Romans 3 is full of memorable quotations: “let God be true, but every man a liar.” It speaks of God’s faithfulness and God’s Judgment, “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one” , “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God,“and “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law,” just to name a few. Read them all, and marvel.
Nehemiah 11 lists the people of Jerusalem and the people outside Jerusalem.
Psalm 55, of David. When treacherous friends and a multitude of enemies attacked, David still trusted God.
Acts 27:13-44. Against better advice from God via Paul the captain and Centurion ignored Paul’s warning, and sure enough a great storm grew up and they were shipwrecked on Malta, but all got safely ashore.
Proverbs 9 contrasts the way of wisdom with the way of folly.
Psalm 51, of David, written after Nathan confronted David after his adultery with Bathsheba. This Psalm explains fully, how God would say, after David was pointed out to be both an adulterer and a murderer: “He was a man after God’s own heart”.
Psalm 52, of David. The Psalm is a contemplation of David, contrasting the final end of evil men with the rewards of the righteous.
Psalm 53. This is a short Psalm telling about fools that say “No God”
Acts 24. Paul was on trial before Felix. He put up a vigorous defense, but to no avail. Felix adjourned the trial until Lysias would come back. Two years passed and Felix kept Paul in prison, hoping for a bribe so he could release him. None came and Felix was replaced by Justus, but Paul was still kept in prison past the time allowed, in order to keep the Jews pacified.
Psalm 49, of the Sons of Korah. This psalm is more of a teaching Psalm and give instruction on how to live and gives hope of salvation “But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave,For He shall receive me”
Psalm 50, of Asaph. God says: “for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills.” and “Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, and call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”
Acts 21. On the way to Jerusalem Paul was warned everywhere by the Holy Spirit not to go, but Paul continued unmoved, and people finally gave up, saying ‘The Lord’s will be done’. Paul was urged to make peace and purify himself with four other Jews that had taken a vow, which he did. A mob was stirred up anyway and Paul was arrested in the Temple. Because Paul was a Roman citizen he was allowed to address the Jerusalem mob.
2 Chronicles 30. Hezekiah celebrated the Passover and there was great joy in Jerusalem.
Psalm 49, of the Sons of Korah. This psalm is more of a teaching Psalm and give instruction on how to live and hope of salvation “But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave,For He shall receive me”
Acts 19:23-41. The tradesmen of Ephesus, who made souvenirs in the form of shrines and idols of silver considered Paul and the many believers bad for business. After all,Ephesus was the idol worship center of Artemis (Diana). This led to the riot at Ephesus.
Acts 18:9-28. Paul left Athens and went to Corinth where he stayed a year and a half, teaching many in the city, among them Priscilla and Acquila. The three of them went to Ephesus, where Paul left Priscilla and Acquila and went to Antioch. Priscilla and Acquila met Apollos, a learned man preaching the baptism of John. “When Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace: For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publicly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.”
2 Chronicles 15. Asa threw out the idols and repaired the altar before the Temple. People from Israel joined, and thanks to following the LORD Judah had peace until the 35th year of Asa’s reign.
2 Chronicles 16. Asa’s made a treaty with Syria. That was a mistake. Hannai’s Message to Asa was that Asa had not relied on the LORD. Four years later Asa died.
2 Chronicles 17. Jehoshaphat reigned in Judah, they took the Book of the Law around the country and taught the people. The fear of the LORD fell on the surrounding countries, so Judah had peace for years.
Psalm 47, of the Sons of Korah. “Sing praises to God, sing praises“.
Acts 18:1-8. Paul left Athens and went to Corinth where he stayed a year and a half, teaching many in the city, and some believed. When the Jews opposed him Paul decided that he from then on would go to the Gentiles.
2 Chronicles 11. The LORD warned against going to war with Israel, so instead Rehoboam fortified the cities, the priests and Levites left Israel and moved to Judah. The family tree of Rehoboam is recorded.
2 Chronicles 12. Egypt Attacked Jerusalem and Judah paid the ransom. The reign of Rehoboam ended.
Psalm 116:15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.
Our current President Joseph R. Biden Jr gave a highly anticipated speech on how to reduce crime, mostly through gun control, but also to attack the problem by using unspent Covid money. But a few of his other sayings were puzzling:
President Joe Biden’s speech 6/23 2021
We just celebrated Juneteenth as the day the Republicans freed the Democrats slaves, and the Civil War was bloody and deadly indeed, and fought with physical guns. The Government likes to point to January 6 2021 as an armed insurrection to overthrow the government. Even though over 400 people are arrested and still held in D.C. prison on trespassing charges, none is accused of being armed with guns. The only casualty from guns is an unarmed protestor, Ashley Babbit, shot by an as of yet unidentified D.C. police. All the protestors demanded was a 12 day audit of the results in seven states to make sure all was done properly and in order. The Government should have welcomed an audit to finally lay to rest accusations of impropriety in the 2020 election.
No, the problem is much deeper, and it is spiritual. Both Republicans and Democrats are deeply flawed people, as are we all, in need of a redeemer. That is why the battle is spiritual. As the Scripture says in 2 Corintians 10:4(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;).
So what are the weapons of our warfare? Ephesians 6:13-17
Yes, this battle is much bigger than gun control, bigger than Democrat versus Republican. It is a battle for good vs. evil, liberty vs. Government control of what defines freedom, anarchy vs. law and order, and most important is is a spiritual battle for the soul of every individual, the nation and the world.
Acts 16:1-15. Timothy joined Paul and Silas in Lystra, in Troas Paul received “the Macedonian Call”. Lydia, a new convert was baptized at Philippi.
2 Chronicles 1. Solomon asked for wisdom, he received it and more, God also gave him economic and military power.
2 Chronicles 2. Solomon Prepared to build the temple, took inventory of all things collected and tallied the number of constricted aliens to do the work.
Psalm 45, of the Sons of Korah, a Wedding Song. C.S. Lewis saw this psalm pointing to Christmas: “The birth of Christ is the arrival of the great warrior and the great king. Also of the Lover, the Bridegroom, whose beauty surpasses that of man. But not only the Bridegroom as the lover, the desired; the Bridegroom also who makes fruitful, the Father of children still to be begotten and born.” (C.S. Lewis, cited in Willem VanGemeren)
Acts 15. There was much ado about circumcision, and the believers decided to decide the issue at the Council at Jerusalem, which led to the Jerusalem decree, (in short: Abstain from fornication and from blood). Barnabas and Paul argued about Mark, so they split up, and Paul took Silas and embarked on the second missionary journey.
Proverbs 7. Keep the Law, Seek wisdom and above all, stay away from harlots! They will use every trick to get you!
Psalm 44. Of the sons of Korah. It is a Psalm recounting the great victories God gave the Israelites when they followed God, and the humiliating defeats they suffered when they did not. Yet the psalmists were trusting God and claimed they had not forgotten the Lord and ended with an urgent plea for help.
Len Bilén's blog, a blog about faith, politics and the environment. 