Comments on June 13th One Year Bible ReadingsTypePad2018-06-14T03:35:28ZOne Year Biblehttps://www.oneyearbibleblog.com/tag:typepad.com,2003:https://www.oneyearbibleblog.com/2018/06/june-13th-one-year-bible-readings/comments/atom.xml/Ramona commented on 'June 13th One Year Bible Readings'tag:typepad.com,2003:6a00d8341c5ebf53ef022ad352e388200c2018-06-14T03:36:46Z2018-06-14T03:36:46ZRamonaI Kings 11:1-23:19 Boy or boy when we are entrenched in our sin we find ways to justify what we...<p>I Kings 11:1-23:19</p>
<p>Boy or boy when we are entrenched in our sin we find ways to justify what we are doing and convince ourselves that we are not doing anything wrong just like Solomon. The first verse begins with, “Now King Solomon loved many foreign woman …” I’m wondering if this was love or lust. Love desires to benefit others at the expense of self; lust desires to benefit self at the expense of others. I think Solomon was doing a bit of lusting and calling it love.</p>
<p>About a year ago, I went on a “tangent” looking up all the places in the Bible that mentions the word vengeance. I wanted to see in what context was the word used and why did God not want man/woman to extract their own vengeance. As happens in a dialogue or discussions some things are brought in that one might think is off topic but then that new component yields serendipitous insight. Some how Solomon was mentioned, specifically the gods he worshiped after marrying all those “ites” woman (read 1 Kings 11 in the King James Version to understand the “ites.”), Molech and Ashtoreth, specifically. Molech was the god that children were offered up too (child sacrifice) and Ashtoreth (the goddess of love and fertility).</p>
<p>We noted that it appeared to us when society abandons itself to the pursuit of sexual pleasures (Ashtoreth) we wind up sacrificing our children on Molech’s alter to facilitate our drive toward sexual sin. We wind up sacrificing our children on our alters of pleasure. Sex comes with responsibility that is why God commands us to engage in it under the marriage covenant. We want the sex but we don’t want what it produces, children. So we abort them, neglect them, mistreat them and the list goes on and on. And if we decide to marry to legitimize our sexual lusts, especially in the Western World, our desire for sex seems to cut off all blood flow to our brains and we don’t enter into the marriage covenant financially capable to support kids. God gave us a BIG CLUE back there in the Garden of Eden. Before God have Adam a wife, he gave him a job working the garden: No job, No wife.</p>
<p>Yep, I know the above has nothing to do with today’s reading, or does it.</p>
<p>The consequences of Solomon’s reckless behavior led to destruction. There is a way that seems right to a man but ends in destruction (Proverbs 14:12). However, Solomon did not follow his own wisdom. Maybe we think because we said it, spoke it, and sensed it those elements of recognition will keep us from experiencing the folly of foolishness. However, wisdom, like lessens taught but not learned in school and a bar of soap, if not applied will do you no good. The Word of God can be memorized and studied over a lifetime, but if not applied to my life, it will be ineffectual.</p>
<p>David fought and conquered Israel’s enemies on the outside, but she was done in by the enemies on the inside, godlessness and faithlessness.<br />
Acts 9:1-25</p>
<p>I wonder if God chose Saul/Paul to preach/teach His Gospel because of his fervor. That same passion Saul used to persecute Christians God was going to use for His Glory. There is a lesson in their for me, the thing that makes me abhorrent to others, the thing that makes me destructive God can convert for His purpose making the detestable dirty thing into pure gold. Our God is just awesome.<br />
Psalm 131: 1-3<br />
It is in the still small voice that our God speaks to us and we have to learn to STOP! LOOK! And LISTEN! for that voice. Please note it is not God who causes us to be still, we have the responsibility to still and quiet ourselves.</p>
<p>2 But I have stilled and quieted myself,</p>
<p><br />
Proverbs 17:4-5</p>
<p>The fourth verse is another way of saying, “You are what you eat.” This verse flips the saying to “You eat what you are.” Wrongdoers eat wicked talk or words, and liars feast on words that bring destruction. What am I eating?</p>
<p>Grace and peace,<br />
Ramona</p>