From January 31, One Year Bible

Today's Scriptures:

Exodus 12:14 ~ 13:5; Matthew 20:29 ~ 21:22; Psalm 25:16 ~ 22; Proverbs 6:12 ~15

My One Thought Scripture: Exodus 12:29 ~ 32, 13:3 (NIV)

29 At midnight the Lord struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on the throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner, who was in the dungeon, and the firstborn of all the livestock as well.

30 Pharaoh and all his officials and all the Egyptians got up during the night, and there was loud wailing in Egypt, for there was not a house without someone dead.

31 During the night Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, "Up! Leave my people, you and the Israelites! Go, worship the Lord as you have requested.

32 Take your flocks and herds, as you have said, and go.

Exodus 13:

3 Then Moses said to the people, "Commemorate this day, the day you came out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery, because the Lord brought you out of it with a mighty hand.

Today, there is terrific unrest in Egypt. There are riots and political unrest as Egyptians call for the ouster of their leader and his government. People are even dying as the riot continues and the government tries to quiet the situation. This morning I heard one report that as many as 90,000 Americans are being urged to leave the country for their own safety. You can imagine the problems and pressures that situation puts on airlines and other means of transportation. But the 90,000 are only the Americans. There must be citizens of other nations as well. I have not heard anyone venture a guess on that number but it must be astounding. Governments, corporations, transportation venues...they are all scrambling.

In today's Old Testament reading from Exodus, I see Moses in a similar situation. God has sent the death-angel...the first born of the Egyptians have died. In the night, the Egyptian people awoke to the sound of “loud wailing” throughout the land. There was not a single (Egyptian) house where someone had not died. Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron in the middle of the night and told them to “get out”! They were told to take the people, flocks and herds and leave! All the begging, pleading, planning, the plagues and “mind-changing” that has gone on between Moses (God) and Pharaoh has now suddenly come to a head. It is time to act! We are told that on the night the people of Israel left Rameses and started for Succoth, there were 600,000 men, plus all the women and children to begin this evacuation all at one time. Since the day that Joseph's family came to settle in Egypt until now, it had been 430 years.

As the Israelites began their journey, in Exodus 13:3, we read, “...Moses said to the people, 'This is a day to remember forever ~ the day you left Egypt, the place of your slavery. Today the Lord has brought you out by the power of His mighty hand.'” When I read that, my mind returned to events in my own past that I can now look back on and say, “that was a day to remember forever ~ the day You, God brought me out of slavery...the day I was brought out by the power of Your mighty hand.” Never forget the important days in your own spiritual walk.

From January 30, One Year Bible

Today's Scriptures:

Exodus 10:1~12:13; Matthew 20:1~28; Psalm 25:1~15; Proverbs 6:6~11

My One Thought Scripture: Psalm 25:1~15 (NIV)

1 To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul;

2 in you I trust, O my God. Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me.

3 No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame, but they will be put to shame who are treacherous without excuse.

4 Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths;

5 guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.

6 Remember, O Lord, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old.

7 Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you are good, O Lord.

8 Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.

9 He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.

10 All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of his covenant.

11 For the sake of your name, O Lord, forgive my iniquity, though it is great.

12 Who, then, is the man that fears the Lord? He will instruct him in the way chosen for him.

13 He will spend his days in prosperity, and his descendants will inherit the land.

14 The Lord confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them.

15 My eyes are ever on the Lord, for only he will release my feet from the snare.

One reason I attempt to write these “blogs” based on the One Year Bible readings is not to show my talent, wisdom and biblical knowledge. In fact, you won't read very much here before you realize that I don't have much of the above to blog about. I could just read the assigned passages and let it go at that. I've done that plenty of times in the past. The reason I am trying to do this is to force me to seek a truth from God's Word each day that applies to my life and will help me get through the day.

As I read this Psalm today some of my own past flashed before my eyes! Verse 7 says, “Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you are good, O Lord.”   How grateful I am that my God has forgiven me and forgotten the “sins of my youth and my rebellious ways...”

