September 29, 2012

God’s Laws Apply to All (9/29)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Nehemiah 11-13; Psalm 126.

“On that day they read aloud from the book of Moses in the hearing of the people; and there was found written in it that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God, because they did not meet the sons of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them. However, our God turned the curse into a blessing. So when they heard the law, they excluded all foreigners from Israel” (Nehemiah 13:1-3).

This instruction regarding the Ammonites and Moabites is found in Deuteronomy 23:3-5. When the people learned that “none of their descendants…shall ever enter the assembly of the Lord” (Deuteronomy 23:3), they excluded them from being able to enter the assembly.

Unfortunately, Eliashib the priest apparently believed that he and his relatives were exempt from this command.
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September 24, 2012

"They Did Not Lay Their Hands on the Plunder" (9/24)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Esther 6-10.

After Esther revealed Haman’s plot to destroy the Jews to the king, letters were issued in the king’s name that would allow the Jews to defend themselves against those who would seek to do them harm.

“In them the king granted the Jews who were in each and every city the right to assemble and to defend their lives, to destroy, to kill and to annihilate the entire army of any people or province which might attack them, including children and women, and to plunder their spoil” (Esther 8:11).

The provision that allowed them to defend themselves was understandable. But the decree went a step further and explicitly permitted the Jews to plunder the spoil of their enemies. However, while the Jews certainly defended themselves, they did not take the spoil.
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September 15, 2012

Violating the Law but Committing No Crime (9/15)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Daniel 4-6.

After being delivered from the lions’ den – which was his punishment for praying to the Lord – Daniel declared his innocence before the king.

“My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths and they have not harmed me, inasmuch as I was found innocent before Him; and also toward you, O king, I have committed no crime” (Daniel 6:22).

Daniel said he was innocent toward the king and had “committed no crime.” But was this accurate? After all, Daniel violated a law that had been signed by the king.Continue Reading

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September 14, 2012

Praise for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego (9/14)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Daniel 1-3.

Daniel’s three friends – Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego – were thrown into a fiery furnace for their refusal to bow down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had erected. After they were miraculously delivered, Nebuchadnezzar offered some praise to these three men.

“Nebuchadnezzar responded and said, ‘Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who put their trust in Him, violating the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies so as not to serve or worship any god except their own God’” (Daniel 3:28).

Nebuchadnezzar mentioned four things that these men did that we must be willing to do also if we wish to please God today.
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September 3, 2012

"Her Priests Have Done Violence to My Law" (9/3)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Ezekiel 22-23.

When God condemned Israel for their sins, there was plenty of blame to go around. The following passage mentions the priests and why they shared responsibility for the unfaithfulness of the people.

“Her priests have done violence to My law and have profaned My holy things; they have made no distinction between the holy and the profane, and they have not taught the difference between the unclean and the clean; and they hide their eyes from My sabbaths, and I am profaned among them” (Ezekiel 22:26).

The Lord told Ezekiel that the priests had “done violence” to the Law. Similarly, there are preachers and teachers today who do violence to the law of God. Notice how this happens:
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September 1, 2012

Learn From the Sins of Others (9/1)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Ezekiel 18-19.

People often want to blame others for their shortcomings. It is common for one to blame their parents or the way they were raised as the reason why they engage in sinful behavior as an adult. While circumstances in one’s past surely have an influence on one’s present and future, those past circumstances do not dictate one’s actions. Each one of us has a choice to either do right or wrong.

This point is illustrated with an analogy God described to Ezekiel of three generations – a righteous man, his wicked son, and his righteous grandson. Notice what the text says of the righteous grandson (the wicked man’s son).

“Now behold, he has a son who has observed all his father’s sins which he committed, and observing does not do likewise” (Ezekiel 18:14).

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August 23, 2012

“You Only Live Once”

Man jumping

This phrase is commonly used as a call to do those things we often put off but might later regret leaving undone. It usually involves taking risks, acting unconventionally or impulsively, or fulfilling one’s desires. The activities involved could be good or bad – or might not fit into either category. It is all about using time while we have it so that we do not later regret wasting it.

The statement itself is true. The Hebrew writer expressed it this way: “And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). Understanding the fact that we only live once, there are some Biblical admonitions to be made.
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