October 23rd One Year Bible Readings
~ Click on this link for today's readings ~
Jeremiah 42:1-44:23 ~ 2 Timothy 2:1-21
Psalm 92:1-93:5 ~ Proverbs 26:3-5
Old Testament - The three Jeremiah chapters today are quite eventful! It's intriguing that the Israelites ask Jeremiah for a message from God - and that whatever they hear back they will do and obey. But then they don't obey! Are we like this at times... ? We promise promise promise God that we'll listen & change... but then do we? If you are going through struggles in your life today will you call out to God? Do you trust that He will answer in His own unique and perfect way and timing? And then will you trust and obey?
Jeremiah chapter 42 gives a good set up to the day's readings, with the closing 2 verses in this chapter from Jeremiah: "And today I have told you exactly what he said, but you will not obey the LORD your God any better now than you have in the past. So you can be sure that you will die from war, famine, and disease in Egypt, where you insist on going." Jeremiah delivered the message from God... but knew that the message would go unheeded.
Chapter 43 reminds me that when we are disobedient to God's will that our disobedience can affect not only ourselves, but others around us too. Mind you, Egypt was not a "house of the holy" - but the Israelites disobedience is going to bring destruction to themselves and Egypt. They're carrying their disobedience and curse to others. Jeremiah 43's verses 9 & 10 stood out to me today: ""While the people of Judah are watching, bury large rocks between the pavement stones at the entrance of Pharaoh's palace here in Tahpanhes. I will surely bring my servant Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, here to Egypt." Interesting that God calls Nebuchadnezzar his "servant". Would he have said this about the Israelites at this time? Called them his servants?
Chapter 44 is a great reminder of why it's a bad idea to pursue idols in our life instead of God! Verse 7 asks "Why are you destroying yourselves?" I love this verse. Why are we destroying ourselves? We bring upon self-abuse, self-destruction, when we pursue things that are not of God. Think about it. They may bring a quick temporary pleasure, but in the long run are they building us up or destroying us? Why are we destroying ourselves?
New Testament - 2 Timothy 2, verse 9 has a great verse for us One Year Bible readers! :) "But the word of God cannot be chained." Amen! Well, I suppose in theory one individual Bible could be chained (as you sadly see below), but not all Bibles. God's Word overall cannot be chained!
2 Tim 2 is a great chapter today... just jam packed with wisdom. Verse 4 stands out: "And as Christ's soldier, do not let yourself become tied up in the affairs of this life, for then you cannot satisfy the one who has enlisted you in his army." How often do we become tied up in affairs of this life.... ? Every day? Every hour? More often than that... ? If we are constantly "distracted" by the affairs of this life, do we lose sight of Jesus? Do we distract ourselves enough that we can't serve Jesus well?
Verse 21 is a great closing verse today: "If you keep yourself pure, you will be a utensil God can use for his purpose. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work." Will you keep yourself pure? Have you ever realized that you are indeed a utensil for God's use? :)
Psalms - Today in Psalm 92 verse 4 we read a joyful verse! “For you make me glad by your deeds, O LORD; I sing for joy at the works of your hands.” When was the last time you reflected upon God’s deeds? When was the last time you reflected upon God’s work of his hands? Do you think this might be a good daily habit? Do God’s deeds make you glad? Do you sing for joy regularly for the work of God's hands?
Bible.org's commentary on Psalm 92 titled "Worship - Our Delight and Our Duty" is at this link.
Proverbs - Proverbs 26 today - I think we have a catch-22 here! Someone correct me if I'm wrong here in verses 4 & 5 - "When arguing with fools, don't answer their foolish arguments, or you will become as foolish as they are. When arguing with fools, be sure to answer their foolish arguments, or they will become wise in their own estimation." So do we not answer their foolish arguments.... or do we? :) I can see the wisdom in both verses in different circumstances... Let me know what you think on this one in the Comments below!
Comments from you - What verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings? Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!
God bless,
Mike
'If you stay in this land, I will build you up and not tear you down; I will plant you and not uproot you, for I am grieved over the disaster I have inflicted on you. ....None of the remnant of Judah who have gone to live in Egypt will escape or survive to return to the land of Judah, to which they long to return and live; none will return except a few fugitives."
Alot of chaotic changes have been going on in my life for the past few months.By God's grace,things are beginning to settle down...I read the posts on "church"yesterday,I'm not going to continue the thread but I just want to share with you about the remnant of Israel..
For hundreds of years the church chose to ignore Israel saying God has replaced his promises to her with promises to the gentile church.Now many jews are recognising Jesus as their Lord and a reconciliation process has started.Last week a conference was held in Bucharest with all the denominations and the messianic jews...the theme,reconciliation and forgiveness.Jesus prayed that we the body be one as the God,Jesus and the Holy Spirit are one,it is a miracle to see this coming to pass and my prayer today is though we are all different,we should love,accept one another so the world may truly know us as followers of Christ.
