Readings for 23,24 November & comments

The Bible readings for Friday 23 and Saturday 24 November are -- 1 Sam 17:1-58; Ps 65:1-8; Pro 14:10-12; Jn 6:1-21.
Please feel free to add your comments.

Ps John has a comment on 1 Sam 17 about David.

Readings for 21,22 November & comments

The readings for Wednesday 21 and Thursday 22 November are -- 1 Sam 15:1-16:23; Ps 64:7-10; Pro 14:8-9; Jn 5:24-47.
Please add your comments.

Ps John has a comment on 1 Sam 16 about David's heart.
Ps John has a comment about John 5:24 being a key verse in John.

Readings for 17,18 November & comments

The readings for Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 November 2007 are -- 1 Sam 11:1-13:22; Ps 63:6-11; Pro 14:4; Jn 4:27-54.
Your comments are welcome here.

Ps John has a comment about Samuel's changing role (1 Sam).

Readings for 6,7 October & comments

The Bible readings for Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 October are -- Josh 20:1-21:45; Ps 51:14-19; Pro 12:13-14; Lk 18:24-43.
Any thoughts on any of these passages? Please share them with us.

Ps John has a comment on Ps 51 about its applicability corporately.

Readings for 30,31 July & comments

The Bible readings for Monday 30 and Tuesday 31 July are -- Num 27:1-28:31; Ps 37:21-26; Pro 9:1-2; Lk 2:1-20.
Please feel free to leave your comments anytime.

Ps John has a comment Moses and the rock (Nu 27) and obedience and heart.

Readings for 6,7 July & comments

The Bible readings for friday 6 and Saturday 7 July are -- Num 8:1-10:10; Ps 34:1-7; Pro 8:6-7; Mk 12:28-44.
Please feel free to leave a comment any time.

Ps John has a comment on Num and Mk about The Great Commandment.

Readings for 14,15 June & comments

The Bible readings for Thursday 14 and Friday 15 June are -- Lev 21:1-22:33; Ps 29:7-11; Pro 6:34-35; Mk 6:47-7:16.
Your comments welcome.

Ps John has a comment on Lev and Mk about legalism.

30,31 Mar -- Foot in Mouth Disease?

The readings for Fri 30 and Sat 31 March are -- Gen 42:5-43:14, Ps 14:1-7; Prov 3:13-14; Mt 15:10-39.

People who are constantly saying the wrong thing are sometimes described as having foot-in-mouth disease. Perhaps it's really just a case of heart-in-mouth disease.

At the beginning of Mt 15, we saw the Pharisees criticising Jesus because his disciples didn't perform the prescribed ritual hand washings before eating. Jesus called them hypocrites and applied the words of one of Isaiah's prophecies to them -- "These people honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me." Jesus put it down to a heart problem.

In the current reading from Matthew, Jesus enlarges on this with some very perceptive comments. "But what comes out of the mouth comes from the heart, and this defiles a man." (15:18). "For from the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual immoralities, thefts, false testimonies, blasphemies." (15:19) i.e. evil deeds and evil words. "It's not what goes into the mouth that defiles a man, but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man." (15:11).

The good news is that Jesus can cure heart disease. And that fixes foot-in-mouth disease.

18,19 Mar -- The Tongue is Connected to...

The readings for Sun 18 and Mon 19 March are -- Gen 32:1-33:20; Ps 10:13-18; Prov 3:1-2; Mt 12:9-37.

I recently heard of a guy who frequently made inappropriate remarks in conversation. After one such incident, he told a friend: "I felt like I just wanted to rip my tongue out." The friend replied: "You'd have to pull pretty hard, because your tongue is connected to your heart." Jesus said the same thing -- "For the mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart." (Mt 12:34)

Hence the wisdom of Proverbs 3:1-2 -- "... Let your heart keep my commands; for they will bring you... well-being."

P.S. I'm planning to speak on the tongue this coming Sunday night, mainly from Psalm 12 (one of the "Thru in 2" readings for the weekend). Any good ideas, suggestions, stories, illustrations?