Tag Archives: Proverbs 17:9-11

June 16, 2015 Bible Study — Do God’s Will First

For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I apologize if my writing over the last few days has been below my usual standard. I have not been feeling well and if the doctor is to be believed I will feel this way for a few more. On the other hand, if my writing has not been substandard, praise God because it is only by the power of the Holy Spirit that such is possible.

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Proverbs 17:9-11

    If you want two people to be friends, don’t mention negative things one may have said about the other. On the other hand, a good way to separate friends is to constantly repeat, out of context, something one of them said in a fit of pique.
    If you are trying to decide if you have discernment or are a fool, this proverb provides a good place to start. How do you react when someone tries to get you to change your behavior? Do you listen and react to a single criticism? Or do you stubbornly refuse to change your ways after repeated punishments?
    Both of these proverbs can also be used to judge others. If someone is constantly telling you about something a friend, or potential friend, of yours said that puts you in a negative light, you can be sure that they are trying to put a wedge between the two of you. On the other hand, if they are constantly minimizing to you, or justifying, the things which the other did which upset you, you can be sure that they wish the two of you to be friends. As to the second proverb, if someone immediately changes their way when you criticize something they did you can expect that they are likely to exhibit good judgement in other matters as well. The flip side is that if they insist that their way of doing things is the correct way, even after repeatedly suffering for doing things that way, you can expect that they are unlikely to exhibit good judgement in other areas.

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Psalm 134:1-3

    The psalmist tells those who serve the Lord at night to praise Him. I always find this psalm inspiring, but something occurred to me today. Those who served in the Temple at night would have been rarely noticed. So, in some ways this psalm is for all of those who have the “thankless” jobs God calls on someone to do. I put the “thankless” in quotes because God will not forget to thank, and reward, those who do those jobs. However, when we find ourselves in those service jobs, let us praise the Lord. Let us lift up our hands and thank God for giving us this opportunity to serve Him.

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Acts 10:24-48

    Over the last few days we have read about Stephen and Saul, men who confronted those they disagreed with very directly. Today, we have Peter, who preached to Cornelius and his household a message of welcome. It made me think what is the difference between the men to whom Stephen, and Saul preached and those to whom Peter preached here? Stephen, at least, preached to men who claimed the knowledge and right to not only tell others how they should live, but to force them to live that way. Peter, on the other hand, preached to those seeking to learn how to live according to God’s will. This is a reminder to us, both in how we should preach to others, in-your-face to those who think they have the knowledge and right to silence those with whom they disagree, with kind acceptance to those who are seeking, and how we should treat those with whom we disagree. Before he was saved, Paul agreed with those who martyred Stephen, after he met the Lord, he was often beaten, yet he never forced his opinion on others (except by force of argument).
    It is also important to make note of what Peter preached to Cornelius, because it should be the basis for what we preach. There is a little more to it than this, but the core of the Gospel is that Jesus is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead. It is not me who judges your actions, it is not you who judges my actions, or anybody else’s actions. I will not try to silence you if I disagree with you, but I will try to convince you. I welcome you to do the same to me.

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1 Kings 15:25-17:24

    The various kings of Israel who succeeded Jeroboam all sinned against God, but it was not until Ahab that the kings began to openly worship the gods of the surrounding peoples. I never realized before how low-key Elijah’s appearance on the scene was. Our first encounter with Elijah is when he told Ahab that it would not until Elijah next said that it would. OK, so maybe that is not low-key, but it seems a pretty bold statement for someone who has yet to do anything of note (of course, it may be that God had done some things through Elijah before this which are not recorded).
    The rest of the passage describes how God provides for those who are faithful. God provided for Elijah by a stream in the wilderness for some time by having ravens bring him food. Then when the stream finally dried up, God sent him to a non-Jewish widow. It is worth noting that when Elijah arrived the woman was about to cook the last of her food which was just enough for a final meal for herself and her son. Elijah told her to make a bit of bread for him first, and then follow her plan…except for the bit about dying. God provided her enough to feed Elijah, herself, and her son. If we put doing God’s will first, He will provide for our needs.

June 16, 2014 Bible Study — Oh Praise the Lord All You Servants Of the Lord

For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

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Proverbs 17:9-11

    Another proverb where I prefer the NIV translation. If you want to encourage love and friendship between people you will minimize or cover up what one or more of them have done which might offend or anger others. On the other hand, if you repeat what you have heard about the wrong people have done (gossip), you may cause even close friends to become enemies.

