Daily Bible Nugget #263, Psalm 119:99

Posted on May 20, 2014 by Jerry

The Nugget:

Psalm 119:99 I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.

My Comment:

Saints meditate in the Scriptures (The New Topical Textbook, subtopic under the major topic “The Scriptures,” page 240). The Psalmist was able to claim that he had more understanding than his teachers because he meditated upon “thy testimonies,” one of the names given to the Bible. He even claimed more than this: he did not just say he had more understanding than his teachers, but said “than all my teachers.” That ought to be a strong encouragement to everyone to read, study, and meditate on God’s Word in the Bible.

Solomon said that wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom. With all thy getting, get understanding (Proverbs 4:7). In Psalm 119:99 the Psalmist tells us how to get that understanding: meditate on God’s Word.

That should tell us something about God’s Word that is quite contrary to what some would have us believe: the Bible claims to be understandable, and it is. The technical name for this idea in theology is the perspicuity of Scripture. Some argue that the Bible cannot possibly be understandable because no two people, or even church denominations, agree upon what it means. They cannot even come to agreement on such supposedly important matters as baptism and the Holy Eucharist.

There surely are differences of opinion on what the Bible means. But when differences in interpretation arise, more often than not, careful study into the Scriptures will resolve the issue. If you will carefully study and meditate upon the Scriptures, God may bless you with an understanding of His written Word that exceeds that of your teachers indeed.

Life is likely not long enough for anyone to satisfactorily resolve every possible difference of interpretation pertaining to what each Bible verse means. Yet, for the issues you encounter, that concern you, careful study will lead to the correct understanding if you make use of the proper Bible study tools. One of the first tools to make use of is a very complete collection of cross references. Cross references guide you to the other passages in the Bible that shed light upon or explain the verse you are studying. The Bible is indeed its own interpreter. The Bible is a self-explanatory, self-interpreting book to a much greater degree than anyone who has not made thorough use of cross reference Bible study might ever suppose.

It is necessary to use cross references for Bible study to learn what the Bible teaches regarding any topic or subject it discusses or mentions. The Bible does not talk about a subject all in one place. To find out what the Bible teaches, you must consider all the passages in the Bible about that subject. A Bible concordance can help you find other verses that use the same word. Cross references go much further, for they trace not just the same word, but the same subject even when it is expressed in different words.

You cannot claim to have thoroughly studied a subject in the Bible unless you have made full use of a good collection of cross references as part of that study. This is where many churches, denominations, religious organizations, and especially false cults, not to mention theological systems or parties go astray. If they have not made a thorough study of all that the Bible presents on a subject, they can be mistaken in their understanding.

You will notice that daily I have presented a subject, made some comments, then furnished for your study the most complete collection of cross references for the verse or verses involved that you will find anywhere. That is part of what it means to do Real Bible Study. If you do this kind of Real Bible Study you too will be wiser than your teachers, because you can be certain that they have not!

For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:

(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on page 531 for Psalm 119:99.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 676 or in Logos 5 Bible software for Psalm 119:99.

(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:

Psalm 119:99. I have more understanding. Those who make the written Word of God the object of their continuing meditation and study can arrive at a greater understanding of spiritual things than all their teachers. This shows that the source of knowledge we are to go by is the written Word of God found in the Bible. ver. Ps 119:100, 144. +*Ps 19:7. 107:43. 111:10. *Dt 4:6. 1 S 18:30. Jb 6:24. *Jb 32:8. Pr 1:5. 2:9. +**Pr 4:7. 6:23. +*Pr 8:9. 12:1. *Pr 14:6. 18:15. *Pr 28:5. +*Is 29:24. Da 1:17, 20. 9:2. Mt 7:24. **Mt 11:25. 13:11. Lk 2:47. 11:36, 52. +*Ac 8:30. 1 Cor 14:20. +*Col 1:9. He 5:14. than all. *Dt 4:6, 8. 1 S 18:30. 2 S 15:24-26. 1 Ch 15:11-13. 2 Ch 29:15, etc. 2 Ch 30:22. Je 2:8. *Je 8:8, 9. Da 1:20. *Mt 11:25. 13:11. *Mt 15:6-9, 14. 23:24, etc. *Lk 2:46, 47. Ac 23:3. *He 5:12. teachers. Ps 18:34. 94:10. 144:1. 1 Cor 1:19-21. +*1 J 2:27. for thy testimonies. ver. +Ps 119:14, 24. +*Ps 19:7. 1 K 2:3. Mic 2:7. Ac 8:28. Ro 2:18. **2 Tim 3:15-17. are my meditation. ver. Ps 119:9, +Ps 119:97. +*Ps 1:2. +*Jsh 1:8. Jb 15:4mg. Pr 1:5. +*Ac 17:11. *1 Tim 4:15. James 1:25.