I found many “hints” in this passage that show us WHO our God is; WHAT our God is; and WHY our God is. The psalmist (David) pleads with God in verse 6 to “Remember” His (God's) great mercy and love. Verse 8 states flatly, “Good and upright is the Lord” (as our pastor reminded us this morning...”God is good...all the time...”) In verse 10, we are reminded that “All the ways of The Lord are loving and faithful”. These are some of the ways we can know WHO our God is.

Some of the ways we can know WHAT our God is are written about as well. In verses 4 and 8 we learn that God is a dedicated teacher. Verse 8 states: “...therefore he instructs sinners in his ways...”. Verse 9 also tells us He teaches what is right...His way. He is the guide (teacher) of the humble. The ways of our God are loving and faithful, (verse 10).

Finally, the WHY. There are several hints in this Psalm about why my God will bless me (and you) so profoundly. Words that I see are “trust” (verse 2); “hope” (verse 3); “humble” (verse 9); “keep the demands” (verse 10); and “fear” (verse 12 & 14).

It is incumbent on me to always approach Him in these ways. If I will, HE will! How grateful I am that our God is the God of love. His mercy, love, goodness, teaching, guiding and forgiveness are never-ending.

With King David, I can say, “...My eyes are ever on the Lord, for only he will release my feet from the snare...”

From January 27, One Year Bible

Today's Scriptures:

Exodus 4:1~5:21; Matthew 18:1~20; Psalm 22:19~31; Proverbs 5:15~21

My One Thought Scripture: Exodus 4:1~9 (NIV)

Exodus 4:1-9

“Moses answered, 'What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, 'The Lord did not appear to you'? Then the Lord said to him, 'What is that in your hand?' 'A staff,' he replied. The Lord said, 'Throw it on the ground.' Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it. Then the Lord said to him, 'Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.' So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand. 'This,' said the Lord, 'is so that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers ~ the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob ~ has appeared to you.' Then the Lord said, 'Put your hand inside your cloak.' So Moses put his hand into his cloak, and when he took it out, it was leprous, like snow. 'Now put it back into your cloak,' he said. So Moses put his hand back into his cloak, and when he took it out, it was restored, like the rest of his flesh. Then the Lord said, 'If they do not believe you or pay attention to the first miraculous sign, they may believe the second. But if they do not believe these two signs or listen to you, take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground. The water you take from the river will become blood on the ground.'"

God really wanted Moses to be “His man” to take care of a special task that must be done. It would eventually become the job of Moses and his brother Aaron to His children out and then lead them on to Caanan, the land He had promised Abraham centuries earlier.

In the Old Testament accounts of Abraham and of Noah, for example, we saw men who responded quickly and without question when God told them what to do. On the other hand, here Moses was a “hard sell”. Moses did not realize that his entire life up to now had all been basic training or “boot camp” for this moment. He was spared from murder as a baby, then raised and educated as an Egyptian probably giving him the best education available. His life had been spared as a young adult when Egyptians sought to kill him in retaliation for his slaying an Egyptian guard. Moses spent the next forty years living as a shepherd where he most likely learned how to survive in the “wild”.

I see all of this as God directing, planning and training Moses for the task He has had for him since before his birth. Now, God further provides Moses with some special “tools” that he would need for his task. There was the miraculous staff that first turned into a serpent...then back into a staff. God demonstrated it to Moses, but then told him that he could prove that God sent him by using this same demonstration. If Pharoah did not believe him by that act, God used a second demonstration of making his hand leprous, then restoring it to health. A third “miracle” God supplied was that of turning water from the Nile river to blood. But, Moses was still uncomfortable.

What “tools” or past experiences does God want me to draw on to use now for His glory? I believe that past experiences and even past sins or “errors”, no matter how good or evil can be forgiven...but also used to help make us what we are today and we, in turn, can use them as God directs for His glory.