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Psalm 134:1-3

    I have nothing to add to this wonderful psalm this morning:

Oh, praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord,
you who serve at night in the house of the Lord.
Lift up holy hands in prayer,
and praise the Lord.

Just lift up your hands, pray, and give praise to God for 30 seconds (or longer if you like) as you sit there before continuing to read more.

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Acts 10:24-48

    When Peter arrived at Cornelius’ house, he informed them that it was against Jewish law for a Jewish man to enter the house of a non-Jew, or to even associate with a non-Jew. However, Peter further told them that God had revealed to him that this was not as God intended. God intended for us to think of everyone who sought to serve God as clean. No matter how sinful, or otherwise unclean, the background of a person was, if they were seeking to learn about and follow God’s commands, God has declared them clean. Let us follow Peter’s example and preach the Gospel message to anyone who is willing to listen, but especially to those who are seeking it out.
    As Peter was preaching to the members of Cornelius’ household, the Holy Spirit fell upon them. When Peter realized that this had happened, he instructed those who had accompanied him to baptize them. This is significantly different from the way we practice baptism today. Today when someone professes faith in Jesus, we typically have them take a membership class before we baptize them. In the various passages where baptism is discussed in the book of Acts, those who profess faith in Jesus and a willingness to accept Him as Lord are immediately (or as soon as practical) baptized.

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1 Kings 15:25-17:24

    King after king arose in Israel, each one more wicked than the last. When Ahab became king, God raised up Elijah to prophecy and call the people back to Him. Elijah told Ahab that it would not rain in Israel for several years, not until Elijah gave the word that it would again rain. This did indeed come to pass. However, God provided for Elijah. First, by having ravens bring food for Elijah while he got his water from a particular stream. When that stream, God sent Elijah to the widow in Zarephath.
    The widow gives us a great example to follow. When Elijah first came to the woman and requested food, she told him that she had just enough food for she and her son to have one final meal before they starved. Elijah told her to go ahead and make the meal for her and her son, but first make him a bit of bread. He told her that if she did as he asked, there would always be enough flour and oil in her jars to make one more meal, until the drought ended (when she would be able to buy more). The widow did as Elijah asked and it turned out as Elijah had promised.

June 16, 2013 Bible Study — Seek First The Kingdom of God

     I have been using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study for almost a year. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I started writing this blog because the only way I can get myself to read the Bible everyday is to pretend that I am teaching someone about what it says to me. 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.

Rhododendron bush gets established
Rhododendron bush gets established

1 Kings 15:25-17:24

     Jeroboam’s son, Nadab, succeeded Jeroboam on the throne. Nadab continued the sins of his father. Nadab was assassinated by Baasha in the second year of his reign. After assassinating Nadab, Baasha took the throne and slaughtered all of Jeroboam’s remaining family as the prophet had foretold. However, Baasha continued the practices of Jeroboam. God sent the prophet Jehu to Baasha to tell him that his family would meet the same fate as that of Jeroboam. Baasha reigned for twenty-four years and was at war with King Asa of Judah for the entire time. When Baasha died his son Elah became king.
     Elah ruled for two years. In the second year of Elah’s reign, Zimri, the commander of half of Elah’s chariot forces, assassinated Elah. Zimri then killed all of the relatives of Baasha that he could find. When the army, which was attacking a Philistine town at the time, heard that Zimri had assassinated Elah they chose Omri as their king. Omri led the army to the capital and occupied it. When Zimri saw that the Omri’s forces had taken control of the capital city, he went into the citadel and burned it down around himself. After the death of Zimri, the people of Israel were split into two camps. Half of the people supported Omri and half of the people supported Tibni. Omri’s supporters defeated Tibni’s supporters and Tibni was killed, clearing the path for Omri to become king. Omri built the city of Samaria and made it his capital. The passage tells us that Omri was even worse than his predecessors.
     When Omri died, his son Ahab became king in his place. Ahab sinned even worse than his father Omri or any of the other previous kings of Israel. Ahab married Jezebel the daughter of the king of Sidon. Ahab built a temple for Baal in Samaria and set up an Asherah pole. It was during the reign of Ahab that Elijah began his prophetic ministry. Elijah told Ahab that there would be no reign for the next several years until he, Elijah, gave the word. God told Elijah to go and hide by a brook near the Jordan River. God caused ravens to bring food to Elijah morning and evening. Eventually the brook dried up and Elijah needed to move.
     God instructed Elijah to go to a village near Sidon. When he arrived at the gates of the city, he saw a widow gathering sticks. He asked her to bring him a cup of water. When she went to get it for him, he called after her asking for a piece of bread as well. She responded that she had very little flour or oil left. She had been about to make a final meal for herself and her son and then they would die. Elijah told her to go ahead and make that meal, but first make a bit of bread for him. Elijah told her that if she did as he requested there would always be a bit of flour and a bit of oil in her containers until the rains returned. She did as Elijah had asked and there was always enough flour and oil in her containers to make another meal. Some time after this the widow’s son became sick and died. She confronted Elijah over the death of her son. Elijah took the body of her son up to his room and prayed over the boy. God answered Elijah’s prayer and returned the boy to life. Elijah returned the boy to his mother.
     There is a lot in this passage for us to think about. I will first mention the widow. She provided for Elijah out of her meager store and God blessed her for that action in a time of hardship. However, the main thing I wanted to touch on was the succession of kings of Israel. One after the other they led the people of Israel into ever greater sin and this reflects badly on those kings. However, it also reflects badly on the people of Israel because they followed those kings. If the people of Israel had been faithful to following God’s commands, God would have raised up leaders to lead them in godliness. While God will hold the leaders of a nation accountable for the direction they lead the people in, He will also hold the people accountable for following those leaders. The same is true of us today. Perhaps our political leaders are leading us ever further into godlessness, but if we as a people were to stop asking our government to take the place of God, God would raise up leaders who would lead us back to godliness. We keep looking for political leaders who will lead us back to godliness, when instead we should just be seeking to do the will of God and expecting our political leaders to follow along. Rather than seeking a political solution to our problems we should follow Jesus admonition, “Seek first the Kingdom of God.”

