Jan 14, 2022
I encourage you to Dig Deeper in your Bible study this year. I have linked several powerful on-line Bible study tools in the Shovels blog post at http://dailybiblereading.info. The same information can be found in the Read This First pages under the menu entry Links and Shovels.
And when you find an especially precious insight or a question, please share it with us via our Facebook group.
Our Facebook group and other ways to stay connected with other Bible readers will change each year. Please see the links in the site header of http://dailybiblereading.info.
GENESIS 25-26:
Yesterday in Genesis 24 we read the charming
story of how Rebecca became Isaac's wife.
JOB 14:
In
Job chapter 13, Job challenged Zophar and his other two friends
with these words,
6 GNT Listen while I state my
case.
7 Why are you lying?
Do
you think your lies will benefit God?
8
Are you trying to defend him?
Are
you going to argue his case in court?
9 If
God looks at you closely, will he find anything
good?
Do you think you can fool God the way you fool
others?
…
14 I
am ready to risk my life.
15
I've lost all hope, so what if God kills me?
I am
going to state my case to him.
16
It may even be that my boldness will save me,
since no wicked person would dare to face
God.
Job said in 13:15 that he would present his case to God, and that is exactly what he does, starting in verse 19 (in the GNT) or 20 (in the NLT). And Job continues to speak to God through all of chapter 14.
MARK 9:
Yesterday at the end of Mark 8,
Jesus gave this requirement for all his followers:
“Everyone who wants to follow Me must leave his own self-interests, and follow Me continually with this resolve, ‘No matter if I die— even if that be by crucifixion, I will keep following the Lord!’”
[That translation sounds different because it is from what I call the Plain English Translation. That is an English translation of our Plain Indonesian Translation (TSI).]
The rest of Mark chapter 8 has other important verses including this one:
If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it.