February 23rd One Year Bible Readings

~ Click on this link for today's readings ~
Leviticus 14:1-57 ~ Mark 6:30-56 ~ Psalm 40:1-10 ~ Proverbs 10:11-12
~ Click here to listen to today's Scripture on BibleOnRadio.com ~

Old Testament - Today in Leviticus chapter 14 we read about cleansing from skin diseases and treatment of contaminated houses.  I found the treatment of the mildew in the houses quite fascinating - with verse 45 telling us about the ultimatum for a house if the mildew reappears: "It must be torn down, and all its stones, timbers, and plaster must be carried out of town to the place designated as ceremonially unclean."  This chapter again goes into the clean & the unclean.  If you didn't get chance to read the bible.org commentary on Clean & Unclean from Leviticus chapters 12 through 15, you may want to take a few minutes to read it at this link.  Also, a sermon from Peninsula Bible Church with some interesting points on Leviticus chapters 13 & 14 titled "Sick Garments and Diseased Houses" is at this link.   Verses 52 & 53 today: "After he has purified the house in this way, he will release the living bird in the open fields outside the town. In this way, the priest will make atonement for the house, and it will be ceremonially clean."

New Testament - Today we read in Mark Chapter 6 verse 46: “Afterward he (Jesus) went up into the hills by himself to pray.” What a beautiful verse for each of us to meditate upon! Jesus went by himself to pray to God. It is interesting to note that this took place just after Jesus fed the 5,000. Jesus had been working hard – he is God and yet he still felt the call to pray to the Father. I think this verse is such a great reminder that you and I need to follow Jesus’ example in this verse. And we’re so not God! :) So, think about how much more crucial it is for us to pray. Jesus knew that God was his source of strength. His comfort. His wisdom. And prayer was the one sure fire way for Jesus to really connect and spend time with God. How is your prayer life these days? Are you finding a good amount of time each day to be by yourself and pray? If not, can you schedule this time into your calendar each day?  A stained glass image from today's readings about Jesus feeding the 5,000:

Psalms - The U2 fans out there will know that the band released a song called "40" in 1983 inspired by Psalm 40.  The band took most of the lyrics for this song straight from the early verses of this Psalm - and I quote here from the song, not the Psalm per se - "I waited patiently for the Lord, He inclined and heard my cry. He brought me up out of the pit; Out of the miry clay.  He set my feet upon a rock; And made my footsteps firm. Many will see; Many will see and hear."  The song also could have also been called "6" because the refrain is from Psalm 6 verse 3: "How long, O LORD, how long?"  A quote from Bono on the song is this: "'40' became the closing song at U2 shows and on hundreds of occasions, literally hundreds of thousands of people of every size and shape t-shirt have shouted back the refrain pinched from 'Psalm 6': 'How long to sing this song.' I thought of it as a nagging question - pulling at the hem of an invisible deity whose presence we glimpse only when we act in love. How long...hunger? How long...hatred? How long until creation grows up and the chaos of its precocious adolescence has been discarded? I thought it odd that the vocalising of such questions could bring such comfort; to me too."  Has anyone heard U2 play "40" in concert before?  I did twice - once back on the Joshua Tree tour way back in 1987 and once a couple years ago on the Vertigo tour.  It's a beautiful song - written really by David!

Proverbs - Today we read in Proverbs chapter 10 verse 11: “The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life.” WOW! I love this Proverb on so many levels. The idea of a “fountain of life” is such a great metaphor! Because I think what comes out of our mouth is so much like a fountain – and we are hopefully pouring forth Living Water for others. However, I imagine that there are times when our fountain is not quite so clean and we’re pouring forth something else. I think what I find so meaningful about this verse is that I have really been convicted of how important and impactful our words are to others. Our words can really build people up – or tear people down if we are not careful. I don’t know about you, but I know there are times in my life when I can be negative with what I say. Then, there are times when I can be very positive and I feel like the enthusiasm is contagious to others. And these are the times when perhaps my words seem to be a bit more like a fountain of life. I say all of this to just encourage you to reflect on the words that come from your mouth. 

Worship God: Today as we're reading Psalm 40 and per my comments on this Psalm above, I'd like to share with you a live performance of U2's "40" at Red Rocks on June 5, 1983. Watch this video all the way to the end to see the crowd at Red Rocks singing "How long to sing this song?" over and over again...