Rhododendron bush a little closer
Rhododendron bush a little closer

Acts 10:24-48

     When Peter got to Caesarea, Cornelius was waiting for him with family and friends he had called together. As Peter entered his home, Cornelius fell at his feet and worshiped him. Peter told him to get up at once, stating that he, Peter, was merely a man. Peter went on to tell the people gathered at Cornelius’ house that even though it was against Jewish laws, as they knew, for a Jewish man to enter a Gentile home, or even associate with Gentiles, God had shown Peter that he should no longer view anyone as impure or unclean. Peter then asked why they had sent for him. Cornelius responded that a man in glowing clothes had appeared before him, told him that God had heard his prayers and remembered his gifts to the poor. The man went on to tell Cornelius to send for Peter.
     Peter then started speaking to them. He told them that he now understood that God does not show favoritism, He accepts everyone from every nation who fears Him and does what is right. Notice that while we should be willing to preach the Gospel to anyone who will listen and should consider no one impure, we are still called to teach them to fear God and do what is right. Peter went on recapping Jesus’ ministry and the events which he had witnessed after Jesus’ resurrection. As Peter as speaking the Holy Spirit came upon those listening, causing them to speak in other languages. Those Jews with Peter were astonished to see the Holy Spirit descend on the Gentiles. Peter asked those with them if any of them could object to baptizing the Gentiles who had received the Holy Spirit just as the Jewish believers had? Peter then ordered that the Gentiles who had just received the Holy Spirit be baptized in the name of Jesus. Peter stayed with them a few days giving them further teaching. Here again we have the profession of faith followed immediately by baptism. I think we have lost something in the Church today with our practice of putting people through classes before baptizing them (although I understand the reasons).

Rhododendron close-up
Rhododendron close-up

Psalm 134

Oh, praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord,
you who serve at night in the house of the Lord.
Lift up holy hands in prayer,
and praise the Lord.
May the Lord, who made heaven and earth,
bless you from Jerusalem.

What more is there to say? Except, perhaps, “Praise the Lord!”

Magrat and the Rhododendron
Magrat and the Rhododendron

Proverbs 17:9-11

     The first proverb tells us that the surest way to build a relationship is to overlook the other’s failures (especially when they are offenses against ourselves), on the other hand the surest way to destroy a relationship is to constantly bring up the ways the other person has done us wrong.
     The second proverb tells us that those who are wise feel worse, and learn more, from a single rebuke than those who are foolish experience from severe punishment. The final proverb tells us that evil people promote rebellion, but will suffer for it.

June 16, 2012 Bible Study

     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.