From January 24, One Year Bible

Today's Scriptures:

Genesis 48:1 ~ 49:33; Matthew 15:29 ~ 16:12; Psalm 20:1 ~ 9; Proverbs 4:20-27

My One Thought Scripture: Proverbs 4:20-27 (NIV)

“My son, pay attention to what I say;

listen closely to my words.

Do not let them out of your sight,

keep them within your heart;

for they are life to those who find them

and health to a man's whole body.

Above all else, guard your heart,

for it is the wellspring of life.

Put away perversity from your mouth;

keep corrupt talk far from your lips.

Let your eyes look straight ahead,

fix your gaze directly before you.

Make level paths for your feet

and take only ways that are firm.

Do not swerve to the right or the left;

keep your foot from evil.”

We probably all agree that if parents could convince their children to “listen” a lot of sadness and grief could be avoided. Parents have already made the mistakes and do not want to see their children repeat them.

The writer of this Proverb has several bits of advice to offer and since I have probably been guilty of each of these at some time, I would say that the most important thing he says is that we should “listen” or “pay attention”. Some of the “direct” or specific things he tells us are: “put away perversity from your mouth...” (Oh, how that needs to be addressed today); “Let your eyes look straight ahead...” (King David made that mistake and you see what it cost him); “Make level paths for your feet...” (things will go along much easier and will less effort); and “Do not swerve to the right or left...” (the shortest distance between two points is a straight line). Sounds like practical advice to me!

From January 23, One Year Bible

Today's Scriptures:

Genesis 46:1 ~ 47:31; Matthew 15:1 ~ 28; Psalm 19:1 ~ 14; Proverbs 4:14 ~ 19

My One Thought Scripture: Matthew 15:1-9 (NIV)

“Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, "Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don't wash their hands before they eat!"

Jesus replied, "And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? For God said, 'Honor your father and mother' and 'Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.' But you say that if a man says to his father or mother, 'Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is a gift devoted to God,' he is not to 'honor his father' with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you:

'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.

They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.'"

Are we guilty of nullifying the Word of God for the sake of our own tradition? In this passage, Jesus is tangling with the Pharisees and teachers of religious law. You would consider these men to be the theological experts of the day. They attacked Jesus by attacking some of the habits of His disciples, who, in their opinion had broken one of their traditions. Jesus was never short on words when it came to these encounters. He outright called them “hypocrites”, but His intention was not for the purpose of name calling. He backed up his accusation with words these men would recognize and understand...The words of Isaiah.

What would you feel if Jesus said to you, “You honor Me with your lips, but your heart is far from me.” Or if He called your worship “in vain”? Is MY worship genuine? Is “a wonderful worship service” what I want to experience or what He wants from me? Do I worship just so that I can leave church with a good feeling and be “pumped” for the week ahead?

Worship is intended for expressing our praise and honor to God. It is time we align our hearts with God and seek to focus our praise toward Him and Him alone.

From January 22, One Year Bible

January 22 Readings:

     Genesis 44:1-45:28; Matthew 14::13-36; Psalm 18:37-50; Proverbs 4:11-13 (NIV)

My OneThing Thought key verses for today: Genesis 45:5-8a

5 “And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.

6 For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will not be plowing and reaping.

7 But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.

8 So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God...”

This is a well-known story in the Bible that we have heard since our early Sunday School days. Joseph has been sold into slavery and ends up in Egypt. He suffered and was abused, but now, many years later his brothers come seeking help without knowing who he really is. In these verses, Joseph is finally revealing himself to them.

As I read verses 5-8, I could not help but think of Jesus. My sins have served as abuse to Him, yet He tells me “...don't be upset and don't be angry with yourself because of the way you have treated me...It was God who sent me here ahead of you to preserve your life...God has sent me...to keep you and your families alive and preserve many survivors.”

Later in today's reading was a passage in Psalms. Psalm 18:46-50 is a fitting response to the lesson picked up from this moment in Joseph's life and what it taught me this morning:

“The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock!