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Daily Bible Nugget #262, Psalm 1:2

Posted on May 19, 2014 by Jerry

The Nugget:

Psalm 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

My Comment:

Saints meditate in the Scriptures (The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, subheading under the main heading “The Scriptures,” page 240). True Bible-believers, what the Bible calls saints, meditate upon or ponder the Scriptures. To be able to think about what the Bible says, it works best if you take regular time to read it. The Psalmist thought over God’s Word on a daily, even nightly basis. Paul (Philippians 4:8) directs us regarding what we ought to be thinking about. Surely the content of Scripture fits the bill, or meets his recommendation. It may seem like an old-fashioned idea to set your mind to thinking about the Bible. But if you read the Bible, and think back over what you have read, you will retain what you have read more completely. The Bible has a message that has life-changing power. It will put you on the right path for time and eternity such as no other book will. One of the best ways to help you focus upon what the Bible has to say is to carefully read the cross reference passages given for the verse. The Bible is its own best interpreter. Enjoy the cross references I have given below to help you meditate on this important verse.

For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:

(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on page 529 for Psalm 1:2.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on pages 582-583 or in Logos 5 Bible software for Psalm 1:2.

(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:

Psalm 1:2. But his delight. T#1081. *Ps 40:8. *Ps 112:1. +*Ps 119:11, *Ps 119:35, *Ps 119:24, 47, 48, 70, 72, 77, *Ps 119:92, 162, 174. **Jb 23:12. Pr 18:2. +*Je 6:10. **Je 15:16. Ac 8:28. Ro 7:22. Col 3:16. 1 Tim 4:13. *1 J 5:3. the law of the Lord. +*Ps 37:31. 2 Ch 31:21. 34:14. Ezr 7:10. Is 30:9. +*Jn 5:39. +*Ac 17:11. doth. FS96C9, +Ge 2:10. meditate. T#665, T#1090. Ps 16:8. 63:5. 77:11, 12. *Ps 104:34. +*Ps 119:11, 15, 23, 48, 78, *Ps 119:87-99, 148. 143:5, 6. Ge 24:63. Le 11:3. Dt 14:6. *Dt 17:18, 19. **Jsh 1:8. Da 6:10. +Mt 14:23 (T#64, T#531). Col 3:16. *1 Tim 4:15. day. *Ps 88:1. +*Ps 119:97. Dt 6:6, 7. *Lk 2:37. *Lk 18:7. +*Ac 17:11. *1 Th 2:9. *2 Tim 1:3. night. +*Ps 119:148.

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Daily Bible Nugget #261, Psalm 119:147

Posted on May 18, 2014 by Jerry

The Nugget:

Psalm 119:147 I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried: I hoped in thy word. (KJV)

Psa 119:147 I am up before dawn crying for help.
I find hope in your word. (NET Bible)

Psa 119:147 Even before sunrise, I pray for your help, and I put my hope in what you have said. (CEV)

Psa 119:147 Before the sun is up, my cry for help comes to your ear; my hope is in your words. (Basic English Bible)

Psa 119:147 I rise before dawn and cry for help; I hope in your words. (ESV)

My Comment:

Saints hope in the Scriptures (The New Topical Textbook, subtopic under the main topic “The Scriptures,” page 240). Once again let me stress that in Bible terms, every believer is called a “saint.” It looks to me that the preference the Psalmist expresses favors having his prayer time or devotions first thing in the morning. But I’m sure any time is acceptable. God is always eager to hear our prayers. Are you putting your hope in the right place? Some people look to the horoscopes for direction. No Christian should be doing that! Such a practice might lead to Satan planting false ideas regarding guidance into our minds that way. Some very devout persons look to dreams and visions. We are not to get guidance from that direction either. Christians should be placing their hope in the Bible and what it teaches. God has placed in His written word all that we need to know (2 Timothy 3:17) about spiritual things, God’s will, and direction for Christian living. Do we see problems on our horizon? So did the Psalmist. Do what he did and get up early and spend some time in prayer. In the meantime, place your hope in God’s Word.

For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:

(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on pages 633-634 for Psalm 119:147.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on pages 677-678 or in Logos 5 Bible software for Psalm 119:147.

(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:

Psalm 119:147. I prevented. Note: That is, I anticipated, or rose before, the morning dawn; and was before hand with the light itself. ver. Ps 119:62. +*Ps 5:3. 21:3. 42:8. 55:17. 88:13. *Ps 130:6. 139:17, 18. +Ge 22:3. 1 S 1:19. Pr 31:15. La 2:19. Is 26:9. +*Mk 1:35. 1 Th 4:15. dawning. T#1156. ver. Ps 119:62. +*Ps 57:8. Ge 32:24. Jsh 6:15. 1 S 30:17. 2 K 7:5. Jb 3:9. 7:4. and cried. Lk 6:12. *Jude 1:20. hoped. ver. Ps 119:43, +Ps 119:49, 74, 81, 114. Ps 56:4. 130:5. *He 6:17-19. in thy word. ver. +Ps 119:9, 81, 148.

