September 1 Daily Journal

September 1 2009—Daily Journal

Rolling back to the beginning of Proverbs. This month's translation: NIV. I've done NLT, NASB, KJV, NKJV, HCSB, ESV, and now NIV. Suggestions for next month's translation can be made in the comments, because I'm curious what some of you think!

Proverbs 1:1(NIV) →Just as an observation, even when you're the wisest king around, you're still someone's son. Your position and identity is still partially bound up in your family.

Proverbs 1:7(NIV) →This is the fruit of a foolish life: despising wisdom and discipline. If you claim to love the Lord, but despise His wisdom and discipline, it shows that you are instead a fool.

Proverbs 1:23(NIV) →We get multiple attempts to harken to wisdom's plea. We just don't take them!

Proverbs 1:33(NIV) →Considering our earthbound viewpoint, we mistake this for an error. But it's an eternal perspective!

Devotional reading: Psalm 26:1-8 →It should be true of me that, no matter what happens, I have walked in my integrity. This Psalm is a good reminder of that. In the preacher-world, it's easy to occasionally get wrapped up in all of the machinations and meeting of other people's expectations, that I lose sight of doing exactly what I know I should be doing. I must focus my life on walking in integrity before God. Then trust Him for the vindication.

Sunday School: Psalm 19:7-11 →I love the whole description of the aspects of God's Word. Then you get, “ in addition” or “moreover.” Do you see here how God's Word, His laws, instructions, precepts, ordinances, and commandments, basically all of it, are immeasurably valuable on their own merit . It's simply an addition to the value that they are useful for us. Read it again. Verse 11 is the kicker. This is a praise of the value of God's Word on its own, for its application to the world at large, with the side benefit being that the writer is warned and rewarded by them. Do we worship God this way? Recognizing His worth on its own? Or are we living in verse 11---we worship for what we get?

AM Sermon: Daniel 3. Take a read through it. Some quick background: this part of the OT is, as far as we have available, written in Aramaic, not Hebrew. Why does it matter? Aramaic was, as English is now, a somewhat universal language of the time. Not everyone knew it, but it was a language that was studied and recognized in many parts of the ancient world, at least from Greece to the Indus River. Aramaic was a language that crossed cultures, so this story, along with a few of the surrounding chapters, was accessible throughout the Empire, not just for the Jews. Why does that matter? It's one of clearest parts of Scripture about God's provision, protection, and personal involvement with His followers. Pretty good stuff to know.

PM Sermon: Topic: Teaching Authority: Where does teaching authority come from in the church? What is the source for your answer?

Tuesday Theology will come a little late today. I've got meetings this morning.

Doug