Daily Bible Nugget #39, Mark 11:24

Posted on October 3, 2013 by Jerry

The Nugget:

Mark 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

My Comment:

I still remember to this day that this verse, along with Mark 11:22, “Have faith in God,” was a favorite verse of mine. As a teenager I made this list of verses to memorize. I actually memorized this whole set and several more not included in this list over a weekend or so. I did that to prepare to bring a Wednesday night prayer meeting meditation that Pastor Laphew invited me to bring. I’m thankful that Pastor Laphew took the initiative in inviting me to share a message with the good group of faithful adults who met for prayer and Bible study at Thoburn Methodist Church in Detroit. I was the only young person in attendance. I suppose some young people back then and now might consider a prayer meeting a boring way to spend time, but I found it an encouragement and a blessing.

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 1094 for Mark 11:24.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 1115 or in Logos 5 Bible software for Mark 11:24.

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

Mark 12:24. What things. Is 45:11. Mt +7:7-11. **18:19. *21:22. Lk **11:9-13. *18:1-8. Jn *14:13, 14. 15:7. *16:23-27. Ja *1:5, 6. *5:15-18. 1 J *3:22. **+5:14, 15. ye desire. 1 K 2:20. 3:5. 2 C 6:13. Col 1:9. when ye pray. Is 65:24. 1 C 14:13. 1 T 2:8. believe. T#1312. Mk 5:36. 9:23. Ex 4:30, 31. Ps 116:10. 119:66. Jon 3:5. Mt *8:13. *9:28, 29. *21:21, 22. Jn *4:49, 50. 6:68, 69. 11:22. Ro 10:14. He 10:22. *11:6. 1 J **5:14, 15. receive. or, have received. Is +*65:24. Mt 6:8. ye shall have. ver. 23. Mt 19:26. Lk +*11:9, 10. 1 J +*5:15.

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Daily Bible Nugget #38, John 16:24

Posted on October 2, 2013 by Jerry

The Nugget:

Joh 16:24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

My Comment:

This is an encouraging prayer promise. It is a good verse to memorize. There are many prayer promises in the Bible. You probably cannot use a concordance to find them. You can track some of them down using cross reference Bible study. A topical Bible like Nave’s Topical Bible, or Nave’s Study Bible, or the Thompson Chain Reference Bible are other good sources to search the Scriptures to find more prayer promises to claim. Of course, I am prejudiced in favor of my own book, The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, which has seven indexes at the back. The Topic Number Index will likely lead you to as much as there is to find in the Bible on this subject. In the Topic Number Index, check out Topic Number 879, linked to Jeremiah 33:3, as a starter. See also the Subject Index entry, “Prayer, appeal to promise in.” In fact, this would make a good subject for me to study out further, for I know there is much more in the Bible about this than I have made reference to in any of my indexes!

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 1201 for John 16:24.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 1220 or in Logos 5 Bible software for John 16:24.

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

John 16:24. Hitherto. or, Until now. have ye asked nothing. Est 7:2. Jb 21:15. in my name. Jn +1:12. Ge 32:9. 1 K 18:36. 2 K 19:15. Da 9:17. Mt 6:9. Ep 1:16, 17. 1 Th 3:11-13. 2 Th 1:2. 2:16, 17. He *7:25. 13:21. ask. ver. +23. Jn 15:16. Mt 6:5. *+7:7, 8. +**17:20. Nu +*20:8. 2 K 2:10. 4:3. Ps 72:15. *81:10. 116:1. SS 8:13. Lk +*11:9. Ja 1:5. **4:2, 3. 1 J **3:22, 23. +*5:14. and ye shall receive. Jn +*1:16. Ps +**99:6. 145:19. Pr 10:24. Ec 2:26. Mt 21:22. Ac 4:31. 8:15. that your joy. ver. 23. Jn +15:11. 17:13. 1 S 1:18. Ps 132:16. Ac 13:52. Ph 1:26. 2 T 1:4. 1 P *1:8. 1 J 1:3, 4. 2 J 12.

