Reading for Today:
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Ecclesiastes 8:1
Chapter 8 1 Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? A man's wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the hardness of his face is changed.
–10:20
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Psalms 103:6-14
6 Jehovah executeth righteous acts, And judgments for all that are oppressed. 7 He made known his ways unto Moses, His doings unto the children of Israel. 8 Jehovah is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness. 9 He will not always chide; Neither will he keep `his anger' for ever. 10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins, Nor rewarded us after our iniquities. 11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is his lovingkindness toward them that fear him. 12 As far as the east is from the west, So far hath he removed our transgressions from us. 13 Like as a father pitieth his children, So Jehovah pitieth them that fear him. 14 For he knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust.
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Proverbs 24:10-12
10 If thou faint in the day of adversity, Thy strength is small. 11 Deliver them that are carried away unto death, And those that are ready to be slain see that thou hold back. 12 If thou sayest, Behold, we knew not this; Doth not he that weigheth the hearts consider it? And he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? And shall not he render to every man according to his work?
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1 Corinthians 10:19-33
19 What say I then? that a thing sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20 But `I say', that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have communion with demons. 21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of demons: ye cannot partake of the table of the Lord, and of the table of demons. 22 Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he? 23 All things are lawful; but not all things are expedient. All things are lawful; but not all things edify. 24 Let no man seek his own, but `each' his neighbor's `good'. 25 Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, eat, asking no question for conscience' sake, 26 for the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof. 27 If one of them that believe not biddeth you `to a feast', and ye are disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience' sake. 28 But if any man say unto you, This hath been offered in sacrifice, eat not, for his sake that showed it, and for conscience sake: 29 conscience, I say, not thine own, but the other's; for why is my liberty judged by another conscience? 30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks? 31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give no occasions of stumbling, either to Jews, or to Greeks, or to the church of God: 33 even as I also please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the `profit' of the many, that they may be saved.
Notes:
Ecclesiastes 8:1
Chapter 8 1 Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? A man's wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the hardness of his face is changed.
5 enjoyment. In no way does Solomon commend unbridled, rampant indulgence in sin, which is implied in Christ’s account of the man whose barns were full. That man may have justified his sin by quoting this passage (
Luke 12:19
19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, be merry.
). His focus here is on the resolve to enjoy life in the face of the injustice which surrounded him.
Proverbs 24:12 He who weighs the hearts. God is the One who knows the truth about the motives of the heart and the excuses for failing to do what is right (
James 4:17
17 To him therefore that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
). render to each man according to his deeds. v. 29;
Job 34:11
11 For the work of a man will he render unto him, And cause every man to find according to his ways.
; Jer. 25:14; 50:29.
1 Corinthians 10:19
19 What say I then? that a thing sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything?
,20 Idols and the things sacrificed to them have no spiritual nature or power in themselves (8:4, 8), but they do represent the demonic. If pagan worshipers believe an idol is a god, demons act out the part of the imagined god (2 Thess. 2:9–11). There is not a true god in the idol, but there is a satanic spiritual force (Deut. 32:17; Ps. 106:37).
1 Corinthians 10:23
23 All things are lawful; but not all things are expedient. All things are lawful; but not all things edify.
–30 Paul gives 4 principles for Christian liberty: 1) edification over gratification (v. 23); 2) others over self (v. 24); 3) liberty over legalism (vv. 25–27); and 4) condescension over condemnation (vv. 28–30).
DAY 30: What are the different kinds of Psalms?
The Psalms cover the full breadth of human experience. Some express in general terms while others express in very specific terms the shifting events of life. There’s a psalm for almost any kind of day. One way to categorize the Psalms groups them by five general types:
1. Wisdom Psalms—instructions for wise living (1; 37; 119)
2. Lamentation Psalms—meditations on the pangs of life (3; 17; 120)
3. Penitential Psalms—meditations on the pangs of sin (51)
4. Kingship Psalms—meditations on God’s sovereign rule (2; 21; 144)
5. Thanksgiving Psalms—praise and worship offered to God (19; 32; 111)
From The MacArthur Daily Bible Copyright © 2003. Used by permission of Thomas Nelson Bibles, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc, Nashville, TN 37214, www.thomasnelson.com.
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