Exalted be God my Savior!

He is the God who avenges me,

who subdues nations under me,

who saves me from my enemies.

You exalted me above my foes;

from violent men you rescued me.

Therefore I will praise you among the nations, O Lord;

I will sing praises to your name.

He gives his king great victories;

he shows unfailing kindness to his anointed,

to David and his descendants forever.”

From january 20, One Year Bible

Proverbs 4:1~6 (NIV)

1 Listen, my sons, to a father's instruction; pay attention and gain understanding.

2 I give you sound learning, so do not forsake my teaching.

3 When I was a boy in my father's house, still tender, and an only child of my mother,

4 he taught me and said, "Lay hold of my words with all your heart; keep my commands and you will live.

5 Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or swerve from them.

6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you.

I remember the “corrections” of my father. I would classify him as a stern disciplinarian who was never inclined to “spare the rod”.  He was not abusive, but I sure thought he was.  I can't say that I listened to his instruction as we are encouraged to do here in Proverbs 4. There are some things here that the writer tells us to do. He also lists some benefits if we will do them.  We are to listen and pay attention.  He says that if we do, we will gain understanding, sound learning and wisdom.

When I was a kid at home and my father tried to teach me some important things, about life.  I don't recall that he ever promised understanding or sound learning.  He told me what to do and expected me to do it.  If he had made only promises, I probably would not have heard him anyway. I was too caught up with my own intelligence. One day, when I was beginning to raise children myself, I began to realize how much he seemed to have recently learned. I realized the importance of his wise teachings. He was wise in many ways...much wiser than I was.

Our writer of this Proverb encourages us to follow the commands. He encourages us to work for wisdom and understanding. The encouraging word from our Heavenly Father today is to listen to His instruction; pay attention; do not forsake His teaching; lay hold of His words; and keep His commands. To do these things will result in wisdom, understanding and protection.

From January 19, One Year Bible

Matthew 13:10-13 (NIV)

10 “The disciples came to him and asked, "Why do you speak to the people in parables?"

11 He replied, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.

12 Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.

13 This is why I speak to them in parables...'”

When we hear the parables of Jesus, sometimes we “get it” and at other times we don't. Evidently, the disciples experienced that same thing. They must have thought that if they occasionally had some problem understanding His words, then others might as well. Jesus replied to their question that, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them”. I thought, how blessed we are to have the words of Jesus...this “knowledge”...so much at our fingertips. I am typing this on a computer that has ten or twelve translations or paraphrases of the Bible contained on the hard drive and with internet access to dozens...perhaps hundreds more. This is even before I search and find all of the printed Bibles that I have in this house. Each week I study from Biblical literature that is founded strongly and reliably in God's Word. I worship with strong believers who take God's Word very seriously and we hear our pastor preach nothing but the Word of God. So, in a sense, like Jesus was saying to His disciples, this knowledge has been given to me! I am promised by Jesus' words that as long as I pursue this knowledge, I “...will be given more, and...(I)...will have an abundance.” The frightening thing is that Jesus goes on to say in verse 12, “Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.” It is imperative that God's children work at studying and applying His word to our lives on a daily basis.

From January 17, One Year Bible

Proverbs 3:21-26 (NIV)

21 “My son, preserve sound judgment and discernment, do not let them out of your sight;

22 they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck.

23 Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble;

24 when you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.

25 Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,

26 for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared.”

Who has never feared something? We may fear a careless driver while we are out in traffic. Perhaps we fear failing an important test. Fear of some “enemy” sometimes may overtake us. Then, when we don't have anything else to fear, we may fear the unknown. The reasons for fear may be many. After all, we are human and fear can a very real emotion or reaction in some situations. The writer of this Proverb gives us some advice and direction regarding the matter of fear. We are told here to “preserve sound judgment and discernment, do not let them out of your sight;” If we can develop the practice of allowing sound judgment and discernment to act as stop signs, we will also learn to stop and look before jumping off into something that may “test” our faith. We can move forward in safety with steadiness and will not stumble. The writer of this Proverb assures us our sleep will be sweet. Keep your confidence focused on The Lord and He will walk with us through any valley of fear.