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The Rapture Question Answered, Part 5

Posted on May 17, 2014 by Jerry

Mr. John Little summarizes his argument as he has given it so far in his letter of April 28, 2014:

The Rapture happens AFTER THE TRIBULATION. There is NO OTHER WAY TO INTERPRET THOSE VERSES!

Period. End of Statement.

So, we have three passages that offer complete evidence that the Antichrist MUST come first, that the Resurrection of the Just MUST come first, that the Tribulation MUST come first.

Is there any part of this that you did not understand?

These Three Happen Before The Rapture

Let me say this again. I have offered you three passages that cannot be argued with, and they tell us that these three things MUST happen before the Rapture:

The Antichrist
The Resurrection
The Tribulation

There will be no Rapture until after those three things. Period.

Get This Right, Or Die

Now, there’s a reason why I am so passionate about this, and it’s the same reason why this website exists. If you don’t get this, and if you don’t prepare, you are going to die a terrible death.

When I proved to you that the Resurrection must happen before the Rapture, the verses that almost immediately follow that passage, say this:

But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. – 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3

Now, I would respectfully disagree with Mr. Little’s understanding of the three passages he believes prove that the Rapture follows the Great Tribulation.

Paul appealed to the Thessalonians in 2 Thessalonians 2:1 on the basis of the teaching he had already given them to argue that the Rapture must come before the Antichrist, before the Tribulation. That is unmistakable. I discussed this in some detail in my prior posts on this theme.

Second, I pointed out that every time the Rapture is mentioned, it is mentioned before the events of the Day of the Lord, so the Rapture must take place first, not after.

Third, I pointed out that the passage Mr. Little refers to in Matthew 24 makes no reference to the Rapture of the Church (or living believers) taught by Paul, so the expression “Immediately after the tribulation of those days” (Matthew 24:29, in reference to Matthew 24:21) has no bearing upon the Rapture. The mistake Mr. Little and many interpreters make is to equate the “elect” mentioned at Matthew 24:31 with the elect of the Church age or Christian believers. The passage rather pertains to the elect of Israel who are supernaturally and completely gathered back to their national homeland in Israel as promised in the Abrahamic and Davidic Covenant provisions in the Old Testament. I discussed this in full in my prior post answering the evidence Mr. Little presented in his letter on its first two pages as saved in my file.

Mr. John Little expresses the motivation for his concern next, as follows:

Right now, the people who speak the loudest about ‘peace and safety’ are those who either 1) support Obama or 2) believe in a pre-tribulation Rapture.

At the beginning of his letter Mr. Little said,

The problem is that if you believe that the rapture will happen before anything bad comes… well, you won’t prepare. And, history is full of what happens to people who believe that nothing bad can happen to them.

Now, there well may be some Bible-believing Christians who won’t prepare for future eventualities. If so, they have not studied their Bibles carefully enough and then put into action what the Bible recommends. First, it is most clear that Christians of this Church age will suffer tribulation and persecution (Acts 14:22).

Acts 14:22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

Here are the cross references for Acts 14:22 as I have developed them so far (Don’t just glance at this–take the few moments required to hover your mouse pointer over each highlighted verse and read it as it pops up or is displayed):