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Daily Bible Nugget #37, Matthew 6:5-8

Posted on October 1, 2013 by Jerry

The Nugget:

Matthew 6:5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
Matthew 6:6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
Matthew 6:7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
Matthew 6:8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

My Comment

Jesus gives us helpful instruction about prayer. His directions apply to us today. Note the interesting expression “They have their reward.” That is not a good thing. Jesus uses that expression earlier in the same chapter. Jesus encourages private, even secret prayer. He warns against vain repetition. He does not mean that we cannot repeat our requests. Paul remarks that he had prayed for a concern three times (in 2 Corinthians 12:8), so that is not the issue. Jesus rebukes long, pious, repetitive prayers such as the Jews used at that time. It very probably refers to liturgical prayers repeated over and over with little variation, some groups even having a system of beads on a string or thread to help keep track of where they are in the sequence! A practice like that may be very religious, but it is not Biblical. Jesus lets us know in a very practical sense that our Father in heaven knows what we need, before we ask him. So why ask? James tells us if we don’t ask, we won’t receive what we have not asked for (James 4:2). Scripture tells us God delights to hear the prayers of those who believe in Him, so do spend some time each day talking to your heavenly Father.

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Daily Bible Nugget #36, James 5:16

Posted on September 30, 2013 by Jerry

The Nugget:

James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

My Comment:

This is the second on my list of verses about prayer that I first chose and memorized as a new Christian. This verse has much to teach us. Yet, it must be understood and applied carefully or much mischief may result. As for confessing faults to one another, caution is in order. Now it is wonderful to share prayer requests so we can pray for one another. But even this must be done judiciously lest we end up merely feeding gossip-mongers. James declares under the pen of divine inspiration that the prayer of a righteous man availeth much. We need more prayer, and more righteous men and women, I’m sure. This is a good verse to learn by heart. It also makes for a good verse to study further by means of cross reference Bible study.

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 1453-1454 for James 5:16.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 1471 or in Logos 5 Bible software for James 5:16.

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

James 5:16. Confess. Gr. exomologeō, S#1843g, +Mk 1:5. To confess from the heart, freely, publicly, openly (Thayer). It denotes full and unreserved confession or acknowledgment (Cremer, p. 772). The confession specified is voluntary (though not optional, the verb here is second person, plural number, middle voice, imperative mode, and so a command), not one-way auricular confession to a pastor or priest, not merely to the elders, nor to the church in a public meeting, not just to those we have offended, but to one another, to one in right standing with God, with the purpose of securing mutual informed interest, counsel, and prayer support. T#1235. Ge 41:9, 10. Ex 10:16, 17. Nu 21:7. Jsh 7:19. 2 S 12:13. 19:19. Ps 106:33n. *Ps 119:26. +*Pr 28:13. Mt 3:6. 5:24. **Mt 18:15, 16, 17. Lk 7:3, 4. 17:4. +*Ac 19:18. faults. Ps 19:12. Gr. paraptoma, *S#3900g. A falling aside, when one should have stood upright. Hence (morally) a fall, a falling aside from truth and equity; a fault, or trespass (CB). Mt 6:14 (trespasses), Mt 6:15, 15. 18:35. Mk 11:25, 26. Ro 4:25 (offenses). Ro 5:15, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20. 11:11 (fall), Ro 11:12. 2 Cor 5:19 (trespasses). *Ga 6:1 (fault). Ep 1:7 (sins). Ep 2:1 (trespasses), Ep 2:5 (sins). Col 2:13 (sins), Col 2:13 (trespasses). one to another. Ps 106:33n. Mt 5:23, 24. **Mt 18:15, 16, 17. +Ro 12:5. 15:1. +*Ga 6:1. +*He 3:12, 13. 10:24, 25. pray one for another. *1 S 12:23. Ro 15:30. Ep 6:18. Col 1:9. *1 Th 5:17, 23, 25. *He 13:18. that ye. ver. Jas 5:14. *Ge 20:17. *2 Ch 30:20. +**Ps 103:3. Mt 8:14, 15, 16, 17. 13:15. Lk 9:6. *Ac 10:38. He 12:13. 1 P 2:24. The effectual. “On the word energoumenē, inwardly energizing in devotion and love to God, so as to produce external effects in obedience” see the following reference passages. “Observe, therefore, how happily the two emphatic words dikaiou (righteous) and energoumenē are (in the Greek text) reserved for the end of the sentence, to give weight and force to the whole; and to make it sink into the ears and hearts of hearers and readers of the Epistle; and to teach the faithful of every age, that it is holiness of life and devotion of heart which give efficacy to Prayer” (Wordsworth, Greek Testament, vol. 4, p. 34). Zc 12:10. Ro 8:26. 2 Cor 1:6. *Ga 5:6. Ep 3:20. Col 1:29. **1 Th 2:13. fervent prayer. Ge 18:23-32. 19:29. *Ge 20:7, 17. *Ge 32:28. Ex 9:28, 29, 33. *Ex 17:11. 32:10, 11, 12, 13, 14. *Nu 11:2. *Nu 14:13-20. *Nu 21:7, 8, 9. *Dt 9:18, 19, 20. Jsh 10:12. *1 S 12:18. *1 K 13:6. *1 K 17:18-24. *2 K 4:33, 34, 35. *2 K 19:15-20. **2 K 20:2, 3, 4, 5. 2 Ch 14:11, 12. *2 Ch 32:20, 21, 22. +*Jb 42:8. Ps 10:17, 18. +*Ps 34:15. +**Ps 62:8. *Ps 145:18, 19. Je 15:1. *Je 29:12, 13. **Je 33:3. Da 2:18-23. *Da 9:20, 21, 22. Ho 12:3, 4. **Mt 7:7, 8, 9, 10, 11. *Mt 21:22. Lk 11:11, 12, 13. *Lk 18:1-8. *Ac 4:24-31. *Ac 12:5-12. 1 P 3:12. *1 J 3:22. a righteous. +*Pr 15:8, 29. *Pr 28:9. +*Jn 9:31. Ro 3:10. *Ro 5:19. He 11:4, 7. *1 J 3:7. availeth much. On this passage, Wordsworth notes “It is the inner working of the heart, moved by a spirit of love, that prevails with God. The wrestlings of Jacob in prayer, the yearnings of Hanna’s heart, these gain a blessing from Him.” Ge 18:23. Ex 8:13. 32:10, 11, 12, 13, 14. *Ex 33:17. 1 S 12:18. 1 K 13:6. Jb 42:8, 9, 10. Is 45:11, 19. +*Lk 11:9, 10. 18:7, 8. *Ac 10:4. 2 Cor 1:11. *Phil 1:19. Col 4:12. *Phm 22. He 5:7. *1 J 5:14.

