3/6/12

On my reading list...


Men, if you say that you understand women, you are simply not telling the truth.  Oh, you may know a few things about them, but be honest, they are simply so different from the male mind as to be incomprehensible most of the time.  Learn to love it and keeping trying to understand; who knows, you might just get through the pocket edition, 1st chapter, above.  But, understanding is a two way street and the ladies out there need to attempt to understand the male of the species as well.  Since God is always referred to as being "male" in the scriptures, understanding what He wants for you is important as well.  Here is a small portion of what is important...

WEB: I Peter Chapter 3
[1] In the same way, wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; so that, even if any don’t obey the Word, they may be won by the behavior of their wives without a word; [2] seeing your pure behavior in fear. [3] Let your beauty be not just the outward adorning of braiding the hair, and of wearing jewels of gold, or of putting on fine clothing; [4] but in the hidden person of the heart, in the incorruptible adornment of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God very precious. [5] For this is how the holy women before, who hoped in God also adorned themselves, being in subjection to their own husbands: [6] as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose children you now are, if you do well, and are not put in fear by any terror.

[7] You husbands, in the same way, live with your wives according to knowledge, giving honor to the woman, as to the weaker vessel, as being also joint heirs of the grace of life; that your prayers may not be hindered.

Love means attempting to understanding another and this applies to women as well as men.  From this passage, submission to husbands, reverent faith along with a quietness of spirit and a beauty that is internal are the focus.  Whereas men are naturally more forceful in nature, ladies should be less so.  This isn't my idea, it comes from the Bible.  Responsiblity for implimenting this goes right back to the husband, so once again, he is the focal point.  And he better listen, for if he doesn't God may not listen to his prayers (verse 7).  I am not a "know it all" in these matters; I have a wife of 44 years and daughters and granddaughters and I still don't get them most of the time.  All I really know is what the Bible teaches me, but sometimes I don't think I really understand all of its teachings on the subject.  Maybe I should see where I can buy the pocket edition of understanding women... it might help...???