Acts 14:22. Confirming. *Ac 15:32, 41. *Ac 18:23. *Is 35:3. Da 11:1. 1 Cor 1:8. 1 Th 3:2-4, 13. 1 P 5:10. souls. Gr. psychē, FS121A9A, +Mt 11:29. the disciples. ver. +Ac 14:20, 28. +Ac 11:26. exhorting. +Ac 15:32. 16:40. 20:2. +1 Cor 14:3. to continue. Ac 2:42. +*Ac 11:23. *+Ac 13:43. +*Jb 23:12. Je 32:40. **Jn 8:31, 32. *Jn 15:4-6, 9, 10. **+Ro 11:22. +*1 Cor 15:1, 2. Ga 3:10g. Phil 1:25. 4:1. +**Col 1:23. +*1 Th 5:21. 1 Tim 4:16. He 8:9g. +*He 10:35. +*1 J 2:3. Jude +*1:3, 20, 21. in the faith. +Ac 6:7. 13:8. and. FS63B1A, +Ge 26:7. Supply by ellipsis (saying). we must. FS15F, +Jn 13:29. Ac 4:12. +Ac 9:6, 16. 16:30. through. +*Ps 84:6. %Re 3:10. much tribulation. Ac 7:10. 9:16. 20:23. Ge 12:10. 32:7. 49:23. Nu 21:4. 1 S 26:24. Ps 34:19. 66:12. +*Ps 119:75. Ec 2:23. 7:14. Song 1:6. Is 30:20. 54:11. *Mt 6:34. +*Mt 7:14. 10:21, 22, 38. *Mt 16:24. Mk 8:34. 10:30. Lk 6:48. 9:23. 14:27. 16:25. *Lk 22:28, 29. *Lk 24:26. Jn 12:25, 26. 15:18, 20. 16:1, 2, *Jn 16:33. Ro 5:3. **Ro 8:17, 18, 35. 12:12. 1 Cor 15:19. +*2 Cor 1:4. 4:17. 6:4. 11:23-28. Ep 3:13. 4:12. **Phil 1:29. 4:14. 1 Th 1:6. 3:3, 4, 7. 2 Th 1:5. 2 Tim 1:8. +*2 Tim 2:11, 12. **2 Tim 3:12. He 12:7. 1 P 1:6. 2:21. *1 P 4:12-16. 5:9, 10. Re 1:9. 2:9, 10. 7:14. enter. Ac 1:3. +*Mt 7:14, +Mt 7:21, *Mt 7:25. 18:9. *Mt 19:23, 24. *Mk 9:47. *Mk 10:24, 25. *+Jn 3:3, 5. +*1 Cor 15:50n. 1 P 4:18. *2 P 1:11. kingdom. +Ac 1:3. Mt 8:11. 18:3. 19:23. Lk 6:20.

Second, it is most clear that the Bible counsels us to be thoroughly prepared for any possible contingencies as God makes it possible for us to do so, according to Proverbs 22:3,

Proverbs 22:3 A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.

Here are the cross references as I have prepared them so far for Proverbs 22:3,

Proverbs 22:3. prudent. Pr 12:16, 23. 13:16. 14:8, 15, *Pr 14:16, 18. *Pr 15:5. 16:21. *Pr 18:15. *#Pr 27:12. *Ex 9:20, 21. Ps 112:5. Is 26:20, 21. +Je 8:7. *Ho 14:9. +*Mt 7:6. *Mt 24:15-18. *1 Th 5:2-6. He 6:18. *He 11:7. forseeth. T#1843. Pr 6:8. 14:15. 24:27. 2 Ch 34:21. +*Ps 34:4. +*Ps 112:5. Lk 12:33. **Lk 14:28. *Lk 22:36. Ro 11:20. 2 Cor 5:9-11. He 4:1, 11. 11:7. the evil. Is 50:11. Mt 25:41. hideth. Pr 14:16. 18:10. 27:12. *Pr 28:12. Ex 12:12, 13, 21-23. Nu 5:13. 35:11-13. Jsh 20:7n. 1 S 19:12, 18. 20:5, 19. +1 S 21:10, 14. 23:19-21. 26:1. *1 S 27:1. +1 K 17:3. 19:3. Is 26:20. +*Je 36:19. *Je 37:12. Am 5:13. +*Mt 10:23. 24:15-18. Mk 3:6, 7. +Lk 4:30. *Jn 8:59. 10:39. *Jn 12:36. Ac 4:12. 9:23-25. 17:14. 23:12-24. *He 6:18. the simple. FS108K54, +Pr 1:4. Pr 1:4, 22, 32. *Pr 7:7, 22, 23. *Pr 9:16-18. *Pr 14:15, 16. *Pr 29:1. Ps 116:6. Is 26:11. punished. Pr 27:12. Ex 21:22. Mt 25:46.

I would venture to suggest that you will not find such a thorough Bible study directly from the Bible in its words only as I have presented above on the fact that all Bible-believing Christians must (1) be prepared for and expect to suffer tribulation (Acts 14:22), and (2) be prudent to foresee coming evil and be prepared to hide or protect themselves (Proverbs 22:3). It is the “simple,” the care-free, the otherwise distracted individuals who “pass on,” or go on their usual way, and are punished.

People today are distracted by the mainstream media, by sports, by entertainment, when they ought to be paying close attention to what is going on in the world, and in the economy here at home. The laws of mathematics cannot be violated with impunity. National debt is a curse (Deuteronomy 28:43, 44, 45). If the United States of America continues to disregard the Word of God, it will continue to suffer the consequences, and conditions will only get worse, drastically worse (Psalm 9:17; Galatians 6:7, 8). We cannot take God’s protection for granted when our nation has of late not supported the nation of Israel to the degree it once did (Genesis 12:3). We cannot continue to support and advocate for the sin of Sodomy and the death of unborn children and suppose God does not pay attention (Numbers 32:23; Romans 12:19).