Additional insight into the proper application of James 5:16 may be discerned by observing the whole scope and tenor of Scripture through careful consideration of the cross references given above. Take special notice of any notes elsewhere given. Notice particularly that there is reference made to the note at Psalm 106:33,

Psalms 106:33

Because. *Num 20:10; *Num 20:11.

provoked. Psa 106:7; Psa 106:43, Psa 78:17; Psa 78:40, Num 11:10; Num 12:3; Num 27:14, Deut 1:37; Deut 3:26; Deut 4:21, Job 17:2, Isa 3:8, Jon 4:4, Act 7:39; Act 15:39, 1Co 13:5, Eph 4:26, +Jas 1:20.

spirit. Heb. ruach. FS171Q24, Synecdoche of the Part: here, “spirit” is put by the figure of speech Synecdoche for the whole person. +S# H7307. Psa 77:3; Psa 77:6, Eze 21:7, Dan 2:1; Dan 2:3, Mal 2:15, 16, For the other uses of ruach, see Gen 6:3 note.

he spake. *Psa 39:1; *Psa 141:3, *Gen 30:1; *Gen 35:16, 17, 18, *Job 2:10; Job 3:1; *Job 38:2; Job 40:4, 5; *Job 42:7; *Job 42:8, +*Mat 12:36, Eph 5:11, 12, *Jas 3:2. As Matthew Poole notes, the Psalmist here does not mention what Moses spake, because that was fully known from the history, and because he would throw a veil over Moses’s infirmity, and rather imply than express his fault. Similar reticence is observed in Chronicles, where David’s sin regarding Bathsheba is omitted from the account. This should inform us as to the need for extreme caution in any application we might make of such a passage as Jas 5:16, “confess your faults one to another,” particularly since the Apostle Paul expressly forbids discussion of what has been done in darkness (Eph 5:11, 12). **2Co 7:11 note. +*Jas 5:16.

