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Thoughts Praise the Lord! The last six chapters of the book of Psalms are psalms (songs) of praise. Beginning with Psalm 145, which is the last Psalm attributed to David, and ending with Psalm 150, God is praised. I find that appropriate. Don't you? Twentieth century theologian James Montgomery Boice said of the final five chapters of Psalms, In the earlier psalms, we have studied the writers’ griefs, shames, sins, doubts, and fears. We have witnessed the people of God in their defeats and victories, their ups and downs in life. We have encountered rebellious words and struggling faith. All this is behind us now. In these final psalms every word is praise.James Montgomery Boice Because God Can Be Trusted Psalm 146 praises God for his trustworthiness. Oh, how I agree with that! I have discovered this to be so very true in my own lifetime. So many times, He has demonstrated that He is always there, always able, always loving, always true.  Because He Cares Psalm 147 praises God for the

Thoughts Moses is near the end of his life and he has brought the people to the threshold of the Promised Land. However, because of the disobedience we read about in Numbers 20:7-12, it will not be Moses who leads them in. As a matter of fact, God will not allow him to even set foot in it.  But after leading these people for forty years, he doesn't just fade away. He has parting words for the people; for Joshua, whom God has appointed to be Moses' replacement; and for the priests.  Moses knew these people, but more than that, God knew these people. Once more, Moses wrote the Law down and told the Levites to keep it beside the Ark of the Covenant. He knew these people, and that they would stray from the Law, and would need to be reminded yet again what God requires.  I believe that Moses felt a heavy burden of responsibility for these people, even when he knew that his time with them was drawing to a close. And I think that is why he wrote the song that we will read next week, which, by the way, wi

Thoughts 3 John is addressed to a man named Gaius. There seem to be several men with this name in the Bible, one of whom was baptized by Paul. We don’t really know anything more specific about this Gaius, except that John considered him a dear friend. John commends Gaius for the good reports he hears about him, and for the fact that he supports those who travel about, preaching the Gospel. It is a good thing to support missionaries. Even though we may not personally go out to preach the Good News, our support for them makes us an important part of the team. Then John has a warning against a man named Diotrephes, and good words about one named Demetrius. John says, “Never imitate evil, but imitate good. The person who does good is from God. The person who does evil has never seen God.”  So we must be aware of those around us, who we allow into our circle of friends, and watch to see what their fruit is. Today's Bible Translation Bible translation used in today's episode: Ch. 1 GWT Support

Thoughts Much of this chapter is self explanatory, though there are fine points to be learned by deeper study than we typically do here. But one thing I would like to bring out is at the very beginning of the chapter. After Ananias the high priest, in a fit of rage orders that Paul be struck in the mouth and he responds with, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit there to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck!”, those standing near Paul chastise him for insulting "God's high priest". Paul's response was interesting to me. My inclination would have been something like, "Well, it's true! He is a hypocrite and was wrong to order them to hit me, a man who has not been found guilty of any crime." So what do you think he did? He said, "Brothers, I did not realize that he was the high priest; for it is written: ‘Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.’ ” Have you heard the phrase, "Respect the office"? Even if you don't resp

Thoughts Setting the Scene In chapter 5, the book with the seven seals is introduced. No one in heaven or on the earth was able to open the book or look into it. And John wept. But then one of the elders told him to stop weeping because the Lion from the tribe of Judah (who is Jesus) was able. And then in chapter 6, the first six seals are opened. Only one seal remained. But in chapter 7, there was an interlude, and 144,000 from the twelve tribes were sealed as the bond-servants of God. And a great multitude from all over the earth began to cry with a loud voice, praising God and the Lamb. Chapter 8 Now in chapter 8, try to picture the scene in your mind's eye. There is a great multitude of people in Heaven before the throne. Some are those who have believed in Jesus, 144,000 of them are from the 12 tribes of Israel, there is a multitude of angels, and there is the Lamb, the Son of God sitting at the right hand of God, who is at the center of it all. And then, the seventh seal is opened.

Thoughts Chapter 3 shows us snapshots of the wedding ceremony and chapter 4 the wedding night. Much of the language of this book sounds strange to modern ears. We do not speak in metaphors such as "Your hair is like a flock of goats streaming down Mount Gilead. 2Your teeth are like a flock of newly shorn sheep coming up from washing, each one having a twin, and not one missing." My suggestion is that you find a good commentary to help you understand the imagery and the meaning of the Song of Solomon. As I don't have any control of who will listen to the podcast, and because this book is for a mature audience, I do not feel comfortable discussing it in detail. The important points to remember are these: Attraction, courtship, affection, marriage and physical love were created by God, and they are intended to be shared…in that order…between a man and a woman who become husband and wife. That is God's perfect plan. In our current culture, it is increasingly rare for people to adhere to God's plan.