I think that on these specific matters, Mr. John Little and myself are likely in agreement.

There is more to examine from Mr. John Little’s letter against the Pre-Tribulation Rapture doctrine. I believe Mr. Little is sincere in his belief and sincere in his concern. But sincerity is not enough. When we study the Bible, we must carefully weigh all the evidence. This post is already long enough for most readers, so, Lord Willing, I’ll continue this discussion about the Rapture in the next post in this series, The Rapture Question Answered, Part 6. You can and should read all the previous Parts in this series. Access them easily by clicking on the Category to the right for Bible Prophecy.

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Daily Bible Nugget #260, Psalm 119:81

Posted on May 17, 2014 by Jerry

The Nugget:

Psalm 119:81 My soul fainteth for thy salvation: but I hope in thy word.

My Comment:

Saints hope in the Scriptures (The New Topical Textbook, subtopic under the main topic “The Scriptures,” page 240). The Psalmist greatly longed for God’s salvation. As used in this verse, “salvation” has reference to deliverance, and also to the final salvation God will bring when He sets His kingdom up literally upon this earth. In the meantime, the Psalmist placed his hope in God’s Word. The promises of God’s Word are sure (Isaiah 55:3); they are certainly what we can place our hope in.

For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:

(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on page 630 for Psalm 119:81.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 675 or in Logos 5 Bible software for Psalm 119:81.

(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:

Psalm 119:81. soul. Heb. nephesh, Ge +34:3. fainteth. T#1399. ver. Ps 119:20, 40, 123. Ps 38:10. 42:1, 2. 63:1. 73:26. *Ps 84:2. 106:4. 107:4-6. 143:4. 2 S 23:15. 2 Ch 9:4. Jb 6:8. SS 5:8. Jon 2:7. Ro 7:24. 8:26. *2 Cor 4:16. Phil 1:23. Re 3:15, 16. for thy salvation. ver. Ps 119:123, 166, 174. Ps 13:5. 35:3. 40:16. 51:8. Ge 49:18. *2 S 23:5. +*Jb 19:27. *Is 25:9. 1 Th 5:8. +**He 9:28n. but I hope. Ps 39:7. 71:5. Pr 13:12. La 3:21. in thy word. T#1089. See on ver. *Ps 119:42, 43, 49, 74, *Ps 119:77, *Ps 119:114, 147. Ps 130:5. Ro 8:24. +**Ro 15:4.

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Daily Bible Nugget #259, Psalm 119:74

Posted on May 16, 2014 by Jerry

The Nugget:

Psalm 119:74 They that fear thee will be glad when they see me; because I have hoped in thy word.

My Comment:

Saints hope in the Scriptures (The New Topical Textbook, subtopic under the main topic “The Scriptures,” page 240). True Christians that believe the Bible most certainly do hope or trust in God’s written word. That hope or trust in God’s Word ought to create a bond between all true believers that manifests itself by a willingness to receive one another. When there is a failure to receive one another (Romans 15:7), this verse teaches that such persons manifesting such failure do not truly belong to the class of individuals who truly fear God. It may be that they are merely spiritually immature, but it is also possible they are unsaved and not true Christians at all–they go to church, and “play” Christianity, but do not possess the truth that produces salvation and the fruit of the Spirit in their lives. True Christians ought to have an immediate bond with others who believe the Bible and share “like precious faith” (2 Peter 1:1). If or when they do not have gladness upon encountering newcomers to their church who truly believe the Bible, then it must be they are not among those who trust in God’s Word. In my experience, I have encountered churches who exhibit a major failing on this issue: they shun newcomers, and “freeze them out of the fellowship.” That is a very poor testimony on their part, and hinders the growth of the Gospel outreach in their community. I wrote an extensive commentary here under the Category “Verse by Verse Studies” for “Romans 15:7 with comments.” The Scriptures warn in no uncertain terms that Christians or churches who engage in this kind of behavior to other Christians are themselves not actually Christians, but unsaved. It is a most serious matter, and needs to be addressed. People in the world do not treat each other that way in my experience–they put the so-called Church to shame. That represents a terrible testimony on the part of the local church which ought to be a light that shines in the darkness.

For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:

(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on page 630 for Psalm 119:74.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 674 or in Logos 5 Bible software for Psalm 119:74.

(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:

Psalm 119:74. fear thee. ver. +*Ps 119:63, *Ps 119:79. *Ps 34:2-6. *Ps 66:16. +*Ml 3:16. glad when. ver. +*Ps 119:63, 111. Ps 35:27. 69:32. 107:42. 142:7. +**Ro 15:7. I have hoped. ver. *Ps 119:42, 43, 49, 81, *Ps 119:147. Ps 69:6. 108:7. 130:5. Ge 32:11, *Ge 32:12. *Lk 21:33. **Ro 15:4.