From January 16, One Year Bible

Matthew 11:20-24

“Then Jesus began to denounce the town where he had done so many of his miracles, because they hadn't repented of their sins and turned to God. 'What sorrow awaits you, Korazin and Bethsaida! For if the miracles I did in you had been done in wicked Tyre and Sidon, their people would have repented of their sins long ago, clothing themselves in burlap and throwing ashes on their heads to show their remorse. I tell you, Tyre and Sidon will be better off on judgment day than you.

And you people of Capernaum, will you be honored in heaven? No, you will go down to the place of the dead. For if the miracles I did for you had been done in wicked Sodom, it would still be here today. I tell you, even Sodom will be better off on judgment day than you.'”

Often, as Christians, we think of ourselves as being pretty good people. We are certainly not like the drug dealers, thieves, cheaters and swindlers that we read about in our daily newspapers or hear about on the six-o'clock news. We go to church, we serve in various capacities, we put our offerings in the plate. Yes! We are pretty good people! Our church is a pretty good church! Our town is a pretty good town! In today's “lingo” we might say we are “right-on!”

In this passage, Jesus made me wonder if I am looking at my goodness through my own eyes, or through the eyes of Christ. The people of Korazin and Bethsaida evidently thought they were pretty good too. They might have been shocked to hear Christ compare them to Tyre and Sidon. And those in Capernaum...to be compared with SODOM!!?? You know that got their attention. Anyone who knows anything about the Bible knows about Sodom!

We must do some personal self-examination here. What does this say to us personally. The answer is in the first statement Jesus made in verse 20, which says, “Then Jesus began to denounce the town where he had done so many of his miracles, because they hadn't repented of their sins and turned to God.” But it was not the cities...it was the individuals within the cities. I must look at my own life. Have I repented of my sins? Have I been obedient? Have I turned to God? My reckoned “goodness” will not get me into the Kingdom of Heaven. I must have personally repented and turned to God. Lord, help me renew my obedience to Your word today...and EVERY day!

From January 15, One Year Bible

Genesis 31:44...54a ~ (conversation between Laban and Jacob...Laban is speaking)

“So come, let's make a covenant, you and I, and it will be a witness to our commitment. So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a monument. Then he told his family members, 'Gather some stones.' So they gathered stones and piled them in a heap. Then Jacob and Laban sat down beside the pile of stones to eat a covenant meal. To commemorate the event, Laban called the place Jegar-sahadutha (which means 'witness pile' in Aramaic), and Jacob called it Galeed (which means 'witness pile' in Hebrew).” ...(V-49)“But it was also called Mizpah (which means 'watchtower'), for Laban said, 'May the Lord keep watch between us to make sure that we keep this covenant when we are out of each other's sight'.” ...(V-52)“They stand between us as a witness to our vows. I will never pass this pile of stones to harm you, and you must never pass these stones or this monument to harm me.” (53b)”So Jacob took an oath before the fearsome God of his father, Issac, to respect the boundary line. Then Jacob offered a sacrifice to God there on the mountain...”

“Jegar-sahadutha”, Galeed” or “Mizpah”. Whatever they called it, it was still just a pile of rocks. That pile of rocks may not have meant very much to others who passed that way in later years, but to Laban and Jacob they had meaning forever.

Henry Blackaby taught in “Experiencing God” about “spiritual markers”. We were encouraged to review our own past and make a list of things in our lifetime that had a bearing on where and what we are today. I recalled many events and people who had certainly impacted my life, sometimes for good and sometimes not so good. I remember thinking, “I would not be WHERE I am or WHAT I am if these things had not happened to me”.

