Category: Bible (Page 32 of 334)

One cannot beat crafting a life based on biblical principles. But occasionally I come across something that gives me pause. Like this bit of advice from Solomon:

Frustration is better than laughter, because a sad face is good for the heart.

I experience both frustration and laughter, and I know which one I prefer. This musing sounds less like a vibrant young king and more like a dour old man, which is what Solomon became.

However, his thoughts on investing remain spot-on:

Invest in seven ventures, yes, in eight; you do not know what disaster may come upon the land.

Like financial counselors today, the richest man in the ancient world encouraged his readers to diversify. Sound advice from a long-term creator of wealth, a man who developed numerous construction projects and sent ships trading across the seas.

Diversify yes, embrace frustration in order to promote heart health not so much. Solomon turned from the Lord in the latter years of his kingship, allured by wealth and wives. I read these musings to gain wisdom, but also to notice where a life of indulgence leads.

Take the old man’s advice to heart, but flag his pursuit of pleasure as a warning.

Ecclesiastes 7 & 11 in Through the Bible in 2024

Photo by Tita

The Lord spoke through the psalmist and said, Be still, and know that I am God.

Stillness remains the only method for gaining a sense of touch from the Lord. Phone set aside, computer shut, TV off, ear buds out. All the technological distractions stowed away. Sit in quiet. Consider a verse or short passage of scripture. Let it marinate. Speak thoughts to the Lord. Listen.

Times like these move us to the deep end of the pool. As Elijah finally heard God through a whisper, we hear God in waveless moments. Give it a try. If you and I truly want to experience God, then stillness creates the best atmosphere for that connection.

Psalm 16 in Through the Bible in 2024

Photo by Özgür Akman

Suffering in a dank, underground Roman prison (one you can visit today), Paul wrote of his situation in a letter to a young pastor watching from afar.

Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained.

Paul, the great missionary statesman, languished under arrest. But despite his status, the good news Paul proclaimed remained free. The message of God as found in the Bible might be buried, lost, covered up, outlawed, criminalized, ridiculed or spat upon, but it cannot be chained.

The word of God remains living and active, despite successive generations taking actions against it. Even today the Scriptures cut through chains. Spend time within the book and drop some of yours.

2 Timothy 2:9 in Through the Bible in 2024

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Paul continually encouraged young leaders. He wrote to Timothy, fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

Don’t hold back. Apparently Timothy tended toward reticence, but Paul urged him to step out with confidence. Imbued with the Holy Spirit, Timothy moved from timidity to godly assertiveness.

The Holy Spirit, given to Timothy and each true believer in Jesus, carries certain characteristics into our lives. One is power. We’re filled with a power from without, a reliance on the Lord and new abilities beyond ourselves. An immediate outcome of this power? Love. Not dominance or control, but a tiny slice of God’s unhindered love.

Self-discipline follows. Our worst natures, the tendency to wander, actions and attitudes we hide or disguise all shrink before the power of God. Again, not a power over others, but an increasing power over ourselves in order to serve others.

Paul pressed Timothy to remember the Lord’s gift and strengthen his backbone. I pray for such fortitude as well. Here’s a prayer you and I can bring to God today:

Lord, fill me with your Holy Spirit and direct me with his ways. Let me experience power leading to love and self-discipline. May your power lead me, and those I connect with, to your paths.

2 Timothy 1 in Through the Bible in 2024

Photo by Shivansh Upadhyay