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Daily Bible Nugget #258, Psalm 119:11

Posted on May 15, 2014 by Jerry

The Nugget:

Psalm 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

My Comment:

Saints hide the Scriptures in their hearts (The New Topical Textbook, subtopic under the main topic “The Scriptures,” page 240). “Saints,” as you likely know, are in the Bible identified as ordinary believers in the Bible. I believe much potential spiritual growth is lost or unrealized because many Christians do not hide God’s Word in their hearts. I think the most efficient way to hide God’s Word in the heart is to actually memorize it word-for-word from the Bible. I think it is best to memorize verses from a more literal Bible translation. I am used to memorizing verses from the King James Version. I have not tried memorizing from any modern English versions, though I make enough use of them in my own Bible study that I remember their wording for certain verses. I find that modern English versions (like the NIV) are revised periodically, so the verse I once knew about in that version has been changed in its wording in the new revision. So to avoid that confusion for myself, I stick to the King James or Authorized Version. But for those who want to memorize Scripture in a modern English version, give it a try. The ESV (English Standard Version) or the NKJV (New King James Version), and even the NIV (New International Version) are all possible choices. One good reason to hide God’s Word in your heart is specified by the Psalmist in this verse: “that I might not sin against thee.” That is reason enough, though you may be able to think of many more. My elderly friend Uncle Frank years ago memorized the whole New Testament. He told me he did that so he wouldn’t have to fumble through his Bible when teaching about the Tabernacle in the Old Testament and the meaning of the Bible types he found in it, types related to New Testament truths. I memorized many verses so I would be prepared to share the Bible’s message when I was without a hard copy of the Bible. If you are looking for a good list of verses to memorize, I presented the whole list I shared with my high school Sunday school class as Daily Bible Nuggets near the beginning of this series of Bible Nugget posts I’ve been making. In any case, Psalm 119:11 would be a good verse to start with. It has been said that God’s Word will keep us from sin, or sin will keep us from God’s Word.

For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:

(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on page 627 for Psalm 119:11.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 672 or in Logos 5 Bible software for Psalm 119:11.

(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:

Psalm 119:11. Thy word. [Heb. imrah, S#565h. ver. Ps 119:38, 41, 50, 58, 67, 76, 82, 103, 116, 123, 133, 140, 148, 154, 158, 162, 170, 172. Ge 4:23 (speech). Ps 12:6 (the only place where the plural is found)] ver. *Ps 119:97, 105, 125. **Ps 1:2. **Ps 37:31. *Ps 40:8. Dt 6:6. 11:18. 32:46. *Jb 22:22. **Jb 23:12. *Pr 2:1, 10, 11. Is 51:7. **Je 15:16. 20:9. Lk 2:19, 51. Jn 5:38, 39. **Col 3:16. 1 J 2:14. hid. T#1070, T#1088. ver. Ps 119:98. +Dt 6:6. 11:18. **Jsh 1:8. 1 S 21:12. Je 31:33. Ezk 3:3. Lk 8:15. 2 Cor 3:3. in mine heart. Ps 37:31. 40:8. Pr 3:1, 3. 4:4. 16:23. Ezk 3:10. Da 7:28. Mt 12:35. Lk 1:66. 6:45. 8:15. Jn 15:7. 1 J 2:14, 24. 3 J 1:3. that I. ver. Ps 119:16, 133, 165. Ps 18:21-23. *Ps 19:11, 13. Dt 4:9. Jsh 24:22. 1 Ch 28:8. Ne 13:3. Pr 3:23. 6:22. +*Jn 17:6, 17. 1 Cor 15:34. Ep 6:17, 18.

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Daily Bible Nugget #257, Psalm 119:158

Posted on May 14, 2014 by Jerry

The Nugget:

Psalm 119:158 I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved; because they kept not thy word.