We need reminders. When we review our “spiritual markers” it is one way to be reminded of our “Mizpah” (watchtower). We will know that The Lord is keeping watch over us and reminding us of His everlasting covenant with us...that He sent His Son to die for us and we still have that eternal promise, His son, Jesus Christ.

From January 14, One Year Bible

Genesis 31:14~16

“Rachel and Leah responded, 'That's fine with us! We won't inherit any of our father's wealth anyway. He has reduced our rights to those of foreign women. And after he sold us, he wasted the money you paid him for us. All the wealth God has given you from our father legally belongs to us and our children. So go ahead and do whatever God has told you'.”

This is Friday's reading. I thought and thought about this reading and finally settled on this story. Here is a little bit of background. Jacob, of course had traveled to find a wife and worked for seven years for Rachel. Her father, Laban tricked Jacob and gave him Leah, his older daughter but then offered to give him Rachel, the one Jacob really loved and wanted, for seven more years of work. Many things that occurred in the next years tell us that this family was more than a little dysfunctional...at least by our 2011 understanding of God's desires for His children. Many years have passed and Jacob has many children by Rachel, Leah and at least two slave women. Over these years, Laban, Rachel and Leah's father had conspired to take advantage of his son-in-law over and over. We find Jacob now with a desire to return to his homeland...remember, God had promised him that he would inherit the land and have many offspring. He approaches Rachel and Leah with this idea. And that brings us to this scripture passage in Genesis 31.

As I read their response to Jacob, I was reminded of some things we occasionally hear from time to time: “To take this item from my employer is OK. After all, I work hard and he doesn't pay me what I'm worth.” Another one I have heard goes something like this: “I'm going to leave work now...you punch me out when you leave and tomorrow, you can leave early and I'll punch you out. After all, we we work hard and the boss will never know.” Shoplifters sometimes use the excuse, “These prices are way to high! To take one item from this store will never be missed. They can make it up on the sale of another item, and besides, I spend a lot of money here every week.”

Right is right and wrong is wrong! If we cheat to “get even”, we are just as wrong as the one who “did us wrong” in the first place. We must examine our motives and lay them alongside what God desires for us. We say it like this: “W-W-J-D ~ What Would Jesus Do?”

From January 13, One Year Bible

Psalm 11:1-7 (a Psalm of David)

“I trust in the Lord for protection. So why do you say to me, 'Fly like a bird to the mountains for safety! The wicked are stringing their bows and fitting their arrows on the bowstrings. They shoot from the shadows at those whose hearts are right. The foundations of law and order have collapsed. What can the righteous do?'

But the Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord still rules from heaven. He watches everyone closely, examining every person on earth. The Lord examines both the righteous and the wicked. He hates those who love violence. He will rain down blazing coals and burning sulfur on the wicked, punishing them with scorching winds. For the righteous Lord loves justice. The virtuous will see his face.”

Many are curious about the uncertain times we are living in. It is natural to wonder “what's next?”. Our economy is shaky, our armies are fighting on foreign lands in battles that seem as though they could erupt into a world-wide powder keg. At times, our government seems out of control with new taxation...to the point that we often wonder if we can continue to live as we have. Many people are unemployed and they may wonder “where the next meals is coming from”, or if they will have a warm, dry place to lay their head tomorrow night. These things are certainly not funny or lighthearted. They are genuine, serious concerns! Thankfully, it is not all “doom and gloom”.

David wrote this Psalm to address and reinforce his own confidence in his almighty Lord. He states right up front in verse one, “I trust in the Lord for protection...” The next couple of verses could be describing what we see going on around us today. Verse four begins with that little word: “But...”. Aren't you glad that as a believer you KNOW the Lord is in His holy Temple? Aren't you glad that you KNOW that He still rules? Aren't you glad the you have the assurance here that “He watches everyone closely...” (verse 4)?

Regardless of tomorrow and all the doubt and concerns we might imagine, in verse seven, we have a great, calming promise: “For the righteous Lord loves justice. The virtuous will see his face.” It's a promise, believing friend! Hold onto it! Claim it for yourself today!