Thoughts Make A List As I was reading chapter 145, I began to think of the blessings in my life. Have you ever sat down and made a list of all the blessings in your life? All the good things from your past and from the present, and even your future? It's a great exercise. You might feel as if there isn't much to put on your list. Maybe life has been difficult for you. I have some very close friends who have had severe health problems for decades. Recurring cancer, multiple sclerosis, cognitive decline, diabetes, heart attacks. And yet, they praise God for their blessings. They have family that loves and supports them. They live in an area that has always been their dream, though in a humble home. Their faith is strong. The God that David praised in this Psalm is their God, and He is as faithful to them as He was to David. The same God who was with Daniel in the lion's den is with them. And the same God who forgave the thief who was on the cross next to Him forgives my friends. And

Thoughts At the end of it all, Nehemiah's conscience is clear, but he is disappointed that the people could not fulfill their vows to serve faithfully. And once again, we see that there is nothing new under the sun. We are not better than they were at living a sin-free life. Despite our best intensions, we fail. Truer words were never said: The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. How thankful we are, and how blessed we are to have a Savior whose sacrifice on the cross paid the price for our weakness. If we could live a sinless life, His sacrifice would not have been necessary. But since we cannot, His sacrifice was necessary…and it saved the souls of all who would believe. Thank you, Jesus. Hallelujah. Today's Bible Translation Bible translation used in today's episode: Ch. 10 NCV, Ch. 11-12 ERV, Ch. 13 NET Support Please remember that this is a listener supported show. Your support of any amount is needed and very much appreciated. Find out how by clicking here. When you buy

Thoughts On the Threshold The children of Israel are about to enter into the Promised Land, but God has a message for them through Moses. Over and over again in these chapters we read the word "obey", or a variation on that command. And in chapter 27, they are instructed that the first thing they are to do when they cross the Jordan river into the Promised Land is set up a monument of stones on which they are to write the entire body of the law on it, and build an altar upon which they are to also write the law and make burnt offerings. God knew how forgetful the people were. The monument was placed there as a reminder of their crossing over the Jordan River into the land promised to them. The Law was written as a reminder. The altar was a reminder. Every time they looked at the monument or the alter, they would remember this day, and how God delivered them, how he fulfilled His promise, and what was required of them to continue to receive His blessings. God knows how forgetful people are. Over an

Thoughts A Woman or a Church? 2 John is addressed to a very special woman and her children. Some commentators believe that this "woman" is actually a specific church, and her "children" are the members of the church. In my opinion, whether it is a specific woman or a specific church is not important. The message that John wrote is applicable to either, or both. She is loved by John and many other believers. And John asks her to continue in loving. He is aware of her children and the fact that they are living according to God’s laws, which include loving one another. Jesus Is Fully Human and Fully God When this book was written there were false teachers going around teaching such falsehoods that Jesus, being God was not actually human. "They refuse to declare that Jesus Christ came in flesh and blood." That Jesus is fully human is a fundamental truth of the Gospel. We can never abandon that truth. One reason that this is such an important truth is that without the shedding of blood there is no f

Thoughts Let’s talk for a bit about Paul’s going to Jerusalem, even though the Holy Spirit gave messages to Paul and others that imprisonment awaited him there. Some people believe that these were warnings from God that Paul should not go to Jerusalem, and that he was in rebellion when he went. What do you think? Would you go if you were in Paul’s sandals? Let’s look a little deeper. We read in Acts 19:21, “…Paul purposed in the Spirit to go to Jerusalem after he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia…” Other translations say that Paul “resolved in the Spirit”, another says “…Paul felt compelled by the Spirit…” So the Holy Spirit told him to go to Jerusalem. And in chapter 20:22, Paul said, “And now I am bound by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem.” So if Paul was given the task to go, he should go, right? Now, it does say in 20:23 that, “…the Holy Spirit tells me in city after city that jail and suffering lie ahead.” And in chapter 21:10-11 Agabus prophesied, “The Holy Spirit declares, ‘So s

Thoughts Chapter 1 John is either shown a vision of Heaven, or he is taken there. We can’t really tell from his description. And when he is there, a voice tells him to write down what he sees. When he turns to see who was speaking to him, he sees someone who looked like a son of man. He didn’t know who it was, and no wonder. John says, “He was dressed in a long robe with a gold strip of cloth around his chest. 14The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow. His eyes were like a blazing fire. 15His feet were like bronze metal glowing in a furnace. His voice sounded like rushing waters. 16He held seven stars in his right hand. Out of his mouth came a sharp sword that had two edges. His face was like the sun shining in all of its brightness.” What would you do if you saw something like that? Probably what John did. He fainted.  But this awe inspiring person puts his right hand on John and said, “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18I am the Living One. I was dead. But loo

Thoughts I love each of these Psalms that we read today. David truly loved God with his entire heart, mind and soul, and these Psalms reveal that very clearly in my view. I do have some thoughts I’d like to share with you about Psalm 140 There were times in David's life when he was pursued by men that literally wanted to kill him. He was slandered. He was hunted. This is a Psalm that was written during one of those times.  Do you ever think of the power of your words when you go to the Lord in prayer? David asked God not only for deliverance from evil men who would do him harm, but he also asked for their destruction. As for the head of those who surround me,let the mischief of their lips overwhelm them!Let burning coals fall upon them!Let them be cast into fire,into miry pits, no more to rise!Psalm 140:9-10 ESV I had a conversation with a man recently who had been the victim of slander. Another person was literally trying to destroy this man's reputation and business. The attacks got so bad