My Comment:

Saints grieve when men disobey the Scriptures (The New Topical Textbook, subtopic under the main topic The Scriptures, page 240). Those who truly believe the Bible is the Word of God, those who are truly Bible-believing Christians, surely are grieved and disappointed when they see others living in a manner that is disobedient to the Scriptures. We do not hate the person or persons involved; we grieve because by violating the Scriptures they are harming themselves. There is a vast collection of wisdom in the Bible. Violating what it commands or recommends will prove injurious to the violator or violators (Numbers 32:23; Galatians 6:8). It is not that Christians are attempting to force others to follow the Christian religion, or to make their country a theocracy as I see atheist posters on the Internet constantly complaining. Rather, anyone who knows the Bible realizes there are serious consequences reserved for those who violate its precepts both in this life and in eternity. If enough people in a nation choose to follow their own inclinations and disregard God’s Word, God Himself has told us what the result will be (Psalm 9:17; Genesis 12:3; Psalm 122:6). For example, the Bible observes that the debtor is servant to the lender (Proverbs 22:7). In the list of blessings and cursings found in Deuteronomy, the nation that obeys God will lend but not borrow; it will be the head and not the tail. But the nation that disobeys God will borrow and not lend; it will be the tail and not the head (Deuteronomy 28:44, 45). The Bible teaches that national debt is a curse, and will bring any nation that is morally and fiscally irresponsible to ruin. The Bible also discourages personal debt (2 Kings 4:7; Proverbs 22:7; Romans 13:8). Whether in the area of economics or morality, the Bible has much valuable advice. To not follow what the Bible teaches will bring unpleasant results whether a person chooses to believe what the Bible has to say or not. There are sometimes circumstances in which those who believe the Bible are encouraged to rescue those who are disobedient to the Bible from their folly (James 5:19, 20; 1 John 5:16, 17; Jude 1:22, 23).

For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:

(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on page 634 for Psalm 119:158.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 678 or in Logos 5 Bible software for Psalm 119:158.

(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:

Psalm 119:158. beheld. ver. Ps 119:53, 136. Je 3:20. Ezk 9:4. Mk 3:5. the transgressors. +Pr 2:22. was grieved. T#662, T#1087. ver. Ps 119:53n, 136. +Ps 79:9 (T#538). 139:21. Ge 6:6. 1 S 15:35. Ezr 9:2-5. 10:6. Jb 42:6. Is 42:24. *Ezk 9:4. Mt 18:31. *Mk 3:5. Lk 19:41. +*Ac 17:16. Ro 9:1-3. 2 Cor 2:4. *Phil 3:18. 2 P 2:7, 8. kept not. T#1106. ver. Ps 119:5, 85, 136. +*2 Ch 19:2. Pr 14:12, 13. +**Is 8:20. Ep 5:6.

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Daily Bible Nugget #256, Psalm 119:16

Posted on May 13, 2014 by Jerry

The Nugget:

Psalm 119:16 I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.

My Comment:

Saints keep the Scriptures in remembrance (The New Topical Textbook, subheading under the major heading “The Scriptures,” on page 240). The New Topical Textbook contains 20,000 topics and subtopics with 30,000 Bible references. I don’t know who counted them, but this Bible study resource is a good one. Saints, as you may well know by now, are not persons canonized and officially declared such by the Roman Catholic Church, but rather in the Bible’s use of the term saints are all Bible believing Christians. The Psalmist said “I will not forget thy word.” Of course, to forget something, you must have first learned or remembered it. The price of remembering what you have learned is eternal review. When in college I learned about the “One-Two-Five-Ten System” for remembering what you have learned. Notice on the first day how long it took you to learn what you are studying with the purpose to remember what you studied. On the second day, spend the same amount of time reviewing or practicing what you learned on the first day. On the fifth day review what you learned that first day, spending enough time to practice or review it to reach the full recall or skill that you had achieved the second day. On the tenth day spend enough time in practice and review for the final time to recall perfectly what you learned that first day now ten days previous. This may likely be the most efficient use of study time when you want to learn and remember something perfectly. This 1-2-5-10 System is designed to counter the normal curve of forgetting, and it works. Another helpful study technique is the 100 percent recall system. When reading a textbook, or the Bible, read a paragraph or verse. Then literally close your eyes and think that paragraph through. Then, upon opening your eyes again, check back through that paragraph to see if there is something you failed to recall, and do it again if necessary. Then go on to the next paragraph (or, if using this method for Bible study and meditation, the next verse) and repeat the process by reading the paragraph or verse and then closing your eyes to think back through the first and now second paragraph or verse. Probably do this for no more than about five paragraphs or Bible verses at a time. The key is to always spend 80% of your time reviewing or thinking back through, and 20% reading new material. Use this procedure to learn lists, to associate names with paintings for art history, or to really learn something you must master and retain perfectly. Most likely you can only do this in a setting where there are no distractions. Using these procedures would certainly, and most efficiently, help you to learn, understand, and retain or remember material you will be required to know. Another way in Bible study to keep God’s Word in remembrance is to study a verse by means of the cross references that have been assembled for that verse. Using such a combination of memory enhancement procedures for material you want to seriously retain in your memory, whether for school or college, work or Bible, will fix in your mind at a deeper level faster what you wish to learn, or for some reason are required to learn. The Psalmist employed yet another procedure to help remember God’s Word–he delighted in it. The more you know about a subject, the more interesting it becomes, and the easier it is to learn still more. That is true for all subjects–including the Bible.