From January 12, One Year Bible

Matthew 9:9-13

“As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at his tax collector's booth. 'Follow me and be my disciple,' Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him.

Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, 'Why does your teacher eat with such scum?'

When Jesus heard this, he said, 'Healthy people don't need a doctor ~ sick people do.' Then he added, 'Now go and learn the meaning of this scripture: 'I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.' For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”

I was on my way to a doctor's clinic this morning when I heard the late Adrian Rodgers preaching on the car radio. He told a personal story from early in his ministry about his own career. He had a very strong desire to preach the gospel and see people saved. He said that if he preached one message and saw no response, he would be so disappointed that he wanted to leave the church by the back way and not greet anyone. Then, after a time, God revealed to him that it was his responsibility to be obedient in preaching...or as he said...”scatter the seed”. It is God's job to move forward, nurturing the seed and bringing it to fruition.

After I arrived at the clinic for my doctor's appointment and waiting to be called, I was reading today's scripture from my One Year Bible. I noticed here in Matthew 9:12 Jesus said, “Healthy people don't need a doctor ~ sick people do.” Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this scripture: 'I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.' For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.” Jesus was quoting Hosea 6:6. The complete verse from Hosea says, “I want you to show love (or mercy), not offer sacrifices. I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings.”

What I picked up from this is that obedience in doing what God desires is more important than any sacrifice we might offer. None of us would go to the doctor if there was not a need...and likewise, none of us would come to Jesus if we thought we were already righteous. The Pharisees would never come to Jesus because they were so caught up with “themselves” and their own sacrifices, that in their minds they thought they did not need “the doctor”, Jesus. Personal check-up: How is my obedience factor today?

From January 9 One Year Bible

Psalm 9:9-12 (a Psalm of David)

“The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O Lord, do not abandon those who search for you. Sing praises to the Lord who reigns in Jerusalem. Tell the world about his unforgettable deeds. For he who avenges murder cares for the helpless. He does not ignore the cries of those who suffer.”

There are several things that David wrote in this Psalm that impressed me. Verse 9 invites us to always look the The Lord when we are in need. That verse says, He is a “shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.” Have you ever felt like you were oppressed or in trouble? Oppression conveys the idea that it is being applied from the outside. SomeONE or someTHING is doing the oppressing and you are the object of it. I also feel that genuine oppression is undeserved. The weak and the poor are often the victims of oppression, often brought on by the strong and the rich. Trouble on the other hand might be brought on by our own mistakes, errors or disobedience. In other words, we “bring it on ourselves”. This might not be intentional. It could be completely accidental. Nonetheless, in either case, we might suddenly find ourselves “in a heap of trouble”. Have you ever been there?

Do not despair! Go back and read verse 9 again. David started that verse with the answer. “The Lord is a shelter...a refuge” If that is not enough, go to verse 12 and re-read that. “For he who avenges murder cares for the helpless. He does not ignore the cries of those who suffer.” This verse tells us that if we can count on God to judge one who murders, and avenge that murder, we can certainly count on Him to care for the helpless. If you find yourself in a state of oppression, or “in a heap of trouble” cry to The Lord. He will hear your cries and He will not ignore them.

Here's a listing of what I found in these verses about our God. Our God is our refuge, He does not abandon, He cares for the helpless and He does not ignore. You can count on it!

From January 6, One Year Bible

Matthew 5:43-48 (The words of Jesus)

“You have heard the law that says 'Love your neighbor' and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.”

I have read and heard verse 43 so many times that I can't count them and I'm not certain that it occurred to me before exactly what Jesus said. He is quoting the law from Leviticus 19:18 which actually says, “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.” Nowhere in that law is any kind of reference like “hate your enemy.” So, was Jesus mis-quoting the law? If not, what was He trying to teach here? He was saying that by our common actions, WE have added that second and unwritten part to the law ourselves. Our actions often imply that if we love those who are good to us, we have license to hate those who are unkind or mean to us.

