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Day 112 of Reading the Bible Cover to Cover in 365 days commentary, insights and thoughts. If you would like to follow along with the book offered exclusively on Amazon, please refer to https://www.amazon.com/Reading-Bible-Cover-365Days/dp/B0B6XSNMY6/ref=mp_s_a_1_90
This is a podcast sharing thoughts and insights for the accompanying the daily reading schedule for the book, Reading the Bible Cover to Cover in 365 Days.
Welcome to Day 112 of Reading the Bible Cover to Cover in 365 Days!
Let us pray:
O Lord, thank You for the freedom to read Your Word and learn about You. Help us receive the message You have for us today. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Let’s see what’s happening in Matthew chapter 23!
This is a chapter of woe’s – woes to the Pharisees. Jesus calls them out on all their wrong doings. As I read this chapter about their faults, I found myself asking the Lord if any of their faults were within me. And I think this is the way we should read it.
Jesus accused them of teaching things they didn’t do themselves. We are all familiar with the saying, Do as I say and not as I do. So, maybe we need to do some introspection here as well.
Jesus accused them of putting burdens on the people that they didn’t help carry. Paul writes a lot about helping shoulder one another’s burdens. Maybe we can do better here as well.
Jesus accused them of loving the honor from people. I’m sure I desire to be at least appreciated by others – even if it’s just my own family. I know a lot of moms who feel they aren’t and earnestly desire to be appreciated. Maybe we can look to the Lord for His appreciation and honor more than we would look to people.
Jesus accused the Pharisees of not helping people enter the kingdom of heaven. I admit that I don’t continually look to proselytize but that is one of the tasks God asks of us. It’s the great Commission.
Again, as I read this chapter, it was easy to see the Pharisees faults as Jesus pointed out, but maybe we need to see where we could do better as well. There are many other accusations spoken against them. Let our hearts be soft and moldable to the Lord, so He can do with us as He desires, and we can serve Him as He has planned.
We start a new book – the book of Titus today. Titus was a Gentile who was converted by Paul and was associated with him for about fifteen years. Titus was traveling with Paul when Paul left him in Crete to tend to the church there. It was a bit unorganized and needed direction.
So, let’s see what Paul writes to Titus in chapter 1!
Paul instructs Titus about appointing elders over the churches and what their character should be like. The elders should have integrity including within their families. The bishops were to be loving and hospitable, love good people things, sober-minded, and correct in their teachings and beliefs.
He writes a lot about what they shouldn’t be as well. It seems the people in Crete were riddled with issues. Verse 12 says, “One of their [very] number, a prophet of their own, said, Cretans are always liars, hurtful beasts, idle and lazy gluttons.” So, the elders and bishops needed to be the opposite and be equipped with the ability to deal with the issues of the people.
A nugget of wisdom is found in the verse 15 where Paul writes, “To the pure [in heart and conscience] all things are pure, but to the defiled and corrupt and unbelieving nothing is pure; their very minds and consciences are defiled and polluted.” We can take this into account in our own lives as well with those we meet and even those in our inner circles weighing this wisdom with whether they should stay in our inner circle and/or invite them into our inner circle. It is one thing to help people come to the Lord and another to invite those who are corrupt, with no intention of changing, into our circle.
Let’s see what’s happening with the Israelites in Judges chapter 13!
The Israelites turned against the Lord again and God gave them into the Philistines hands for forty years.
God had a plan. He chose a barren woman to have a child who would begin to free the Israelites. The woman was visited by an Angel of God who told her she would have a child who was to be a Nazirite from birth – a person separated for the Lord’s purpose. Her husband was Manoah from the tribe of Dan. When she told him about her visitation he prayed for another visitation. God granted his request. The Angel of the Lord came to them again. Manoah wanted to prepare a meal for him even though the Angel could not eat it. So, he prepared a meal and offered it upon a rock which became enflamed, and the Angel rose to heaven in the flame. Pay attention to how the woman was to live so that her son could be separated unto the Lord.
Their son, Samson, was born and verse 24 says, “the child grew and the Lord blessed him.”
In chapter 14, we read about Samson wanting a Philistine woman for his wife. These were the very people who had captured the Israelites, so his parents were against it. However, we read in verse 4 “that it was of the Lord, and that He sought an occasion for assailing the Philistines.”
We see Samson’s strength as he tore a lion apart.
Then Samson made a feast and tempted the men with a bet in the form of a riddle. A riddle he told them they had to solve within the seven-day feast. They were unable and went to his wife and told her they would burn her and her father’s home down. Samson’s wife was able to get him to tell her the answer which she then gave to her people.
Verse 19 says, “Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon and slew thirty men of them and took their apparel [as spoil], and gave the changes of garments to those who explained the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father’s house. But Samson’s wife was given to his companion who was his [best] friend.” We will see how this situation goes as we continue our reading in the next few days.
Psalm 112 describes the person who reveres and worships the Lord – the one who lives according to God’s commandments.
He will:
Be blessed.
Be prosperous.
Light will rise in the darkness.
It will be well with him.
He will not be moved.
He will not be afraid.
He will have faith and trust in God.
These are all wonderful things that result from the one who reveres and worships the Lord.
Let us pray:
O Lord, thank You for You Word that teaches us wisdom and Truth. We pray for more wisdom, Father. May our hearts worship and honor You. May we look to You for all we need. You are great and mighty! We praise You name! In Jesus’ name, amen.