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Bible reading for weekend April 2 -- 4 Apr 2 -- Proverbs 20 and Colossians 3 Apr 3 -- Proverbs 21 and Colossians 4 Apr 4 -- Proverbs 22 and 1 Thessalonians 1 "A king who sits on the throne of judgment winnows all evil with his eyes." (Proverbs 20:8) AUTHORITY AND JUSTICE. As you read the next several chapters in Proverbs keep your eyes peeled for proverbs relating to rulers, kings, and responding to authority. Most of us, at one time or another, have had difficulty submitting to authority. And most of us don't know how to use authority without harming others. Solomon is speaking directly to his sons, and their descendants, who will rule in Israel. They are to forsake drunkenness, quarrelling, rash decisions, deception, and indolence, among other vices. And they are to be men of understanding, faithful to the Lord, speaking truth, caring for the poor, seeking good counsel, and walking with integrity and justice. The only perfect Ruler is our Lord Jesus (Isa 9:6-7), who em...

Bible reading for weekend March 31 -- April 1 Mar 31 -- Proverbs 18 and Colossians 1 Apr 1 -- Proverbs 19 and Colossians 2 "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits." (Proverbs 18:21) THE POWER OF LANGUAGE. One of the most remarkable gifts that God gave us in creation was the gift of communication. With our thoughts and mouths we can communicate not only concrete realities but also abstract ideas.  This is part of the image of God in man, since our God communicates (and creates) by spoken language. Truth itself is spoken reality. The tongue is an amazing organ, or tool, for both good and evil (Jas 3:1-10). An important part of wisdom is knowing when to speak and when to be silent, to whom to speak, and what to say and how to say it (Jas 1:19-20). Wisdom is not merely a matter of being silent, because some things really need to be said (see Psalms 32:3; 39:1-2). Words can bring death, but words are needed to bring life, as well....

Bible reading for October 16.  1 Kings 19. "And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, 'What are you doing here, Elijah?'" (1 Kings 19:13) FROM FAITH TO FEAR. Elijah goes from a mountain-top experience of great success, down to the pit of fear and despair, because of Jezebel's threat. And the threat was real. Who knew that God's prophets could go through such ups and downs? So Elijah flees to Mount Sinai, many miles to the south in the wilderness. The Lord sustains him through the journey. He is going back to the place where God gave his law and promises, where God's power and glory had been manifested centuries before, and where the nation was founded. Twice the Lord will ask him, "what are you doing here, Elijah?" In other words, why have you come? This is not an indictment, but an invitation to speak and to plainly state his pro...

Bible reading for October 14.  1 Kings 17. "And the woman said to Elijah, 'Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is truth.'" (1 Kings 17:24) CATCHING UP. The kingdom has divided into north (aka Judah) and south (aka Israel). The curious story of the two disobedient prophets highlights the importance of integrity and complete obedience to the word of God not just among kings but among prophets (ch 13). The death of these two unnamed prophets will bring us to the great prophetic period begun with Elijah (ch 17). In our story in Kings we will now read alternating accounts of the kings, north and south, good and bad. The name of a king is introduced, the length of his reign, an assessment of his heart, and often, the name of his mother (see 14:21, 31). Most of these sons were not raised by their fathers but by their mothers from other religious backgrounds, hence, the problems with idolatry. "And there was war between......