Jesus went on to tell us (v-44) to “...love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!” REALLY?! So, how do you love your enemies? Do we just avoid them? Do we just let them do their thing and we go on doing ours? If they will leave us alone, we will leave them alone, right? I looked at Jesus' words again: “...love your enemies!”  That word “love” is the verb in His instruction and a verb is where the action is. Can we love by avoiding people? Can we love by just doing our own thing? Can we love by just leaving people alone? That sounds like anything but action. To love the way Jesus said to love, we must be involved and taking some kind of action. In that way we “...will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven.”(v-45) Now, there's the verb; there's the action.

Now, it makes sense. To become like our heavenly Father, we must learn to love like Him. We must find ways to become involved with our enemies...those who persecute us. We cannot show God's love from a distance.

From January 5 One Year Bible

Genesis 12:1-4a

The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father's family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you. So Abram departed as the Lord had instructed...”

I have often been amazed at the faith of this man Abram. We don't see any indication that his conversation with the Lord was an extended conversation. There is no record of Abram asking any questions...there was no trip planning...he was not given a roadmap...nor did he even have a compass or a GPS. It is amazing to me that there were only a few promises of future blessings from God...that Abram would never live to see in his lifetime. God did not even offer any reasons, yet Abram did not argue or question anything. He didn't say, “well, Lord, let me think...er, I mean pray about it.” Can you imagine leaving literally everything you are familiar with in this manner? But, with none of the above...verse 4 goes on to say, “So, Abram departed as the Lord instructed...” The rest is history!

From January 4, One Year Bible

PSALM 4:1-8 (from a Psalm written by David)

“Don’t let anger control you. Think about it overnight and remain silent. Offer sacrifices in the right spirit and trust the Lord.”

ANGER! CONTROL! Have you witnessed anger? Sure, we have all seen angry people at times. We have also BEEN angry at times. Think about your feelings after a time of personal, explosive anger? I have felt shame, sadness and at times disgust with myself and certainly not felt very close to the Lord…especially if my angry outburst was a repeated action that I had been forgiven for on a previous occasion. David said, “Don’t sin by letting anger control you.” That sounds like allowing anger to control is sin. Notice that David did not say that anger is a sin. We know that even Jesus expressed anger at times. David indicates that the sin is found in allowing this anger to control us.

David goes on to say that I should “Think about it overnight and remain silent”. Taking the time to “think about it” will act to diffuse any hot-headed eruptions and allow me to reason more clearly, perhaps even discovering a resolution. But I noticed also that the words “remain silent” at the end of verse 4 are followed in verse 5 with these words, “Offer sacrifices in the right spirit and trust in the Lord”. Hot-headed eruptions will often burn bridges and can end relationships. The implication here is that God is saying that my relationship with Him is harmed as well. He tells me to do three things in these situations: (1)“remain silent”, (2)”Offer sacrifices in the right spirit” and (3)“trust in the Lord.” Now, my MIND is clear, my HEART is right and my TRUST is properly focused on Him. That’s what this ONETHING taught me today.

From January 3, One Year Bible

Genesis 5: verses 1 & 3
"This is the written account of the decendants of Adam.  When God created human beings, he made them to be like himself...
...When Adam was 130 years old, he became the father of a son who was just like him ~ in his very image..."
I have often been called "William E." (my father).  Recently one of my sons was called (by his wife) "Harold W." (that would be me).  We laugh at that.  Well, I see here that God created Adam to be "like Himself" (God) ~ then, when Seth came along, he was "just like him" (Adam).  It would follow then that this is a natural thing.  I am created in this same image format and therefore made in the image of God.  Yes, sin entered the picture and that is the ugly thing about the picture.  Adam did not live up to what God intended for us and neither have I, but the wonderful part of that is that God has also provided a way to  become more like Him with each passing day.