Tag Archives: Proverbs 26:18-19

October 28, 2015 Bible Study — Saved To Do Good

For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

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Proverbs 26:18-19

    Lying to a friend is as devastating as shooting them with flaming arrows. It is not made any better by telling them, “I was only joking.”

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Psalm 100

    Shout with joy to the Lord. We are His people. I will go before Him with thanksgiving and praise and invite you to do likewise.

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Titus 3

    Paul instructs believers, us, to be subject/obedient to the government and government officials. He gives us some context so as to show us what he means when he tells us to do so. Our obedience to government authorities is a matter of being ready to do good at all times. We should not slander anyone, let alone government authorities (note that there are two important parts that make something slanderous: first, something must be false in order to be slander; second, something is only slanderous if we are saying it our of malice). Over and above not slandering anyone, we should be peaceable, gentle, and considerate in our dealings with others.
    One of the points Paul makes here is that we are not saved because we do good. Rather, we do good because we are saved. All of us are have lived in malice and envy. If we no longer do so it is only because of God’s wonderful grace. On the other hand, if we do still live in malice and envy, we must seek God’s grace to leave such a life behind. Further Paul instructs us to avoid those who insist on being argumentative and divisive. This passage is where the idea for “three-strikes” rules comes from. Paul tells us to warn people two times and the third time have nothing more to do with them.

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Jeremiah 51:54-52:34

    This passage makes clear that Jeremiah prophesied the fall and complete destruction of Babylon when that nation was still the mightiest on earth. Nevertheless, he sent his prophesies to be read among the Jewish Exiles who were already living there. The lesson here is that no matter how mighty a nation, and no matter how well-defended it may be, if it refuses to heed God’s commands it will fall. If its people do not repent and turn to God, it will be as if that nation never was.

October 28, 2014 Bible Study — Obey Government Authority and Do What Is Good

For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have been convicted over the last few weeks to seek to develop a disciplined prayer life. It is still a work in progress. Please pray for me, that the Holy Spirit may show me how to pray in a disciplined manner.

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Proverbs 26:18-19

    Someone who deceives their neighbor as a joke is like a madman randomly shooting into a crowd. The opportunity for causing harm is great, even if there is no intent to do so.

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Psalm 100:1-5

    We will all come before the Lord sooner or later. Let us do so now with singing and joy, rather than later, sullen and in fear. I will enter into the presence of God with thanksgiving and praise. Shout to the Lord.
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Titus 3:1-15

    We are to submit to government authority, even when it is a bad government. God calls us to be peaceable, considerate and gentle towards everyone. However, in the same sentence where Paul tells us to be obedient to the government and its agents he tells us to always be ready to do whatever is good. Here and elsewhere, Paul tells us that government authority is established by God and thus we should obey it. However, in telling us to always be ready to do whatever is good, he is spelling out the limits of government authority. The government does not have the authority to tell us to do that which God has told us not to do (which is anything which is not good).
    Paul reiterates a theme here which permeates all of his writing in one form or another. We were not, and are not, saved as a result of our righteous actions. However, we were, and are, saved in order that we may perform righteous acts. We are not capable of living righteous lives on our own. However, God wishes us to be righteous, so He freely redeemed us and gave us the Holy Spirit in order that we might become able to live righteous lives. It is when we recognize that it is only through the Holy Spirit working in us that we are able to behave in a righteous manner that we are able to accept the Holy Spirit working in us to do that which is righteous.

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Jeremiah 51:54-52:34

    The people of Judah and Jerusalem were convinced that God would protect them from all enemies, despite their refusal to follow His commands, until the day when He allowed the Babylonian army to destroy His Temple. This is a message for people of all generations. If we do not live according to God’s will, it is only a matter of time until death and destruction come upon us.

October 28, 2013 Bible Study –Once, We Were Foolish and Disobedient

     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. In order to make that possible I read the passages and write my thoughts a day in advance. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.

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Jeremiah 51:54-52:34

     When Jeremiah finished his prophecies against Babylon, he wrote them on a scroll and sent the scroll to Babylon. He instructed the messenger to read the scroll aloud when he got to Babylon. When he finished reading the scroll, the messenger was to tie a rock to it and throw it into the Euphrates saying that in the same way Babylon would sink, never to rise again. What point does a country and people need to reach to get to the point where God will sink them to never rise again?
     The book of Jeremiah then ends with an account of how the things which Jeremiah prophesied for Jerusalem and its leaders come to pass.

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Titus 3:1-15

     Paul tells us to submit to government authorities. This is part of, and qualified by, what he says next. We are to be ready to do whatever is good. When government officials tell us to do what is good, we should jump to it and act immediately. However, when they tell us to do what is not good, or to not do what is good, they are exceeding their God-given authority.
     Then Paul tells us something that is at the heart of the Christian message. We are not in a position to look down on those around us who do not know the Lord, because at one time we too were disobedient and full of evil. If we are not like that any longer, it is not a credit to us. Rather it is because God, through His grace in Christ Jesus, transformed us. Anything in my behavior that others may see as praiseworthy is not a credit to what a wonderful person I am. No, it is a credit to the wonderful love of God. Because of what God has done for me, I want to devote myself to doing good, so that others may experience the joy I have received from Him.
     There is an important lesson next. Paul warns us against getting involved in foolish and useless arguments. If someone is being divisive (some people call it stirring the pot), confront them about their behavior. If they continue, confront them a second time. After that, if they do not stop, do not associate with them any longer.

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Psalm 100:1-5

     What a wonderful psalm of praise. I prefer the alternate reading which is mentioned in the notes:

Acknowledge that the Lord is God!
He made us, and not we ourselves,

This is the key to accepting God and knowing that He is good. He made us, we did not make ourselves. We are His people and He is good. He is faithful and His love for us will never fail. I will worship the Lord with gladness. More than that, worshiping the Lord brings me joy. I will praise God because He has made me glad.

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Proverbs 26:18-19

     Reading today’s proverb reminds me of the stories about people tricking their co-workers into thinking they had won big in the lottery. Most of the stories involved the tricked person taking out all of their frustrations by telling their boss and fellow workers the nasty things they thought about them. There are other similar stories about pranks which people pull on others. They often have a common theme about how the person who is deceived in a “harmless prank” does something that causes themselves irreparable damage.

October 28, 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.

God’s Paint-By-Numbers Green Lane Collection #328

Jeremiah 51:54-52:34

     When Jeremiah finished his prophecies against Babylon, he wrote them down and gave them to someone to take to Babylon to read them there. The passage then recounts the fall of Jerusalem and the way that King Jehoiachin was treated in Babylon.

Bird Houses Next to the Lake

Titus 3:1-15

     Paul tells us that as believers we should submit to the government and its officers. We should be obedient insofar as doing so is consistent with doing good. We must not slander anyone. Instead of quarreling, Christians show true humility and gentleness (or at least we try to). God saved me, not because of my righteousness (of which I have none), but because of His love and mercy. By His grace He declared me righteous and I will be forever grateful because there is no other way that I could be considered righteous. As the Spirit gives me the grace, I will not quarrel about spiritual pedigrees or Jewish (or other) laws. After a couple of times of attempting to show them where they are causing dissension, I will have nothing to do with those who cause divisions.

View over the Lake

Psalm 100:1-5

     The Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever. I will praise His name. The Lord is God. He made me and I am His. He has filled me with joy and I will praise His name.

Another View Over the Lake

Proverbs 26:18-19

     Calling it a joke does not undo the harm done by lying to one’s friends.