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture this week: "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." Matthew 5:6 NIV

Comments from you & Questions of the Day:  Per Proverbs 10:11 above, are your words typically a fountain of life to others? Are you cognizant of what you say and how you say it to others around you so that your words truly will become a fountain of life to others?  Or are you sometimes careless with your words?   Do you think our words matter?  Also, 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

Comments

[Skip]

Psalm 40:5 stood out to me today. “…Your plans for us are too numerous to list. You have no equal. If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds, I would never come to the end of them.” How true this verse is to all of us. God’s plans for each and every one of us ARE much too numerous to list in any form. If you sit in a quite place and meditate on how many wonderful deeds and wonderful things have happened to you, you can just keep going on and on and on. And if you include the wonderful things around you, and also include your family and friends, I’m sure that the list would take longer than our lifetime to create. God has done so many wonderful deeds in my life and I’m sure in yours too!

John 6:46 also stood out to me. “46 After telling everyone good-bye, he went up into the hills by himself to pray.” Throughout the Bible we read about Jesus going off by himself to pray to the father. There is definitely something special about having a quite place where you can be alone with God in prayer. I am very fortunate that I have such a place. About a mile from my house there is a place that we call Indian Tower. It is a tower that was built on the highest point in the town and was used during the Indian wars as a look out for attacks. It is an open tower with a spiral staircase in the center. From the top you can see the entire valley for miles in all directions. What a beautiful sight and what a wonderful place to be alone with God. I go there often when I need that alone time. It not only gives me a place to be alone with God, but being able to see for miles in all directions also puts life in perspective, reassuring me that God is in control.

Yours in Christ
Skip

[John A.]

Psalm 40:1-10

What do we know? This Psalm is written to be sung in public worship, and it is written by David. But who is the singer? Based on Hebrews 10, the singer is Jesus Christ. The Holy spirit was writing through David putting the words of Jesus Christ to this "Song of Delieverance".

Hebrews10:5-7 (same as Psalm 40:6-8 given Septuagint translation)

"Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said:
"Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
but a body you prepared for me;
6with burnt offerings and sin offerings
you were not pleased.
7Then I said, 'Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll—
I have come to do your will, O God.'" NIV
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What is Christ singing about?

1 I waited patiently for the LORD;
he turned to me and heard my cry.

Jesus trusted in the Father - he waited patiently in the grave, and ultimately God heard Jesus' cry (for salvation/resurrection).

"God’s help comes, not too soon, lest we should not know
the blessedness of trusting in the dark, and not too late,
lest we should know the misery of trusting in vain." - David Jeremiah

Verse 2: Jesus is resurrected.
Verse 3: God puts a song in Jesus' mouth in Praise to God. God does it - we do not do it on our own. Even after salvation it is God who does works through us.
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4 Blessed is the man
who makes the LORD his trust,
who does not look to the proud,
to those who turn aside to false gods.

Blessed - Hebrew for blessed or HAPPY. there is great Joy in trusting in the Lord, for we will finally fulfill that NEED we have of being connected to the Creator. We do not look to the proud (who have rejected God).
======================================================
Jesus' submission to God's plan

In verse 6 we step out of time into eternity. To the words Jesus spoke in heaven before He came to earth.

Jesus continues with a commitment to obedience, a desire to surrender his heart and will completely to his Father.

"Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,.."

It says that this was historical reality, but God never really wanted it. It says these sacrifices were "not required" and "not desired." The blood of lambs and bulls and goats was not what God was after. Jesus understood that God gave these sacrifices as an object lesson. What God was after was a restoration of the relationship between God and man. The sacrifices symbolized what Jesus was coming to do, and pointed out the needs of man towards their God.

"but my ears you have pierced" - whether this was symbolic of a bond-servant who lovingly wanted to stay and serve his master (by having his ear pierced), or Jesus having his ears opened to be able to hear and obey God on earth - the idea here is one of submission.

"Then I said, "Here I am, I have come—
it is written about me in the scroll."

Like Isaiah, and unlike Moses originally in Midian - Jesus says - Here I am - I will do it - I will do what has been decided before time began.

"I desire to do your will, O my God;
your law is within my heart."

Jesus came to make himself completely available to God, voluntarily without any external pressure. It happened because he had internalized God's Law-ultimate reality, the greatest good revealed in the Scriptures. It had been written on his heart, and it controlled everything he said and did.

