Reflections on the Bible, and Other Writings, from a Christian Perspective.
I will be the first to admit that the Bible can be challenging to understand. It takes effort and diligence to find what it teaches on many topics. Nearly all of them are discussed in a variety of sections of the Scriptures. Because of this, some may be interested to read What Does the Bible Really Teach? by the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society as a study aid.
Last year I began writing some articles on concepts from the Book of Romans. I've already discussed a few ideas from the first two chapters, but never shared anything on chapter three and onward. The reason is because I have not been able to write about the Jewish people being blessed by having the revelations of God. This is mentioned in Romans 3:2. I'm glad to say that I am finally sharing some thoughts on this verse today.
There is much value in an in-depth study of a book of the Bible, but sometimes one can benefit from a quick reading as well. Doing so allows you to see the book's big picture and overarching themes easily. Such things may be lost if a text is read more slowly. It is with this in mind that I prepared today's reading plan.
Today's plan leads you through reading four chapters from the New Testament each day. It has four groups of books with each one corresponding to a specific Gospel. This allows you to see how the four testimonies of the Lord are similar to each other, and then read other texts that are related to one another.
I am a strong proponent of protecting the family both physically and spiritually. As a husband, father, and man, I consider defending my family to be one of my most important duties. Because of this, when I first found Protecting Your Home From Spiritual Darkness, I was immediately interested in its subject matter.
We all look up to someone, especially when we are younger since so many are older and taller than us. There is more to it than that though. It may be that the one we are looking to is greater than ourselves. This concept is even affirmed in Psalm 123. However, it also goes a step further and adds a plea of mercy to the idea.
Over the last year I have read a number of books about the Amish and Mennonites. Thus far, I have found this one to be the most impressive. Surprisingly, it isn't just a book about the attire of a couple religious groups. It is also a history of changing attitudes about clothing.
Last year I shared a few Bible reading plans for the Old and New Testaments. Today I am releasing my first two plans that encompass all of Scripture. They are divided into 5 series of books, and each calls for one to read 5 chapters a day.
My last post pointed out that the priestly service was done during the day and night. While doing research for it I came upon a commentary that shed more light on that fact. MacLaren's Expositions describes how the temple was guarded and what would happen if someone was caught sleeping. His comments are what I want to reflect on today.
Is praising God becoming boring to you? Does it feel like it is just a mechanical action? I hope not! Please let me encourage you to keep those things from happening. Praise and worship should not be done just out of habit. If you need a good text to remind you of the importance of praise check out Psalm 134.