For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:

(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on page 627 for Psalm 119:16.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 672 or in Logos 5 Bible software for Psalm 119:16.

(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:

Psalm 119:16. delight. ver. Ps 119:14, 24, 35, 47, 70, 77, 92, 143, 174. +*Ps 1:2. 19:8. +*Ps 37:4. 40:8. 104:34. +*Ps 112:1. Ne 8:12. Pr 21:15. **Je 6:10. Ro 7:22. He 10:16, 17. not forget. T#1086. ver. **Ps 119:11, +Ps 119:83, 93, 109, 141, 153, 176. *Pr 3:1. Jn 14:26. **He 2:1. 12:5. *James 1:23-25.

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Daily Bible Nugget #255, Isaiah 66:2

Posted on May 12, 2014 by Jerry

The Nugget:

Isaiah 66:2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.

My Comment:

Saints stand in awe of the Scriptures (The New Topical Textbook, subtopic under the main topic, “The Scriptures,” page 240). This passage (Isaiah 66:2) expresses some of the characteristics God is looking for in those who are committed to him. God is looking for those who are of a poor and contrite spirit. They possess humility. That humility is expressed by the attitude they have toward the Bible. True saints, real believers, “tremble at my word,” or as translated by the NET Bible, “I show special favor to the humble and contrite, who respect what I have to say.” Would that everyone should respect what God has to say in His written word found in the Bible. We would not be in the mess we are in now if people in general truly had respect for God’s Word. We would not have fatherless families. We would not have single-parent households. We would not have 78% of the Black children born to unwed mothers. We would not have unwed mothers. We would not have abortions. We would not have people proclaiming they are “coming out of the closet” and glorifying their wrong, even vile sexual relationships, what the Bible condemns, and calls Sodomy (Job 36:14, “They die in youth, and their life is among the unclean,” where for “unclean” the more direct and literal rendering is given in the margin as “the Sodomites”). There would not be any immoral nonsense like there is now expressed in blatant attempts to redefine marriage, when God Himself defined what marriage is in Genesis 2:24, a passage Jesus Christ Himself cites, as at Matthew 19:5. Both individuals and nations are forgetting, or purposely ignoring, the warning given in Psalm 9:17. God’s Word still stands confirmed as true, no matter what you think, no matter what I think. God’s Word declares that we will reap what we sow (Galatians 6:7). God declares “be sure your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23). You cannot play fast and loose with God. Everyone is responsible to read God’s Word in the Bible, to believe in our Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 16:31; 1 John 3:23), and to live a life that is pleasing to Him (Hebrews 12:14). Those who are on the “narrow path” are the ones who will find life, but Jesus warned that there are few that find it (Matthew 7:14). The way and opinion of the majority will not get you where you finally want to go, unless you really want to experience global warming on steroids forever!

For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:

(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on page 790 for Isaiah 66:2.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 819 or in Logos 5 Bible software for Isaiah 66:2.

(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:

Isaiah 66:2. For all those. *Is 40:26. *Ge 1:1, etc. +Jn 1:3. >Ac 7:50. *Col 1:17. *He 1:2, 3. have been. Je 3:16. Mk 7:29. to this. **Is 57:15. *Is 61:1. 2 K 22:19, 20. 2 Ch 34:27, 28. will I look. *Jn 4:23, 24. poor. Heb. ani, wretched, or lowly, +Pr 14:21. Is 25:4. 29:19. 41:17. 42:3. Ps 18:27. *Ps 69:33. 86:1. Pr 18:23. +*Mt 5:3. 11:5, 28. Lk 1:48. +*Lk 4:18. 6:20. *James 2:5. contrite. Jb 22:29. *Ps 34:18. +*Ps 51:17. 89:7. 138:6. Pr 29:23. Je 31:19, 20. 44:10. *Ezk 9:4-6. Jl 2:13. +**Mic 6:8. Hab 3:2. +*Mt 5:3, 4. **Lk 18:13, 14. Ja 1:10. 1 P 5:5. spirit. Heb. ruach, +Ge 41:8. trembleth. T#890. ver. Is 66:5. 2 K 1:13. Ezr 9:4. 10:3. +*Ps 119:120, 161. *Pr 13:13. 28:14. %*Je 36:23, 24. *Ezk 9:4, 6. Da 6:26. Ho 13:1. Jl 2:1. +*Hab 3:16. +*Ml 3:16. 4:2. +**Mt 10:28. Lk 8:47. Jn 4:23. *Ac 9:6. *Ac 16:29, 30. 24:25. Ro 11:20. 2 Cor 7:11, 15. *Phil 2:12.

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