Jesus gave us the example. Is any Christian, anyone who has accepted Jesus as His LORD and Savior, to do any less? We need to go back to Psalm 25 (first twelkve verses) - and develop the heart like David that is exemplified in Christ. Trust, be humble, submit, and be in reverence/awe of God. The heart that Jesus exemplified perfectly.
======================================================
9 I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly;
I do not seal my lips,
as you know, O LORD.

10 I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;
I speak of your faithfulness and salvation.
I do not conceal your love and your truth
from the great assembly.

Can anyone deny that this is what Jesus did? So hundreds of years before Christ came - David describes - death, resurrection, Jesus' attitude towards God and His ministry. All this in sharp contrast to what the Priest's of the temple thought the Messiah would do on earth - be a man, a king, and mighty military power.

[John A.]

Proverbs10:12

"Hatred stirs up dissension,
but love covers over all wrongs."

A hateful spirit isn’t satisfied to forgive and forget; it insists on raking up old grudges and quarrels. A heart of love draws a curtain of secrecy over the faults and failures of others. These faults and failures must, of course, be confessed and forsaken, but love does not gossip about them or keep the pot boiling.
MacDonald, W., & Farstad, A. 1997, c1995. Believer's Bible Commentary : Old and New Testaments . Thomas Nelson: Nashville

[John A.]

Mark 6:30-56

Holding off on feeding five thousand until a later Gospel - but it is worthy to note that Jesus - the bread of life - could symbolically sustain the nation of Israel - through the grace and mercy of God the Father. Not just sustain, but overflowing in grace and mercy via the twelve leftover baskets.
======================================================
Walking on Water

Again - going to hold off except for:

Mark 6:52 - "for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened." NIV

How were there hearts hardened???? Was it as simple as not tying together that the man who could feed five thousand from a few loaves could certainly have the ability to walk on water?????

I saw the numbers before, but it never struck me to connect them to the leftover baskets.

The woman of blood had the disease twelve years, Jarius' daughter was twelve, there were twelve disciples sent out two by two, and there were twelve baskets of leftover food.

I believe God is a great one to give underlying clues as to what he is about. I think the number "twelve" in all these instances is to refer to the twelve tribes of Israel.

I believe God is showing here that the Son of God had arrived and was there to heal (restore) the sick (in sin), raise the dead (provide a new life), and provide the "bread of eternal life" for the nation of Israel. Down to the big clue that there would be "twelve" apostles to carry out this mission after Christ left.

The apostles kept thinking - who is this man??? They had still not connected the dots. Oh, they probably knew He was from God, but I think here they are still not acknowledging deity.

How was their heart(s) hardened? My speculation is that they thought they were following the Messiah - but their concept of the Messiah was a man who would be raised up by God to rule on King David's throne (and by the way throw out the hated Romans). They were probably thinking when the time is right - Jesus would take His rightful role. They were correct, but they misunderstood the role.

With each passing act by Jesus - they had to keep asking themselves the question - Who is this man????? And with each sign and wonder Jesus is giving a clue.

Here on the water Jesus even says. 'Take courage. I am (ego eimi - Jehovah). Do not be afraid.'

It will be a while before the disciples get it - and only then - when the Father removes the blinders and softens their heart so they can see the Truth that is Jesus Christ.

[John A.]

Posts are a little light today, so I want to share with you something I posted last year. On almost every page of the Old Testament - God is pointing to and proclaiming Jesus Christ to the nation of Israel. This is what I think Jesus taught the disciples on the "Road to Emmaus".
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Had seen individual explanations of Old Testament books pointing to Christ, but first time I found it altogether. From sermon of Stephen Davey, First Colonial Baptist church.

. Genesis - He is the prophesied seed who

will crush the serpent's head; He is the

brother betrayed by His kinsmen, whose

betrayal will lead to their deliverance;

. Exodus - He is the great "I AM"; He is the

Passover Lamb whose blood protects His

people from the angel of death and the

wrath of God; He is manna from heaven

and water from the rock;

. Leviticus - He is the tabernacle of God

among men:

. He is the brazen alter - signifying His

death which gives entrance;

. He is the brazen laver - promising to

cleanse us from every sin;

. He is the bread - signifying food that

gives everlasting life;

. He is the golden lamp stand - the light

of the world that will never be

extinguished;

. He is the altar of incense - perpetually

interceding on our behalf;

. He is the veil - through Him is the only

access into the presence of God;

. He is the ark - He embodies that holy

place where heaven touches earth;

. He is the Holy of Holies - in Him

dwells all the fullness of the Godhead.

