Category: Psalms

June 21, read the Bible in a year in PowerPoint; with comments.

Acts 15. There was much ado about circumcision, and the believers decided to settle 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.

June 17, read the Bible in a year in PowerPoint; with comments.

Acts 12. King Herod persecuted the Church and putting many in prison, even Peter; but Peter miraculously escaped. Herod suffered a violent death after giving a speech without giving glory to God.

1 Chronicles 22. David made preparations to build the Temple.

1 Chronicles 23 contains a listing of the Levites and their duties.

Psalm 43. This Psalm may very well be a continuation of Psalm 42. Nevertheless, it is a Psalm of deep depression and yet full of praise and hope.

June 8, read the Bible in a year in PowerPoint; with comments.

Acts 5:12-42. When Ananias and Sapphira had lied to the Holy Spirit and died on the spot, great fear and great power came over the Church. An Angel of the LORD came during the night and freed the Apostles that had been jailed the previous day. They went back to the Temple courts and got called in to the Sanhedrin again for the crime of preaching about Jesus, but Gamaliel gave them good advice, they listened, and after flogging the Apostles were let go.

1 Chronicles 1 lists the partial family tree of Adam to Noah’s sons, the family tree of Abraham, beginning with the family tree of Keturah, Abraham’s concubine whom he married after the death of Sarah, the family tree of Isaac, the family tree of the people of Seir in Edom and finally a list of the kings of Edom.

Psalm 42, a Maskil. Of the sons of Korah. A very old Psalm, it mentions Elohim many times, but Jehovah only once. It begins “As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God.” Enjoy! (I love the song)

June 7, read the Bible in a year in PowerPoint; with comments.

Acts 5:1-11. Ananias and Sapphira were lying to the Holy Spirit and fell down dead. This lead to great fear and great power in the Church.

Proverbs 6 warns against cosigning documents with neighbors, condemns sluggards of their sleepy and lazy habits and points to the destruction of wicked men. It tells about seven detestable things to the LORD, and finally it takes a dim view of adultery, a sure way to destroy yourself and others.

Psalm 41, of David. A prayer for help in sickness and protection from traitors and other enemies.

April 29, read the Bible in a year in PowerPoint; with comments.

Luke 4:22-44. Jesus was rejected as a prophet in his own hometown. Going forward, Jesus cast out an Unclean Spirit and healed many.

1 Samuel 30. David defeated the Amalekites but his two wives were taken hostage and had to be rescued.

1 Samuel 31 tells of the death of Saul’s sons, and how Saul himself fell on his own sword.

Psalm 40, of David. It speaks of the servant that comes to do God’s will. David attributed this to himself, but it is spiritually a messianic Psalm.

April 19, read the Bible in a year in PowerPoint; with comments.

Mark 14:32-72. After Judas Iscariot left the eleven remaining disciples, they and Jesus went to the Mount of Olives where there is a garden called Gethsemane. While they were there Jesus Prayed intensely. Judas Iscariot reappeared and betrayed Jesus with a kiss. The accompanying soldiers arrested Jesus, and he was brought before the Sanhedrin. Peter was waiting outside and denied Jesus three times, after which the cock crowed twice.

1 Samuel 3 tells of Samuel’s first prophecy, a prophesy against Eli and his sons, because Eli failed to restrain them.

1 Samuel 4. The Philistines captured the Ark of God. Soon after that Eli died, and Phineas died and his wife gave birth to Ichabod, which means “No Glory”, for the glory had departed from Israel.  

Psalm 39, of David. At the later part of his life David wrote this Psalm to give words of wisdom, knowing the end for him was near. It is sometimes quoted in part during funerals to give comfort when words are hard to find.

April 17, read the Bible in a year in PowerPoint; with comments.

Mark 13, Jesus told his disciples of the Signs of the End of the Age, the Great Tribulation, the Coming of the Son of Man, the lesson of the Fig Tree and the Day and Hour of his return, which shall remain unknown until it happens.

Proverbs 2 is telling of the moral benefits of wisdom.

Psalm 37, of David. With two lines dedicated to each letter of the Hebrew alphabet, this psalm is one of the longer acrostics in the book of Psalms. David wrote it late in life (“ I have been young, and now am old;
Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken,
Nor his descendants begging bread.“) It is full of promises and praise and was intended for memorization.

Psalm 38, of David, a Petition. This is a Psalm of deep despair and remorse. David acknowledged his sin and cried out to God. Yet, in failing health and abandoned by friends and family, his hope in God remained steadfast.

April 16, read the Bible in a year in PowerPoint; with comments.

Mark 12:28-44. Jesus answered the question: “What is the Greatest Commandment?” He then gave the people the riddle “whose son is the Christ?” Finally, looking at temple offerings Jesus noticed the widow that gave all she had, two mites.

Ruth 3. Ruth’s Redemption was assured.

Ruth 4. Boaz redeemed Ruth, and that’s how Ruth came to be in the genealogy of David and Jesus.

Psalm 36, of David, the Servant of the LORD. This Psalm also tells of wicked people, but then shows the mercies of God and ends up with David recognizing that without God’s protection he too is vulnerable, as are we all.

April 15, read the Bible in a year in PowerPoint; with comments.

Mark 12:1-27 begins with Jesus telling the parable of the unfaithful tenants, and after that the Pharisees tried to entrap Jesus with the question “Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar?” You know the answer, if not, check it and ponder. Then it was the Sadducees’ turn to entrap him with the question what happens to  marriage at the Resurrection. Jesus answered: “He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err.” 

Ruth 1. Elimelech’s family went to Moab, and all the men in the family died.  Naomi returned back to Israel with Ruth, a Moabite. The famous quote from Ruth 1: “Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:”.

Ruth 2. Ruth met Boaz.

Psalm 35, of David. An urgent call for God to execute His righteous judgment on the enemies of God and vindicate David. (This is the Psalm that has received the most hits of any Psalm on my blog!) A sign of the times we are living in.

April 14, read the Bible in a year in PowerPoint; with comments.

Mark 11 begins with what is called the Holy Week with the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem. Jesus entered, riding on an unbroken foal of a donkey. This was the sign. The next day Jesus cursed a fig tree (symbol of Israel) and cleared the Temple of the money changers (You don’t want to give too much, you know). Following morning the fig tree was withered, and all that saw it marveled. Finally, Jesus authority was questioned by the religious authorities.

Proverbs 1. It extols the virtue of wisdom. Read it and apply it. 

Psalm 34, of David. This Psalm is an almost acrostic psalm (except for the letter waw). Like many acrostic Psalms, this is to be sung and memorized as it is full of praise and good advice. It contains one notable prophetic reference: “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all.
He guards all his bones; Not one of them is broken.”