November 13th One Year Bible Readings

Ezekiel 27:1-28:26 ~ Hebrews 11:17-31 ~ Psalm 111:1-10 ~ Proverbs 27:15-16
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Old Testament - Ezekiel Chapter 27 indicates that Tyre was certainly good at business and trading!   This was in large part due to Tyre's prime real estate location, which you can see in the two maps below:

 

However chapter 28 tells us that there was also a lot of pride associated with these business skills & wealth.  Verse 5 tells us: "Yes, your wisdom has made you very rich, and your riches have made you very proud."  This verse definitely stands out to me.  How often in our lives does something in our lives make us proud?  Verse 2 in this chapter says this: "In your great pride you claim, `I am a god!" If we get prideful enough, might we even consider ourselves a god??  Do you hear others in our culture today telling us that we are gods?  Good idea or bad idea here....?

Verse 11-19 in this chapter are very interesting.  It is tough to discern if these verses about the king of Tyre or Satan or both?  Commentators hedge on these verses.  Perhaps, indeed, when we let pride get the best of us and think we are a god then we risk interweaving our life story with Satan's?  I don't know.  Scary stuff to think about though - jump down to the Psalm 111 verses for a good antidote to all this pride stuff...

New Testament - Hebrews 11 verses 25 & 26 today tell us so much about the character and faith of Moses! "He chose to share the oppression of God's people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of the Messiah than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to the great reward that God would give him."  Do these verses speak to us today as well?  Will we share in the oppression of God's people?  Or do we enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin?  Do we suffer for the sake of Jesus?  Or would we prefer to chill out and hang out with our luxuries in life?  Do we look ahead to the great reward that God promises?  Will we pursue the character and faith of Moses in our own lives today?

Psalms - Psalm 111 is a wonderful Psalm of praise!  I love the way it ends in verse 10: "Reverence for the LORD is the foundation of true wisdom.  The rewards of wisdom come to all who obey him. Praise his name forever!" Do you believe that reverence for God is the foundation of true wisdom?  Do you believe that there are rewards of wisdom if you obey God?  Will you praise his name forever?

Proverbs - Proverbs chapter 27 verse 16 is a great teaching that it is tough to try to stop the wind or hold something with greased hands... How's that for avoiding the real point of this Proverb?  :) I'm newly married, so I'll punt to you veteran married folks to give commentary from here about that dripping analogy in verse 15!  :)

Worship God:  Today's readings reminded me of Chris Tomlin's great song "Made to Worship!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5FmNqozk6k

Are you made to worship?  Not sure?  Click here and be made to worship!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise. " Psalm 111:10 (NIV)

Prayer Point: Pray that you fear the LORD. Pray that you are pursuing wisdom in your life. Pray that you are gaining understanding. Pray that you will be praising God eternally!

Comments from You:  What verses or insights stand out to you from today's readings?  Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!

Grace, love, peace, and joy!
Mike

p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our One Year Bible readings at this link.

p.p.s. Download a schedule of our One Year Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.

p.p.p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this One Year Bible Blog ministry today. Thanks!

Comments

[Jenny]

Pride indeed comes before the fall. One of my fave songs is: "humble thyself in the sight of the Lord...and He shall lift you up! higher and higher and He, shall lift you up". Humility/meekness is indeed a wonderful virture! and pride is so very destructive.

I love the example of Moses. Think Moses is regretting his decision now? to forsake the pleasures of the world and follow God? ha! Lets focus on the eternal! this life will pass away!

I'm not married, regarding Provs, but if God's will for my life is to marry, may I be a blessing and joy to my husband, not a quarrlesome, constant drip. (and vice vs!). But, Paul did say it is better to remain single. ;) My dad is a widower and some of the women he has dated, he's sure glad he didnt marry them...and i remember him quoting this Prov, haha (and I have to agree!!!)

[alan mills]

I had pride many years ago and was quite a ways away from God, He took away my reason for pride and brought me down, not as far as Tyre, but by His Grace, I am again His, an awesome God of second chances. When we have much we can get prideful, when we have little, it's easier to depend on God. Thanks be to God. I'd rather be where I am now than when I had more and was away from Him .I appreciate the important things and people in my life so much more.