Mar. 6 Exodus 16


Mar. 6
Exodus 16

Exo 16:1 They took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt.
Exo 16:2 The whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron in the wilderness;
Exo 16:3 and the children of Israel said to them, "We wish that we had died by the hand of Yahweh in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots, when we ate our fill of bread, for you have brought us out into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger."
Exo 16:4 Then said Yahweh to Moses, "Behold, I will rain bread from the sky for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law, or not.
Exo 16:5 It shall come to pass on the sixth day, that they shall prepare that which they bring in, and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily."
Exo 16:6 Moses and Aaron said to all the children of Israel, "At evening, then you shall know that Yahweh has brought you out from the land of Egypt;
Exo 16:7 and in the morning, then you shall see the glory of Yahweh; because he hears your murmurings against Yahweh. Who are we, that you murmur against us?"
Exo 16:8 Moses said, "Now Yahweh shall give you meat to eat in the evening, and in the morning bread to satisfy you; because Yahweh hears your murmurings which you murmur against him. And who are we? Your murmurings are not against us, but against Yahweh."
Exo 16:9 Moses said to Aaron, "Tell all the congregation of the children of Israel, 'Come near before Yahweh, for he has heard your murmurings.' "
Exo 16:10 It happened, as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of Yahweh appeared in the cloud.
Exo 16:11 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
Exo 16:12 "I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel. Speak to them, saying, 'At evening you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread: and you shall know that I am Yahweh your God.' "
Exo 16:13 It happened at evening that quail came up and covered the camp; and in the morning the dew lay around the camp.
Exo 16:14 When the dew that lay had gone, behold, on the surface of the wilderness was a small round thing, small as the frost on the ground.
Exo 16:15 When the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, "What is it?" For they didn't know what it was. Moses said to them, "It is the bread which Yahweh has given you to eat."
Exo 16:16 This is the thing which Yahweh has commanded: "Gather of it everyone according to his eating; an omer a head, according to the number of your persons, you shall take it, every man for those who are in his tent."
Exo 16:17 The children of Israel did so, and gathered some more, some less.
Exo 16:18 When they measured it with an omer, he who gathered much had nothing over, and he who gathered little had no lack. They gathered every man according to his eating.
Exo 16:19 Moses said to them, "Let no one leave of it until the morning."
Exo 16:20 Notwithstanding they didn't listen to Moses, but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and became foul: and Moses was angry with them.
Exo 16:21 They gathered it morning by morning, everyone according to his eating. When the sun grew hot, it melted.
Exo 16:22 It happened that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each one, and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses.
Exo 16:23 He said to them, "This is that which Yahweh has spoken, 'Tomorrow is a solemn rest, a holy Sabbath to Yahweh. Bake that which you want to bake, and boil that which you want to boil; and all that remains over lay up for yourselves to be kept until the morning.' "
Exo 16:24 They laid it up until the morning, as Moses asked, and it didn't become foul, neither was there any worm in it.
Exo 16:25 Moses said, "Eat that today, for today is a Sabbath to Yahweh. Today you shall not find it in the field.
Exo 16:26 Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day is the Sabbath. In it there shall be none."
Exo 16:27 It happened on the seventh day, that some of the people went out to gather, and they found none.
Exo 16:28 Yahweh said to Moses, "How long do you refuse to keep my commandments and my laws?
Exo 16:29 Behold, because Yahweh has given you the Sabbath, therefore he gives you on the sixth day the bread of two days. Everyone stay in his place. Let no one go out of his place on the seventh day."
Exo 16:30 So the people rested on the seventh day.
Exo 16:31 The house of Israel called its name Manna, and it was like coriander seed, white; and its taste was like wafers with honey.
Exo 16:32 Moses said, "This is the thing which Yahweh has commanded, 'Let an omer-full of it be kept throughout your generations, that they may see the bread with which I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you forth from the land of Egypt.' "
Exo 16:33 Moses said to Aaron, "Take a pot, and put an omer-full of manna in it, and lay it up before Yahweh, to be kept throughout your generations."
Exo 16:34 As Yahweh commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept.
Exo 16:35 The children of Israel ate the manna forty years, until they came to an inhabited land. They ate the manna until they came to the borders of the land of Canaan.
Exo 16:36 Now an omer is the tenth part of an ephah.

"THE BOOK OF PSALMS" Psalm 32 - The Blessedness Of Confessing Sin by Mark Copeland

    "THE BOOK OF PSALMS"

              Psalm 32 - The Blessedness Of Confessing Sin

OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THIS PSALM

1) To note the connection between this psalm and Psalm 51

2) To observe the use and possible meaning of the word "Maschil"

3) To be impressed with the importance of confessing our sins to God

SUMMARY

This psalm was written by David (cf. Ro 4:6-8) and is generally thought
to have been composed after he received forgiveness in the matter of
Bathsheba (cf. 2Sa 11:1-12:15).  In seeking forgiveness, he had
promised to "teach transgressors Your ways" (cf. Ps 51:13), and with
this psalm he fulfill his promise.  The heading calls this psalm a
"Maschil", possibly meaning a poem of contemplation or meditation.  It
certainly qualifies as a didactic or instructive psalm (cf. Ps 32:8).

It begins with stating the blessedness or joy of forgiveness, where the
Lord does not count one's sins against him, and in whose spirit there is
no guile (1-2).  What led David to this conclusion was first the curse
of remaining silent, in which he experienced both physical and emotional
stress.  This was partly due to the guilt of sin itself, but David also
mentions the chastening hand of the Lord upon him (3-4).

But then he confessed his sin to the Lord, and the Lord forgave him.
This prompts Dave to bless (speak well of) God as a source of protection
easily found by the godly in time of trouble, Who will surround him
with songs of deliverance (5-7).

The psalm ends with David (though some think it is God speaking)
offering to instruct and teach one in the way he should go (cf. Psa
51:13).  With a caution not to be like the mule or horse which lacks
understanding and must be drawn near, David contrasts the sorrows of the
wicked with the mercy that will surround him who puts his trust in the
Lord.  This ought to cause the righteous to be glad in the Lord, and the
upright in heart to shout for joy (8-11).

