Category: Psalms

January 3, read the Bible in a year; in PowerPoint, with comments.

Today we read in John 2, that Jesus turned water into wine, cleansed the Temple, and when the Jews demanded a sign he gave them just one sign (which they of course did not understand).

Genesis 2 left us with the idyllic Eden, no diseases existed yet. But God created us with free will, and the fall is then described in Genesis 3 . The problem is, after eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, (not an apple tree) and in so doing we think we can build a better world without God.

The question to ponder is: Why did God create us with a free will? He knew the result from the beginning, and knew He would have to send His Son to redeem us back to Himself. In fact He knew it from before the beginning: “All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the Lamb’s book of life, the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world.” (Revelation 13:8, NIV)

Answer: We are created in God’s image, male and female, not so much physical, but spiritual, and free will is part of the package. Without free will there is no fellowship with God, only puppetry.

Psalm 1 is a beautiful poem about righteous living, and only one person could fulfill all the conditions mentioned, the exception to ” There is none righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3: 10)

Day 365 of reading the Holy Bible in 365 days.

Revelation 22 begins with the Angel showing the Apostle John the River of Life, the time is near, Jesus is coming soon and He testifies to the Churches, don’t add to or take away from God’s word. Jesus is coming Quickly, Amen!

Proverbs 31. The sayings of King Lemuel. The book of Proverbs ends up with “The Wife of Noble Character”, and every day I thank the Lord for my wife of 55 years. Lives would have been quite different (three children and seven grandchildren would not exist at all) if God had not brought us together.

Psalm 150. Let everything that hath breath praise the LORD!

Day 352 of reading the Holy Bible in 365 days.

Revelation 10 tells of the mighty angel and the little book. The angel announced there would be no more delay, and by the time of the seventh trumpet all will be set in motion. John is told to eat the little book, and then he was told to prophesy again.

Proverbs 29, more proverbs of Solomon; and yes, they still deal with the superiority of wisdom and righteousness over folly and wickedness.

Psalm 149. Praise the LORD and sing a new song. With the two-edged sword (of the spirit) the saints will execute judgement on the nations.

Day 346 of reading the Holy Bible in 365 days.

Revelation 4. The Apostle John was shown the throne room of Heaven. Someone was sitting on the throne. A rainbow was over it, 24 elders were around it, in the front were seven lamps, representing the seven-fold spirit of God. Around it were also four creatures, one like a lion, representing Jesus as king (Matthew), one like an ox representing Jesus as a servant (Mark), one with the face of man representing the humanity of Christ (Luke), and the fourth like an eagle representing Jesus is God (John). All sang or said praises, a true worship.

Proverbs 27. More Proverbs of Solomon. This chapter deals with the future, and what to do about it today. One notable quote: “Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.”

Psalm 148: Let all creation praise the LORD!

Day 345 of reading the Holy Bible in 365 days.

Revelation 3 ends the message to the seven churches: To Sardis, the church that claimed to be alive, but in God’s eyes was dead; to Philadelphia, the church that kept its faith, and as a reward will be kept from the hour of trial that is coming; and finally to the church of Laodicea, the church that thought it had it all figured out and prospered, when in reality it had nothing. These can be seen as seven historical churches, which they were, but also as seven types of churches as they exist today and through history. They can also be taken as seven states of the individual believer. However you take it, there is something in it for every believer, even today.

In Habakkuk 3 is recorded Habakkuk’s prayer, a hymn of faith.

Psalm 147 is a great Psalm of praising God for His protection and creation, for His care and power, for His provisions, wisdom and His word. It ends with praise to the LORD for His special attention to Israel.

Day 343 of reading the Holy Bible in 365 days.

Revelation 2:1-11 begins the message to the seven churches. The first two are: Ephesus, the church that lost its first love; Smyrna, the church that stood firm even when it was persecuted;  These can be seen as seven historical churches, which they were, but also as seven types of churches as they exist today and through history. They can also be taken as seven states of the individual believer. Whichever way you take it, there is even today something in it for every believer.

Proverbs 26 is a collection of more proverbs of Solomon collected after his death during the reign of Hezekiah.

Psalm 145, a Psalm of Praise, of David. In an acrostic fashion David praised God for his fame, glory and for His goodness; for his kingdom and His providence, and most of all for his saving mercy.

Psalm 146 is the first of the five final songs in the Book of Psalms, known as the Hallelujah Psalms. This one gives praise to the Lord for creation, for what He is doing and will do forever.

Day 340 of reading the Holy Bible in 365 days.

3 John. The Apostle sent a greeting to Gaius, who was commended for his love and generosity, and urged to follow good people like Demetrius, but to avoid bad people like Diotrephes. The letter ends with a farewell greeting. That’s it.

Proverbs 25 is a collection of more proverbs of Solomon collected after his death during the reign of Hezekiah.

Psalm, 141, of David. A short Psalm telling that confession without compromise comes before God’s protection and victory over evildoers.

Psalm 142, of David. When all strength fails “The LORD is my only refuge.”

Psalm 143, of David. There is hope, even in the deepest despair.

Psalm 144, of David. He is a man of war, but gives praise to God with a new song, for God is the one who grants victory.

Day 337 of reading the Holy Bible in 365 days.

1 John 4. Test the spirits. There is the spirit of God, and then there are many spirits of the Antichrist. Remember: “greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” We know God through love and we see God through love, “We love him, because he first loved us.”

Proverbs 24 completes the sayings of the wise, and begins some more sayings of the wise. The two last verses are notable: “Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:  So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.

Psalm 137. When the Jews were exiled into captivity they were forced to sing songs on their way. So somebody wrote a psalm about it. Compare that to when Paul and Silas were put in jail, they voluntarily sang songs of praise to God.

Psalm 138. David, as psalmist reminds us that God will honor His word and perform it to completion.

Psalm 139, of David. God knows everything, and He knows me much better than I know myself. Fittingly, the Psalm ends up with a song: “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

Psalm 140, of David. A heartfelt prayer for deliverance from evildoers.

Day 336 of reading the Holy Bible in 365 days.

1 John 3:11-24. We are children of God. As children of God we no longer sin, but it is important we love and show the outworking of love, for in it is the spirit of truth.

Jonah. The short but great story of Jonah, the famous solar eclipse of 763 B.C. the great solar eclipse of 2017, the coming eclipse of 2024 and the tearing down of statues.

Psalm 136 is called the Great Hallel (or Great Psalm of Praise). Each one of its 26 verses repeats the phrase, “His mercy endureth forever.”  It was sung responsively by the Levites and the assembly of people at both Solomon’s and Zerubbabel’s temple dedication and is now sometimes sung or recited at the Passover Seder.

Day 335 of reading the Holy Bible in 365 days.

1 John 3:1-10. We are children of God, or as the King James Bible calls it “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God:” As children of God we do not continue to sin, for if we do, we don’t have the spirit of God in us.

Proverbs 23, Sayings of the Wise. Do not be a glutton, do not desire riches, do not be a moocher, do not argue with a fool, do not change ancient landmarks, do not withhold correction from a child, do not envy sinners because they are having fun, do not drink wine to excess, do not despise your mother when she is old, honor your father and mother, keep away from harlots, stay sober and do not succumb to alcohol.

Psalm 134 is the last of the songs of ascents. 3 verses short and to the point. Bless the Lord and He will bless you from Zion.

Psalm 135 is a Psalm of praise and thanksgiving to the uniqueness and superiority of the LORD, His name and all that He has done! Compare that to the worthless idols!