Consider further the related note given at 2 Corinthians 7:11 under what carefulness,

2 Corinthians 7:11

ye sorrowed. T605, 2Co 7:8, 9, 10, Lev 16:29; Lev 23:27, Deut 16:3, 1Sa 7:2, +Psa 119:6 (T602). Isa 66:2, Jer 31:19, Eze 20:43; Eze 36:31, *Zec 12:10, 11, 12, 13, 14, Mat 3:8, Luk 3:8; Luk 6:21; Luk 7:38; **+Luk 18:13, +Act 8:8 (T621). 1Co 5:2, Jas 4:9.

what carefulness. or, diligence. Note: In describing the effects of their sorrow, the Apostle speaks of the emotions of their minds, without mentioning the objects of these emotions; which he did, as Locke observes, from modesty, and from respect to the Corinthians. See on 2Co 7:7; 2Co 7:12, **Psa 106:33 note. Mar 6:25, Luk 1:39, +Rom 12:8 g. 1Co 7:34; 1Co 12:25, *Tit 3:8; *Tit 3:14, +*Jas 5:16 note. 2Pe 1:5, Jud 1:3 g.

it wrought. or, worked. 2Co 7:10.

clearing. 2Co 12:19, Gen 44:6, 7, +Act 22:1 g. Act 25:16, Rom 2:15 g. 1Co 5:13; 1Co 9:3, +*Eph 5:11, Php 1:7; Php 1:16, 1Ti 5:21, 22, 2Ti 4:16, 1Pe 3:15 g.

yea. FS18, +Deut 28:4.

indignation. 2Sa 12:5,6, 7, Neh 5:6, etc. Neh 13:25, Job 42:6, Jer 31:18, 19, 20, Dan 6:14, Mar 3:5, 1Co 5:2, Eph 4:26.

fear. Gr. phobos (S# G5401, Mat 14:26). 2Co 7:1; 2Co 7:15, Psa 2:11, Pro 14:16; *Pro 16:6; Pro 28:14, Act 5:5, Rom 11:20, +1Co 2:3, *Php 2:12, Heb 4:1; +*Heb 12:15; +*Heb 12:16, 1Pe 1:17, *Jud 1:23.

vehement. 2Co 7:7, Psa 38:9; Psa 42:1; Psa 130:6; Psa 145:19, Son 8:6, Isa 26:8, *1Pe 2:2.

zeal. 2Co 7:7, 2Co 9:2, Psa 69:9; Psa 119:139, Joh 2:17, Act 17:16.

revenge. or, vindication. or, retribution (Strong). Gr. ekdikēsis [(S# G1557), vindication, retribution (Strong): Rendered (1) vengeance: Luk 21:22, Rom 12:19, 2Th 1:8, Heb 10:30, (2) avenge (with S# G4160): Luk 18:7, 8, Act 7:24, (3) revenge: 2Co 7:11, (4) punishment: 1Pe 2:14]. Psa 35:13, *Mat 5:29; *Mat 5:30, *Mar 9:43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, +*Rom 12:19, *Rev 3:19.

approved. +2Co 3:1; 2Co 6:4; 2Co 13:7, Lev 6:27, +Rom 3:5; Rom 6:21; Rom 14:18, **2Ti 2:15.

clear. or, pure. Gr. hagnos [(S# G53). 2Co 11:2 g (chaste). **Php 4:8 g (pure). *1Ti 5:22 g. Tit 2:5 g. +Jas 3:17 g]. or, holy. Holy has to do with moral purity, not ceremonial purity (LNT, fn q).

in this matter. 1Th 4:6.

 

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Daily Bible Nugget #35, James 4:10

Posted on September 29, 2013 by Jerry

The Nugget:

James 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

My Comment:

This is the first of the memory verses on my nearly original list. I say nearly, because I shortened the list to make it a manageable project for the teenagers in my high school Sunday school class to learn. This verse is broadly included under the general topic, Verses about Prayer. If these verses are not among the verses you already know by heart, I encourage you to memorize them as they are presented. I am only as far as Hebrews 11 in my vast project to increase the number of cross references available for Bible study, so I won’t present the cross references below this time.

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Daily Bible Nugget #34, Psalm 1:2

Posted on September 28, 2013 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:

The opening chapter of the book of Psalms contrasts the character and destiny of the “blessed man” and “the ungodly.” The first verse states with whom the blessed person does not seek fellowship. It says, “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.” You can see a progression there: walk, stand, sit. Another progression: ungodly, sinners, scornful. The next verse begins with the word “But.” That marks a contrast. The godly man, the blessed man, is marked by the fact that “his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.” The blessed person meditates regularly, even daily, on God’s Word as it is written in the Bible. Now, how can a person possibly do that? It can be done if you will read a portion of the Bible daily. Another excellent way to do it is to memorize significant Bible verses. Having a good bit of Scripture carefully memorized lets you think about God’s Word without having to access the printed page. I plan, the Lord willing, to share as Daily Bible Nuggets the list of Bible verses I first committed to memory when I was still in high school as a new Christian. I am glad I learned those verses well back then. Some of the verses I gathered for my list from my own Bible reading. Others I selected because they were most often listed as references in Gospel tracts about God’s plan of salvation. In any case, I think you will both enjoy them and benefit from them as I share them one by one. Memorizing God’s Word, or hiding God’s Word in our heart, serves many good purposes, some of them already mentioned. If you have memorized the appropriate verses, knowing them by heart makes it easier to share their truth with others. The Bible itself gives a good reason to hide God’s Word in our heart when it says “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee” (Psalm 119:11). That helps us maintain a closer walk with God. I memorized these verses in the King James Version, because at the time that was the most widely used and available version of the English Bible. I still prefer it. But younger people may prefer a modern language version instead. Of the many available, I think I would recommend the English Standard Version (ESV) as among the best. Another important point: it helps tremendously to learn the “address” of the verse–the book, chapter, and verse number. Learn it right along with the verse. I wrote out the verses I wanted to memorize on 3×5 cards. Across the short end of the unlined side I wrote the book, chapter and verse. On the lined side I wrote out the verse. When I reviewed my memory verses, I first looked at the “address side” and attempted to recite the words. I turned the card over to see if I was right. If so, I went on to the next verse in the growing stack. If I stumbled on a verse, that is, I could not quote it correctly, I read it over repeatedly, then shut my eyes and attempted to recite it correctly. I reviewed my memory verse cards carefully every week. I did all this while I rode the bus to school, and again when I rode the bus back home. However you manage to do it, I hope you will succeed in memorizing verses from the Bible that are especially encouraging to you. Then you, too, can be like the Psalmist, whose “delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night” (Psalm 1:2).

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 page 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 further given below:

Psalm 1:2. But his delight. T#1081. Ps *40:8. *112:1. 119:*11, *35, *47, 48, 70, 72, *92, 162. Jb **23:12. Je **15:16. Ro 7:22. Col 3:16. 1 J *5:3. doth. FS96C9, Ge +2:10. meditate. T#665, 1090. Ps 16:8. 63:5. 77:11, 12. *104:34. 119:*11, 15, 23, 24, *87-99, 148. 143:5, 6. Dt *17:18, 19. Jsh **1:8. Da 6:10. Mt +14:23 (T#64, 531). Col 3:16. 1 T *4:15. day. Ps *88:1. *119:97. Dt 6:6, 7. Lk *2:37. *18:7. 1 Th *2:9. 2 T *1:3. night. Ps 119:148.

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Daily Bible Nugget #33, Proverbs 14:12

Posted on September 27, 2013 by Jerry

The Nugget:

Proverbs 14:12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

My Comment:

Probably a good many of us, including me, believe we are right when it comes to spiritual things, including our understanding of the Bible, or the particular faith group to which we belong or with which we associate. Of course, if others disagree with us, they must be wrong!

Some believe there is just one true Christian Church, and it was founded upon Peter, for example. At least, he was their first pope. Some from that faith group have argued in online discussions with me that I am clearly wrong, for my position agrees with the error described in Judges 17:6, “In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” The same statement occurs in Judges 21:25, and is generally the reference they appeal to. It would appear to me that their position is entirely mistaken, because I am not arguing for the correctness of any particular church or denomination.

My position is that for anyone to be correct, what they believe must be in accord with what the Bible itself teaches.

How can you be sure your way is right unless you have carefully checked it against the content and teaching of the Bible itself? The answer to that is, you cannot be sure your way is right if you simply accept what someone else has told you is the truth about spiritual things.

Another group has come to my door with literature to share. They have confronted me personally with Romans 14:12, “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” They carefully explained that I need to check what my religion teaches and see if it agrees with the Bible. I explained I don’t have a religion. What I have is an ongoing personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. I said I believe in going by the Bible alone and in its entirety. I suggested that they, too, ought to read the Bible for themselves as if they were alone on Robinson Crusoe’s Desert Island for a long enough period independently of any group’s religious literature so they can give the Bible a fair chance to speak to them by itself. Then, having done that, check their religion against what they found in the Bible.

The advice to read the Bible for yourself to determine the truth is contrary to the teaching of any religious group that is a false cult. False religions and false cults generally want you to go only by what they teach. They want to restrict your study to only their literature. They argue that no one has the right to their own “private interpretation” of the Bible.

