:22

    The Israelites went against God’s will again and again, yet God gave them new chances. After Moses gives an account of all of the times they had rebelled, he tells them what God requires of them now: “He requires only that you fear the Lord your God, and live in a way that pleases him, and love him and serve him with all your heart and soul.” This is what He requires of us today.

  • Fear the Lord
  • The best example I can think of what this means is something I witnessed happen between a friend and his dog. He had raised the dog from a puppy. He loved that dog and treated it well, but he demanded that it obey him. One day, just as it became an adult dog, he gently smacked its nose away from a bit of food it was going for. It snapped at him and bit him. He went from stern to angry. The dog ran under the table and hid. That dog feared its master the way we should fear God.

  • Live in a way that pleases Him
  • Live with integrity and honour

  • Love Him and serve Him with all your heart and soul
  • Feed the hungry, clothe the poor, love your enemies, bless those that curse you, etc.

March 28, 2014 Bible Study — Is Our Lamp Lit?

For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

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Proverbs 12:2-3

    A society becomes stable and strong through the righteous acts of the godly. Wickedness only results in ever-increasing instability. God shows favor to those who do good and condemnation to those who plot evil.

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Psalm 69:19-36

    Wealth and bounty will become a snare to those who lose sight of God and His will, those who do not have pity on the suffering of others. God does not desire our offerings out of our excess. He desires for us to praise His name and honour Him. God hears the cries of those in need and will come to their aid. If we are in need we can rely on His aid. If we are not in need, let us be the hands by which that aid is delivered.

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Luke 8:4-21

    I have talked about how the parable of the sower always makes me fear that I am the third type of soil. It feels so much like I allow the concerns about this life crowd out the word of God. Am I truly producing a bountiful harvest for God? Or has the word of God been crowded out by the cares and pleasures of this life?
    I realized one thing today as I read the parable of the lamp. If God’s light is lit on our hearts, we may try to hide it, but God will take away the bowl which we may try to place ourselves in. He will come and get us out from under the bed. He will place us on a table, or a lamp-stand, so that everyone who comes by will see out light. I will resist the temptation to turn down the lamp inside me when I find myself in public view.

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Deuteronomy 9-10:22

    When we receive good things from God, let us remember that our success is not because we are such good people. If we turn from God and behave wickedly, He will take these good things from us. Let us not forget our sins and rebellion against God. God is a great God and He will not show partiality. I will dedicate myself to doing as God requires of me (even though I know that I will only succeed through His grace and Spirit). I will love Him and serve Him with all of my heart, soul, and being. I will strive to imitate God by showing love to the foreigners who live amongst us, meeting their needs to the best of my ability (as God gives me the strength and guides my hand).

March 28, 2013 Bible Study –Seed Among Thorns, Or On Fertile Soil?

     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.

Display at Peter Becker Home Flower Show
Display at Peter Becker Home Flower Show

Deuteronomy 9-10:22

     Moses tells the people of Israel that God is not driving the people out of the promised land because the people of Israel were so good, He is doing so because the people of the land are so evil. The children of Israel needed to recognize that they had done plenty wrong and were in constant need of God’s forgiveness. Moses then tells the children of Israel what God requires of them (and of us). God requires that we fear Him and love and serve Him with all of our heart and soul. We are to follow the commands that God has given us for our own good.
     Our God is the God of gods and Lord of Lords. He ensures that widows and orphans receive justice. God alone is our God and He has performed many mighty miracles.

sales display at Peter Becker Home Flower Show
sales display at Peter Becker Home Flower Show

Luke 8:4-21

     Today we have Luke’s telling of the Parable of the Sower. In this parable Jesus tells of seed falling on four different types of soil and how the seed did on each of those soils. At the end He says, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.” The disciples ask Jesus to explain the parable to them. Jesus tells them that the seed is the word of God. The footpath represents those whom when they hear the Word of God, Satan comes along and snatches it away preventing them from being saved. The rocky soil represents those who hear the Word and respond joyously, but never put down deep roots. When trouble comes they fall away. The thorny soil represents those who hear the Word, but allow the cares for wealth and material goods to crowd it out. The good soil represents those who hear God’s Word, cling to it and patiently produce a harvest for God. Which type of soil am I? All too often I feel like I am the thorny soil, although I try very hard to be good soil.
     Jesus next tells a parable of a lamp on a lampstand. He tells us that we do not light a lamp and immediately hide it. Rather when we light a lamp, we set it on a lampstand so that it’s light can be seen. In the same way the light of God is being set so that it will reveal that which is concealed. If we listen to Jesus’ teaching we will be given greater understanding as time goes on. If on the other hand, we choose to ignore His teaching, as time goes by we will find even things we thought we understood become confusing. Just look at our society, we ignored Jesus advice about divorce and made divorce easy. Now, our society has lost its understanding of what marriage is. The Christian Church failed to defend marriage against easy divorce. I will not say that I know exactly what the Church should have done differently on the issue of divorce, but it has been clear to me for some time that the Church has been wrong on this issue.

Adam stretching, or something
Adam stretching, or something

Psalm 69:19-36

     The psalmist continues to recount his despair. He tells us that no one has shown him any sympathy or offered him comfort. He calls out to God for rescue in his despair. The psalmist tells us that when God rescues him (not if God rescues him, but when) he will praise God’s name. As deep as the psalmists despair is, he still has faith that God will answer his cries. He knows that God will provide him with salvation. Do we have a similar confidence? The humble will seek God and be glad. All who seek God’s help will be encouraged. God hears the cries of the needy. Those who love Him will live in safety.

knitting away
knitting away

Proverbs 12:2-3

     God approves of those who are good and condemns those who plan wickedness (not just those who do wickedness, but those who plan it). Wicked action never leads to stability, only the righteous are able to put down firm roots.