. Numbers - He is the great hope in whom

all can safely put their trust; He is the great

High Priest who will never fail;

. Deuteronomy - He is the Lord our God; He

is the city of refuge where criminals may

run for protection;

. Joshua - He is the champion over every

enemy that stands in the way of God's

people;

. Judges - He is the angel of God,

empowering the weak and pursuing the

wandering; He is the perfection of grace

and patience toward His wandering people;

. Ruth - He is the wealthy landowner who

redeems His gentile bride from hopeless

poverty; placing her in the family line of

royalty; giving her the right to everything

of His vast estate;

. I and II Samuel - He is the name of the

Lord, in whose strength young men of faith

conquer enemies and slay giants;

. Kings and Chronicles - He is the sovereign

King behind and above all kingdoms, both

pagan and God-fearing;

. Ezra - He is the keeper of divine promise to

Israel and the hand that liberates His people

from bondage;

. Nehemiah - He is the re-builder of broken

lives and the restorer of broken fellowship;

. Esther - He is behind the scenes,

outsmarting the evil one and seeing that His

remnant remain, whispering into the ear of

a young queen that for such a time as this,

she has been crowned.

. Job - He is the majestic One who rides

upon the wind and commands the lightning;

He is the Lord of mystery who does not

explain life, but reveals He is sovereign

over all of life;

. Psalms - He is the rock of refuge, the

Shepherd of the sheep, the tower of shelter,

the sweet honey of revelation, thirst quenching

water, a crucified Savior, and a

sin forgiving Redeemer;

. Proverbs - He is everlasting wisdom;

divine counsel for those who accept His

invitation to turn aside and listen;

. Ecclesiastes - He is eternal satisfaction

over every earthly desire; He is the One to

be remembered in the days our youth;

. Song of Solomon - He is the Bridegroom

who pursues His bride, stopping at nothing

until she is safely in His arms;

. Isaiah - He is Emmanuel, the suffering

Savior, the One crushed for our iniquities

and the coming Prince of Peace whose

strong shoulder will one day bear the

governments of the world;

. Jeremiah - He is the branch of

righteousness who brings justice and

equity; He is the promised One who will

write a new covenant on the hearts of His

people;

. Lamentations - He is the father who

disciplines the sons He loves;

. Ezekiel - He is resurrection power,

breathing life into dry bones and bringing

life from death; He is the faithful leader re-gathering

His wandering flock;

. Daniel - He is the stone, cut without hands,

rejected by kingdoms, yet smiting the false

image and filling the earth with His glory;

He is the one whose Kingdom will not end;

. Hosea - He is the faithful husband of the

faithless wife;

. Joel - He is the hope of His people, the

strength of the children of Israel;

. Amos - He is the wrath of God against

oppressors; He is the promise of vineyards

and gardens where His children will one

day rest;

. Obadiah - He ascends Mount Zion as the

deliverer who judges the kingdoms of this

world and inaugurates His own everlasting

reign;

. Jonah - He is the fulfillment of the sign that

after three days and three nights, the Son of

Man will come forth vindicating the

righteousness of God and resurrection

power;

. Micah - He is the One who pardons our

iniquities; who does not retain His anger

forever; who delights in unchanging love;

He is the one who treads our iniquities

under His feet; who casts all our sins into

the depths of the sea;

. Nahum - He is slow to anger and great in

power; of Him the mountains quake and the

hills dissolve, yet He is a safe haven for all

who hide in Him;

. Habakkuk - He is radiant like sunlight;

whose strength makes our feet like the

hinds feet, and makes us walk on high

places;

. Zephaniah - He is the One who will gather

those who grieve and those who are lame

and those who are outcast; He is the One

who will turn their shame and despair into

everlasting praise;

. Haggai - He is the victorious Lord of hosts

who will shake the heavens and the earth as

He overthrows the nations of this world; He

is the One who will wear His chosen people

as jewels around His omnipotent fingers;

. Zechariah - He stands with His redeemed

on the Mount of Olives; His holiness will

be praised, even by the inscriptions on the

bells of horses' bridles as they gallop

through the city of His glory - "Holy to the

Lord" will be their praise for the Messiah;

. Malachi - He is the divine Refiner, sitting

over the smelting pot of His universe,

purifying His chosen people as silver and

gold; He is the great King, who does not

change; and for all those who believe in

Him, He will one day rise with healing in

His wings!