Thought from today’s Bible reading from Proverbs 19-21.
The sluggard is mentioned several times in the book of Proverbs. In this passage, we learn something else about him.
“The sluggard does not plow after the autumn, so he begs during the harvest and has nothing” (Proverbs 20:4).
We understand that the sluggard has nothing and is forced to beg because he refuses to work. Other passages also make this point. But this verse builds upon that truth and teaches us something else.
Continue Reading
Thought from today’s Bible reading from Proverbs 16-18.
“A worker’s appetite works for him, for his hunger urges him on” (Proverbs 16:26).
Hunger is the reminder that we need to eat in order to survive. That hunger motivates us to do something that God expects us to do – work. Those who have the ability to work must do so (2 Thessalonians 3:10), from the man who labors by the sweat of his face (Genesis 3:19) to the wife who is a worker at home (Titus 2:5).
Continue Reading
When we read Psalm 119, we can easily see the love and respect David had for the word of God. It is the same attitude that we need to have for the word. One of the things this love and respect caused David to do was meditate on God’s word.
“My eyes anticipate the night watches, that I may meditate on Your word” (Psalm 119:148).
David said that during the “night watches” was when he took time to meditate upon the word of God. There are several reasons why this time late at night would be advantageous to one’s study of and meditation on the word.
Continue Reading
Thought from today’s Bible reading from Proverbs 13-15.
“The naive believes everything, but the sensible man considers his steps.
“A wise man is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is arrogant and careless” (Proverbs 14:15-16).
The wise and sensible man is compared to two different types of people: the naive and the fool. Both of these people end up in sin. The fool acts arrogantly, rejects the truth, and follows after that which is evil. The naive is simply ignorant of the truth and, as a result, ends up believing a false way that on the surface seems to be right. Where the naive and the fool are the same is that neither one is careful to be sure that what he does is right.
Continue Reading
Thought from today’s Bible reading from Proverbs 10-12.
People debate the virtues of capitalism and socialism in terms of economic policies. Sometimes you hear arguments made from the Bible for one or the other by religious people (even by irreligious people at times). The following verse is a good one to consider as we try to develop a Biblical view of economics.
“He who withholds grain, the people will curse him, but blessing will be on the head of him who sells it” (Proverbs 11:26).
If people need grain, but one person possesses all of it and refuses to part with any of it, then it is understandable for the people who need grain to think negatively of the one who hoards it.
But if one person has all of the grain and the people need some grain, what should be done? Should he be forced to give it away? Should the government confiscate his grain and redistribute it to those who need it? Should an angry mob come and steal his grain? No, no, and no. What does the Scripture say? He should sell it.
Continue Reading
Thought from today’s Bible reading from Proverbs 7-9.
There will be times in which we need to correct someone who has fallen into sin. There will also be times in which we must be corrected for some sin we have committed. But unfortunately, not all correction is received as it ought to be. Consider the words of the wise man:
“He who corrects a scoffer gets dishonor for himself, and he who reproves a wicked men gets insults for himself. Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you, reprove a wise man and he will love you. Give instruction to a wise man and he will be still wiser, teach a righteous man and he will increase his learning” (Proverbs 9:7-9).
Solomon mentions two ways in which correction might be received:
Continue Reading
Digression is the latest book by Aaron Erhardt in which he tackles the threat of apostasy within the Lord’s church that comes as a result of Christians failing to see the church as being distinct from the churches of man. Once the Lord’s church is seen as being no different than a human denomination, then these denominations become something to be emulated rather than opposed.
What Aaron deals with in his book is nothing new. Every generation must be taught about the one true church and the need for Bible authority in all that we do. Our generation is no different. If these lessons are not taught and learned, then we should not be surprised when the Lord’s church cannot be distinguished from the denominations. We sometimes hear, “the church is only one generation away from apostasy.” This is true. And that is why Aaron’s book is so important.
Continue Reading
What does “propitiation” mean? How is “justification” connected to salvation? What does “sanctification” look like in our day-to-day lives? The Bible uses some powerful words to describe God’s plan to save mankind. However, these words are not always easy to understand, especially when they are not part of our everyday vocabulary. This book explores key Bible terms that unlock the message of the gospel.
Big Words in the Bible examines five important words – Propitiation, Reconciliation, Sanctification, Justification, and Resurrection – using plain language to see how the Scriptures describe these concepts and how the apostle Paul employs them in his letter to the Romans. This book also contains an appendix with eleven additional articles to explore these topics further.
Whether you are new to the Bible and want to grow in your understanding or want a simple way to explain these core gospel doctrines to others, this book will be helpful. With a focus on the Scriptures, Big Words in the Bible helps break down these fundamental topics to shed light on the life-changing message of the gospel and the salvation found in it.
Available in print and digital format.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
If you have further questions about using any of the material on this site, please contact me.