As it happens, those groups that teach contrary to the Bible, including any group or church or denomination that teaches it is the only way, or the one true church, such groups are examples of what Proverbs 14:12 is warning against: “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”

Others live a carefree life, and spend more time watching television or participating in sports than they ever give to spiritual things. The next verse, Proverbs 14:13, “Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth is heaviness,” may well apply to them. They may think that if their good deeds outweigh their bad deeds, the Lord will let them into heaven. If they continue on that path, they may be in for an unpleasant surprise. Jesus said in His Sermon on the Mount, “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matthew 7:13, 14).

Are you absolutely sure you have found the right way, that you are on the right path, the one Jesus has called “the narrow way”? The only way to be sure, the only way to find out, is get far better acquainted with your 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 665 for Proverbs 14:12.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 706 or in Logos 5 Bible software for Proverbs 14:12.

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

Proverbs 14:12. is a way. Pr 12:15. 15:24. 16:12, 17, *#25. 30:12. Ps +*119:104. Is 53:6. Mt **7:13, 14. Lk 13:24. Ro 6:21. Ga 6:3. Ep *5:6. Ja *1:22. seemeth right. Pr 3:7. 25:8. Jg 17:6, 13. 21:25. 1 K 12:27-33. 14:7-11. 2 Ch 35:20-24. Lk *8:18. Jn 16:2. Ac 13:50. Ph 3:4-7. 1 T 1:13. Ja **1:26. the end. ver. 13. Pr 5:4, 11. 16:25. ways of death. Pr 16:25. Ps +*1:6. Je 21:8. Ro *6:21.

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Daily Bible Nugget #32, Psalm 119:130

Posted on September 26, 2013 by Jerry

The Nugget:

Psalm 119:130 The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.

My Comment:

Here the Bible is given the title “thy words.” The entrance of thy words giveth light. Notice the Psalmist declares that taking in Scripture by reading and studying the Bible gives light, not darkness. The Psalmist further asserts that taking in the Bible by reading and studying it gives understanding unto the simple. The Contemporary English Version reads, “Understanding your word brings light to the minds of ordinary people.” Notice that the Bible itself declares it is understandable. It brings light into the minds of ordinary people. Light does not come from ritual, tradition, sacraments, or some supposed “teaching authority.” Light comes from God’s Word, the Bible. I have hammered on this theme repeatedly because this truth must “sink in.” Otherwise, you are literally “sunk,” and will not reach what I trust is your intended eternal destination. Any church or denomination or teacher who teaches otherwise, and so teaches directly contrary to the very plainly repeated assertions of Scripture which declare the Bible is understandable, will lead you utterly astray. You must go by the Bible alone and in its entirety. You must verify from Scripture itself the teaching you receive from your spiritual leaders or leadership. The Bible commands us to “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21). If we are to “hold fast” that which proves good, true, correct, guess what we are supposed to do for those things that do not check out? The inference is clear: avoid it like the plague.

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 633.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 677 or in Logos 5 Bible software for Psalm 119:130.

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

Psalm 119:130. entrance. Note: Or, “opening,” paithach: the Scriptures give satisfactory light to the mind upon every subject of which they treat; and speedily communicate more useful knowledge to the simplest believer, upon the most important topics, than the acutest philosophers have been able to develop through successive ages. ver. 98-100, *105. Ps 43:3. Dt 11:18. Pr 6:23. Is **8:20. Ezk 2:8. Lk 1:77-79. *24:45. Ac 8:27-35. *26:18. Ro **10:17. 2 C *4:4, 6. Ep *5:13, 14. Ph 2:15, 16. 2 P **1:19. Re 1:3. thy words. Ps 102:18. giveth light. Ps **19:8. Ge 1:3. Le 24:2. Nu 8:2. Jb 24:16. Ec 2:13. Jn 6:63. Ro 2:18. 2 C *4:4. Ph 2:15. 2 T +**3:16. He *4:12. it giveth understanding. T#1037. ver. **104, 108. Ps *19:7. 73:17. Dt 27:8. 1 Ch 15:22. Ne 8:12. Jb *6:24. Pr *1:4, 22, 23. 4:18. **8:8, 9. 9:4-6. 28:5. Is +*29:24. 35:8. Mt 7:24. Ro +*15:4. 16:18, 19. 2 T **3:15-17. simple. FS108K54, Pr +1:4. Ps *19:7. 116:6. Pr +1:4. 7:7. 9:4. Je 20:7. Mt 11:25. 2 C 1:12.