1 Kings 15:25-17:24

     This passage tells us that king after king came to the throne of Israel and did evil. God brought them, or their sons down and wiped out their entire family. We are not really told much more than that until we come to Ahab, son of Omri, who was king when God called Elijah. Ahab we are told built a temple and altar to Baal in Samaria and set up an Ashera pole there. The passage tells us that Ahab did even more to anger God than any of the kings preceding him.
     God called Elijah to go to Ahab. Elijah went to Ahab and told him that it would not rain until Elijah said otherwise. As James puts it, “Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.” That is a powerful testimony to the power of the prayer of faith. We are told that God told Elijah to go and hide by a stream near the Jordan river. That the ravens would bring him food there. So, Elijah goes and camps where God told him and the ravens brought him food morning and evening and he drank from the stream. Elijah stayed there until the stream dried up.
     God then sent Elijah to a village near Sidon, where a widow would feed him. When Elijah got to the village he saw a widow gathering sticks. He asked her to bring him some water and a little bread. When he asked for bread she told him that she had just enough left for one more meal for herself and her son, after which they would both starve. Elijah tells her not to worry, just bring him some bread and then prepare a meal for herself and her son. That her flour and oil will not run out until God sends rain and the crops grow again. We are told that this does indeed happen. Elijah stayed with her. Some time later, the widow’s son dies. She asks Elijah why this happened. Elijah takes the child’s body up to his room and prays to God for the child to live. The child is returned to life and Elijah gave him back to his mother.
     This passage is a primer on faith and prayer. Elijah trusted God and God sent him food by way of ravens. When his water source at the place where God had the birds feed him dried up, God sent him to a widow that was in need. Notice the timing here, the water in the stream did not dry up until Elijah would arrive at the village as the widow was preparing the last meal for herself and her son. When Elijah asked for bread, the widow gave him bread even though it was the last food she had. When she acted in faith, God provided for her and her son. When the widows son died, Elijah called out to God and God raised her son from the dead. Do we today have the faith to act as the widow did? Do we even have faith to act as Elijah did and pray for such a miracle? Or even to follow Elijah’s example and count on God to provide for our needs? Would we be willing to camp by a stream and count on birds to bring us food?

Acts 10:24-48

     When Peter arrived at Cornelius’ house, Cornelius attempts to worship him but Peter prevents him from doing so. Peter then enters Cornelius’ home where he explains that God has shown him that he should not think of anyone as impure or unclean. Peter began preaching to those who havdgathered at Cornelius’ house (we are told that Cornelius had called together his relatives and close friends). As he is preaching, the Holy Spirit came upon those who were listening to him. The Jewish believers who had accompanied Peter were amazed that God poured out his Holy Spirit on gentiles. When Peter saw that the Holy Spirit had come upon those present, he instructed that they should be baptized.
     This passage is an important one for us as Christians to return to regularly. There are a couple of points. First, God shows no favoritism. He will pour out His Spirit on any who seek Him, no matter what state they are in when they begin seeking Him. Second, we should think of no one as impure or unclean, as someone we should not associate with. God is calling us to preach the Gospel to all who will hear. There are times when Christians think that certain groups are especially condemned of God, whether it be drunks, or drug addicts, or the wealthy or whatever group you can think of that is somehow too far away from God for Him to reach. The point of this passage is that there is no such group. No one is beyond the reach of God. We as Christians are called to pray for everyone we meet and to preach the Gospel to them. We do not know whom God will send His Spirit upon to convict of their sins. We must be prepared to minister to those whom God calls, no matter how distasteful we might find them. Beyond that, we are called to learn to not find them distasteful, but as sinners called by God to repentance, just as we are. I am a sinner called by God to repentance. I have no room to look down on others for their sins.

Christian Art

Psalm 134:1-3

     The psalmist calls on all servants of the Lord to praise God. If we are servants of God, we should be praising God. If we are praising God, we are servants of God. Even those who serve at night, when no one really notices, should praise God for the opportunity to serve Him. Whatever way we are called to serve God, we should praise God. Even if we are called to some task that no one ever notices, we should recognize that we are serving God.

Proverbs 17:9-11

     When we forgive those who have done something blameworthy to us, our love for them and their love for us gets stronger. On the other hand, when we keep thinking about something someone close has done that bothers us, it creates distance between us. The second proverb tells us that those who are wise will take even a single rebuke to heart, while those who are foolish will not learn from severe punishment. Finally, we are told that those who are looking for an opportunity to challenge authority are likely evil.