Thoughts Cheeky? In the New Living Translation, this is how verse 19 reads: "Remember, O my God, all that I have done for these people, and bless me for it." When I read "...and bless me for it" I raised my eyebrows just a bit. That seems somewhat presumptuous, don't you think? But then I thought of the prayer of Jabez in 1 Chronicles 4:10: “He was the one who prayed to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and expand my territory! Please be with me in all that I do, and keep me from all trouble and pain!” And God granted him his request.” Not At All God granted Jabez's request, which tells us that God did not think Jabez's prayer was out of line. Jabez asked God to give him more, and God did it. Why? We don't have a lot to go on, except for the verse previous to what we just read. Verse 9 says: There was a man named Jabez who was more honorable than any of his brothers. His mother named him Jabez because his birth had been so painful. So now we know that Jabez was an honorable man

Thoughts As I record this episode, beloved, it’s Sunday afternoon. Yesterday the Lovely Lady LeeAnn and I worked on the front yard landscape project literally from sunup to sunset. Among other things, we shoveled and placed nine thousand pounds of gravel. That’s no exaggeration. And yes, LeeAnn did some of the shoveling. I tell you this to say that I don’t have any comments after the reading today. I don’t think that there is a muscle in my body that doesn’t hurt, and I am just completely exhausted. So I am truly taking a Sabbath today. I’ll try to be back to a normal episode tomorrow. Thanks for your understanding. Today's Bible Translation Bible translation used in today's episode: Ch. 19 CEB, Ch. 20 GWT Support Please remember that this is a listener supported show. Your support of any amount is needed and very much appreciated. Find out how by clicking here. When you buy through links on this site, we may earn an affiliate commission, and you will earn our gratitude. Des

Thoughts As in chapters 1-3, there are many great truths taught in today’s chapters. But chapter five, verses 16-18 need a closer look, I think. Let me read it to you again. “If you see another believer committing a sin that doesn’t lead to death, you should pray that God would give that person life. This is true for those who commit sins that don’t lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I’m not telling you to pray about that. 17 Every kind of wrongdoing is sin, yet there are sins that don’t lead to death. 18 We know that those who have been born from God don’t go on sinning. Rather, the Son of God protects them, and the evil one can’t harm them.” So what is this sin that leads to death, and the sin that does not lead to death? I read several commentaries, and as is often the case with these difficult passages, there is some disagreement among scholars. But let me give you my understanding of the passage in a somewhat simplified way. Which works since I’m a simple guy. To give th

Thoughts Malachi is another Old Testament prophet about whom we know very little. Here’s what we do know. His name means “my angel”. That’s about it. Judaic tradition holds that Malachi was from the tribe of Zebulun and that he did not live a long life.  The book was written after Zechariah and Haggai, and possibly during Nehemiah's time or soon thereafter. This is apparent by the topics covered in both Malachi and Nehemiah. The message of the book of Malachi contains God’s charges against the people for the neglect of the rebuilt temple. You’ll remember that the prophets Haggai and Zechariah brought reproof for their neglecting to build the temple. In Malachi’s time, the temple had been rebuilt, but now it is neglected. In addition, God charges them with profaning the temple by their behavior while there.  There was a period of 400 years between Malachi and the birth of Jesus. Before beginning this period of silence, God used Malachi to speak more about the coming Messiah, and He told the peop

Thoughts Wrapping Up Ecclesiastes Chapter 11 began with a message that would not come from an old, jaded, cynical Scrooge-type man. He started with the advice that you should be generous with those in need, because your giving is like a farmer sowing grain. It will yield a return. And if you have the ability now, you never know when your fortunes may change and you may need someone else’s generosity. And then Solomon advised that the young should enjoy their youth, keeping in mind that God will be the judge of all that we do. So we should avoid evil. Chapter 12 says the young should keep the Creator in mind, because in our old age life becomes difficult. Our senses dull and our bodies become weak. And ultimately, we die. And at the very end of the chapter and the book, Solomon refers to himself in the third person and calls himself the Preacher. And he says that after observing all that he could, he wrote down the best words that he could; words of truth. Words that could hold you steady in

Thoughts Because of their turning from God and worshipping false gods, God has brought judgement on those who lived in Jerusalem and the surrounding areas. Babylon has come in and utterly destroyed Jerusalem, killed many men, women and children, and taken captive those who were not murdered. This psalm is a lament. We do not know when it was written. Some think that it was written after the return from Babylon, some think that it is some years into the exile, while still in captivity in Babylon. What is certain is that in the midst of the exile, the writer remembered how good it was in Jerusalem, and what the reason was for their exile. They missed Jerusalem and they were sorrowful that they had sinned in such a way that God had allowed them to be in this place. And they asked God to judge Babylon for the terribly cruel treatment they had received.  Beloved, we must never assume that just because God doesn't bring immediate judgement, that God is not paying attention or doesn't care when we sin