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Daily Bible Nugget #31, Psalm 119:104

Posted on September 25, 2013 by Jerry

The Nugget:

Psalm 119:104 Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.

My Comment:

The Psalmist uses yet another title for God’s Word: “thy precepts.” The Psalmist gets his understanding through God’s written Word found in the Bible. As a result of having this enhanced understanding available from nowhere else, the Psalmist asserts that he hates every false way. When you have come to accurately understand the truth about something taught in the Bible, you will recognize at once any misinterpretation of that truth taught by others. I experienced hearing a “false way” just this morning. The very famous and highly respected speaker on the radio program attempted to prove from Scripture the doctrine of limited atonement. This doctrine holds that Christ did not die for all men, but only for the elect, those predestined by God in eternity past to be among those called to salvation and eternal life. The speaker dismissed the word “all” with a passing reference to the statement “for all hold John as a prophet,” declaring that there were many that did not believe John was a prophet. The speaker did not give the Bible reference for this one, but checking Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible at Exodus 9:6 where there is a listing of all the occurrences of “all” in the Bible which display this limited sense, I spotted the reference in the listing to Matthew 21:26, the text the speaker quoted.

It is true that in Scripture, “all” does not always mean “all.” But this fact must not be used to detract from those passages where “all” clearly does mean “all.” When the Bible declares that God is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9), and again, “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4), and yet again, “And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again” (2 Corinthians 5:15), surely in these cases it is clear to the ordinary reader that “all” really does mean “all” without limitation. It will not do to dismiss these instances of “all” with a passing reference to a case where clearly “all” is used in a more limited sense.

This most prominent Bible teacher in this instance is guilty of mishandling the Word of God to bolster a particular doctrinal viewpoint, a viewpoint which is utterly mistaken and not in accord with God’s Word.

If I were to publically debate this speaker (I’m sure that will never happen!), I would immediately on this point bring up 2 Corinthians 5:14, “For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead.”

For how many did Christ die? This text clearly specifies all. In what sense is “all” to be taken here? While opinions may differ, the answer is most clear. Christ died for the all that the Apostle Paul here labels “then were all dead.” It is obvious that the “all who are dead” has reference to those who are spiritually dead. How many are spiritually dead, initially? Romans 3:23 tells us “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Are there any who are born in this world who are not born “spiritually dead”? I think not. Therefore, the death of Christ on the Cross was for all, and the doctrine of Limited Atonement is false doctrine. Those who teach “limited atonement” as one of the so-called doctrines of grace are teaching falsehood.

In our text, the Psalmist said he hated every false way. Surely the doctrine of Limited Atonement is false doctrine, and the so-called “Doctrines of Grace” are a false way, and are to be hated.

The speaker on this program (“Grace to You”) concluded with a flippant reference to 2 Peter 2:1, a text which reads “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.” The speaker asserted that Peter’s reference to “the Lord that bought them” was said by way of sarcasm.

I guess, to get around a troublesome text, one need only pin a label on it to disarm the inconvenient truth being expressed. This, again, is handling the Word of God deceitfully (2 Corinthians 4:2). The text at 2 Peter 2:1 affirms that the blood of Christ, the Lord who bought them, was shed even for these false teachers. This is another firm proof that Limited Atonement is a false doctrine. How anyone can blatantly deny the plain truth of this text and not be convicted by qualms of conscience for doing so is beyond me. Further in 2 Peter chapter 2 is unassailable evidence that these false teachers were once genuinely saved individuals because in identifying them, Peter uses the strongest word available for “know” when he says “For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them” (2 Peter 2:21). The Greek word involved here is epiginosko, a strengthened form of ginosko, a form which means full and accurate knowledge, not mere head knowledge. The same Greek word is used for 2 Peter 2:20, “For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.” If Peter had intended to convey that the knowledge of Christ these false teachers possessed was mere “head knowledge,” not saving knowledge, he hardly would have chosen the strengthened form of the verb “to know” as he did.

Jesus warned us to “take heed what ye hear” and also “take heed how ye hear” (Mark 4:24; Luke 8:18). The Psalmist has instructed us how to do that: compare what we hear with what is taught in the Word of God written in the Bible. If we do that, like the Psalmist, we will hate every false way.