OUTLINE

I. THE JOY OF FORGIVENESS (32:1-2)

   A. THE BLESSED MAN (1-2a)
      1. Is the one whose transgression is forgiven
      2. Is the one whose sin is covered
      3. Is the one to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity

   B. THE GUILELESS MAN (2)
      1. Is the one whose sins have been forgiven as described
      2. In whose spirit there is no deceit (for he has nothing to
         hide!) - cf. Re 14:5

II. THE CURSE OF SILENCE (32:3-4)

   A. SUFFERING THE EFFECTS OF SIN (3)
      1. The psalmist remained silent about his sin
      2. The psalmist groaned all day long, his bones wasting away

   B. EXPERIENCING THE CHASTISEMENT OF THE LORD (4)
      1. The heavy hand of the Lord was upon him day and night - cf. Psa
         38:1-11; 39:10-11
      2. His strength sapped as in the heat of summer

III. THE BENEFIT OF CONFESSION (32:5-7)

   A. DAVID CONFESSED HIS SIN (5a)
      1. He decided to acknowledge his sin to God
      2. He chose to no longer hide his sin
      3. He confessed his transgressions to the Lord

   B. THE LORD FORGAVE, AND DAVID BLESSED (5b-7)
      1. The Lord forgave David the iniquity of his sin
      2. David blesses (speaks wells of) God for His forgiveness
         a. For this reason everyone who is godly shall pray to Him
            1) In a time when He may be found
            2) In a flood of great waters, they shall not come near
         b. God is his hiding place
            1) He shall preserve him from trouble
            2) He shall surround him with songs of deliverance

IV. THE VALUE OF TRUST (32:8-11)

   A. DAVID PROPOSES TO INSTRUCT THE READER (8-9)
      1. To teach one the way he (or she) should go
      2. To guide one with his eye (his insight? perspective?)
      3. With a caution not to be like the horse or mule
         a. Which has no understanding
         b. Which has to be harnessed, or they will not come near

   B. THE VALUE OF TRUSTING IN THE LORD (10-11)
      1. Many sorrows will be to the wicked
      2. Mercy will surround the one who trusts in the Lord
         a. Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous!
         b. Shout for joy, all you upright in heart!

REVIEW QUESTIONS FOR THE PSALM

1) What are the main points of this psalm?
   - The joy of forgiveness (1-2)
   - The curse of silence (3-4)
   - The benefit of confession (5-7)
   - The value of trust (8-11)

2) What is the condition of the blessed man described in this psalm?
   (1-2)
   - His transgression is forgiven
   - His sin is covered
   - The Lord does not impute iniquity against him
   - There is no deceit (guile) in his spirit

3) What had been the affect of keeping silent about his sin? (3-4)
   - His bones grew old through his groaning all day long
   - The hand of the Lord had been heavy on him day and night
   - His vitality had become like the drought of summer

4) What did he then decided to do?  What was the result? (5)
   - To confess his transgressions to the Lord
   - The Lord forgave him

5) What will the godly do when in need of forgiveness? (6)
   - Pray to God

6) What blessings does God provide for those who put their trust in Him?
   (6-7)
   - In a flood of great waters, they shall not come near
   - He is their hiding place
   - He preserves them from trouble
   - He surrounds them with songs of deliverance

7) What does David (or perhaps God) offer to do in this psalm? (8)
   - Instruct and teach one in the way they should go
   - Guide one with his eye (insight, perspective?)

8) What warning is given concerning those who read this psalm? (9)
   - Don't be like the horse or mule, which lacking understanding have
     to be drawn in order to come near

9) What antithetical statements are made concerning the wicked and those
   who trust in the Lord? (10)
   - Many sorrows shall be to the wicked
   - He who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him

10) What are the righteous and upright in heart called upon to do? (11)
   - Be glad in the Lord and rejoice
   - Shout for joy