God bless you all
Posted by:Anka | October 23, 2006 at 01:26 AM
Sorr the conference was held in another town in romania not bucharest..just in case anyone wants to know more about this reconciliation proces the website is http://www.tjcii.org/
Posted by:Anka | October 23, 2006 at 01:28 AM
mike, i think the proverbs are meant to be complementary and not mutually exclusive. ie, if you ARE gong to use your time to answer a fool, make sure you do so quickly and efficiently and in a way that means they know you think they are fools and don't get drawn into 'endless genealogies and arguments of no value'. If you aren't going to bother, then make a claer decision not to bother and don't come back later and waste your time!
Posted by:rob | October 23, 2006 at 04:10 AM
Mike, I believe attitude is the key to reconciling these proverbs. When arguing with fools and it becomes intense, then you put them on the defensive and they will not listen to what you have to say. The argument will lead to anger and that will only make the fool more determine to stand by his/her incorrect thinking. If you answer their questions quietly with a smile on your face and preface it with “I understand what you are saying but this is what I believe” then you may just plant the seed that will make them reconsider. You are not criticizing them but instead offering them your opinion for consideration. After all, Jesus stands at the door and knocks – He doesn’t beat the door down or demand that the nonbeliever let Him in, and He is our role model. In the same manner, we can’t project Christian attitude and beliefs by beating a person over the head with them. We have to gently and lovingly put forth our love for Christ and His love for us so that the nonbeliever will want to open the door of his/her heart to receive the message.
God Bless!
Pat
Posted by:Pat | October 23, 2006 at 06:03 AM
There are so many wonderfully inspiring truths in these chapters.
From Jeremiah 42:3 Pray that the LORD your God will tell us where we should go and what we should do. For those who wonder about God's will for their lives, this is a good place to start--ask the Lord to show us where to go and what to do. I have turned to these verses many times for direction.
As well, 2 Timothy is chalk full of great teaching. I love that Paul invests himself in the life of his protege Timothy. Paul knows he is on his way out and one of his legacies is the deep investment of life to life he has had in Timothy's life. He says, "And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others." 2 tim 2:2. But he precedes this by saying, "You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus." We minister to people out of grace environment. I thank God for the "Pauls' in my life through the years, and I am privileged to be a Paul to people in my own sphere of influence. Keep on investing in SOMEONE!!!
Posted by:luciano Del Monte | October 23, 2006 at 08:24 AM
Mike, When reading these verses in proverbs I am reminded that I am not a good argurer. One of my daily prayer request is for wisdom in my speech because if I am not careful I will end up being the fool in both instances. Brandon
Posted by:Brandon | October 23, 2006 at 12:42 PM
Proverbs 26:3-5 ~~~ Jeremiah 42:1-44:23
To the Chief Musician. [A Psalm] of David. THE [empty-headed] fool has said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable deeds; there is none that does good or right. [Rom. 3:10.] (Psalms 14:1 AMP)
Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted.
(Psalms 107:17 KJV)
Mike—I believe the answer to your question regarding the text of today’s Proverb can be found in our reading of Jeremiah. A fool is someone who has not submitted themselves to the obedience of God and that submission is not based on what they say, what they appear to be doing but on what is in their heart. Jesus said, O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. (Matthew 12:34 KJV). What we speak and how we speak is never limited to what comes out of our mouths. We speak in three ways: words, body and deed; our actions speak louder than our words, our body language as we speak gives BIG hints to what we are saying.
The “leaders” who killed Gedaliah, the leaders who then killed and chased Gedaliah’s assassins, “Johanan son of Kareah and Jezaniah son of Hoshaiah” were all “guerrillas,” rebels. They were not rebels who carried a righteous indignation against the appointed leadership, they were rebels against God and His Word. A fool by his/her very nature and character will not submit to God and that is why the writer of Proverbs states:
Don't answer a fool according to his foolishness, or you'll be like him yourself. Answer a fool according to his foolishness, or he'll become wise in his own eyes. (Proverbs 26:4-5 HCSB)
No matter how you answer, a fool he/she will still be a fool and believers are in danger of falling into the same pot as the fool if they associate with him or her. A fool is angry that is why they are rebelling against God and established leadership.
Don't make friends with an angry man, and don't be a companion of a hot-tempered man, or you will learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare. (Proverbs 22:24-25 HCSB)
Rebellious people, thus fools, can never be trusted. If they rebel against godly leadership, they will rebel against God and if they rebel against God they will rebel against godly leadership. This mode operand can be found in every area of life, in the man or woman who declares to the husband or wife that is not there’s that they will leave their respective spouses if only …, o the person whose change of behavior or lifestyle is predicated on someone or something else changing before they “get it together.”
Fools approached Jeremiah for a Word from God and God humored and tested them. They got their Word and they remained fools. Change is not change until it’s changed. If you are speaking to a “fool”, either you are trying to effect change in the fools life or you are trying to make yourself look good or wise in the eyes of others. Either way your words are wasted. KNOW your audience and know yourself well enough that you operate out of right motives.
Grace and peace,
Ramona
Posted by:Ramona | October 23, 2006 at 02:47 PM
Dear brother in Christ Praise the Lord. Your web. site is very good, Please send me daily bread reading book let for every day reading and meditation.
Thanking very much
Posted by:Joseph Daniel Martin | May 19, 2008 at 05:14 AM