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 631.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 676 or in Logos 5 Bible software for Psalm 119:104.

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

Psalm 119:104. Through. ver. *98, *100. precepts. ver. +4, 15, 27, 35, 40, 45, 56. Jn 17:17. Ro 2:18. 1 J 5:3. I get understanding. God’s written Word in the Bible is the appointed source of understanding. Furthermore, since we get understanding by our study of God’s Word, as declared in this verse directly, the Bible teaches it is understandable. We don’t need some supposed authority or teaching authority to tell us what the Bible says, though of course we may benefit from genuine believing Biblical scholarship to inform us of things about the Bible, its times, its language, its grammar, to help us get even more from our reading of the written Word of God. ver. 9, 24, **130. Ps *19:7. Ne 8:12. Jb *6:24. Pr 2:6, 10, 11. **4:7. **8:9. 16:21. 18:15. *28:5. Lk 24:32, 45. He 6:1. 2 P *3:18. therefore I hate. When individuals, churches, denominations, and religious groups teach contrary to what is written in the Word of God in the Bible, they are teaching a false way. Those who love God’s Word properly hate every false way, and avoid such false ways, following the teaching of the Bible itself, not so-called traditions, which are, after all, only the traditions of men. ver. 113, *128. Ps *36:4. 45:7. *97:10. *101:3. Pr +*8:13. 13:5. Am *5:15. Ro 6:2. 7:15. *12:9. Ga 5:12. 1 Th +*5:21, 22. 2 Th %2:10. He 1:9. Ju 23. false way. ver. *29, *30, 101, 118, +*128, 163. Ps 49:13. Pr *14:12, 15. **18:17. Je 44:4. Mt *7:13. Ep 4:14. **5:11, 12. 1 Th *5:22. 2 Th *2:10-12. 2 J *9-11.

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Daily Bible Nugget #30, Psalm 119:103

Posted on September 24, 2013 by Jerry

The Nugget:

Psalm 119:103 How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

My Comment:

Sometimes tastes must be acquired, especially tastes for the very best things in life. If you had only one year, or one week, or one day to live, what would be the best way to spend it? Surely opinions will vary! I had a graduate school professor raise that question during his lecture in a course in literary criticism. Most of the class exhibited considerable immaturity in the ways they expressed about how to best use the hypothetical limited remaining time. I suspect the Psalmist would go one step beyond the professor’s recommendation to read the greatest literature to receive the greatest pleasure. The Psalmist would surely assert that the greatest work of literature is the Bible, and reading and studying it would be the best use of time. To the Psalmist, as to some of the other writers in the Bible who expressed an opinion on this theme, the reading and study of Scripture was an absolute delight, as enjoyable as the best meal they ever ate. My students in high school found it hard to enjoy so-called great literature. I posted some famous quotations for them which brought out that our own personal opinion about a great work of literature is more a judgment upon us than a judgment, say, upon the quality, worth, or greatness of Shakespeare. So with the Bible. The more you know about it, the better and more interesting it gets. To start, you don’t have to read the whole thing at once. You can start small, say by reading it for twenty minutes a day, starting in the New Testament, perhaps the Gospel of Mark (the shortest of the Gospels), or the Gospel of John. As you develop your taste for Scripture, it will indeed become “sweeter than honey.” If you want your reading time to count for eternity, spend a good part of it reading 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 631.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 676 or in Logos 5 Bible software for Psalm 119:103.

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

Psalm 119:103. sweet. T#1082. ver. 113. Ps *19:10. 56:10. 63:5. 104:34. Ne 8:12. Jb **23:12. 33:23. Pr 2:10. 3:17. *8:11. 16:24. 22:18. *24:13, 14. SS 1:2-4. 5:1, 16. Je **15:16. Ezk 3:1-3. Mt 5:6. Ro 12:2. 1 J 5:3. Re 10:9, 10. taste. Heb. palate. Ps 34:8. 137:6. Jb 6:6, 30mg. 12:11mg. +31:30mg. 34:3mg. Pr 5:3mg. SS 2:3mg. Ho 8:1mg. sweeter than. Lk 18:30. Jn 4:32. Ro 12:2. He *5:14. honey. Ps 19:10. 34:8. 81:16. Ge 43:11. Pr 16:24. 24:13, 14. 27:7. SS 4:11. Ezk 3:3. 2 C 2:14. Re 10:9, 10. to my mouth. SS 5:16. Ho 8:1.

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