Posts from — June 2012

I would venture to say that today’s Bible quote is by far the most widely quoted and well known verse from the Bible. So much so, that I am sure that 99.9% of people asked “Bible or Not?” would say Bible. I would also venture to say that many people misunderstand what this quote means.

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. – Psalm 23:1 NKJV

We all want things out of life, don’t we? But if I believe in the Bible, and if it tells me that if the Lord is my Shepherd that I would not want, am I wrong to want? Of course it’s OK to want, i.e., desire things in life. Even the Bible tells us that if we delight in the Lord that He would give us the desires of our heart (Psalms 37:4).

In the 23rd Psalm the word “want” does not mean the same thing as desire. It means to “be in want”, or in other words, to be lacking, or to not have sufficient means to live. Also, this quote from the Bible is not a command to not want, it is an observation that when we make the Lord our Shepherd, he provides all of our needs. It is a statement of faith and trust. Perhaps it could be better understood as follows:

The Lord is my Shepherd, I have accepted Him as the director of my life, therefore I will lack nothing that is needful because God will provide for me.

This does not mean that life will be easy, or that we will always have in abundance. It means that if we put our trust in the Lord that He is faithful to take care of us. So in the good times we can thank God for His great blessings, and in the bad times we can trust that He will see us through.

Pslam 23

¹ The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
² He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.
³ He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.
⁴ Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
⁵ You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.
⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.

Today is another Father’s Day, seems like we just celebrated last year’s – how the time goes by fast. That’s the subject of today’s Bible or Not post. It has been said that it is a wise father who knows his own children, and I would agree with that. But what does that have to do with the time going by fast?

“It is a wise father that knows his own child.” – William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice

The relationship between father and child is one that can easily be taken for granted. As you raise your children you might spend time with them, but much of that time is in the daily hustle and bustle and making a living, running around, teaching and disciplining, and the like. And before you know it they are grown up and out of the house.

On this Father’s Day let’s spend the time to get to know our children better, but let’s not stop there. Even in the times of our busy days, the good days and the bad days, we can take the time, however little it may seem, to know them better each day. And while we’re at it, perhaps we should let them know us a little better as well. Happy Father’s Day!

If you missed last year’s Father’s Day post we listed a number of Father’s Day Bible Verses. Also, if you like today’s quote, you might like to see more William Shakespeare quotes.

The idea of quid pro quo, or I’ll scratch your back if you scratch mine, is commonplace. Most everyone is nice to those from whom they can benefit. And with the presidential election looming you can’t help but think of all of the favors being given and the payback being received. So, where do you draw the line? Is there any difference between bartering favors and outright bribery?

“A bribe is seen as a charm by the one who gives it;  they think success will come at every turn.” – Proverbs 17:18 NIV

In an interesting parable, Jesus actually seems to be encouraging this type of behavior. Or does He?

In the Parable of the Unjust Steward, Jesus tells a story of a rich man who had a manager that was responsible for managing his goods/business. This manager (or steward in the Biblical language) was doing a poor job, and as you read into the story you might speculate that he was dealing with his boss dishonestly. When the rich man had discovered that the manager had “wasted his goods”, he decided to fire the manager but not before getting a final accounting of his business. So, knowing that he was getting fired, the shrewd manager called to the debtors of his boss and settled their debts for less than they owed, in order to get a favor in return later. In other words, he gave them bribes so that they would be beholden to help him after he was fired – quid pro quo. This man saw the bribe as a charm that would secure his next job.

Jesus complimented the manager: “And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light”. But was this a compliment? Actually, no – this was a condemnation. Jesus then explained that for the unrighteous, it is wise for them to make friends with others who are unrighteous, since they will be spending eternity with them anyway. After all, birds of a feather flock together.

If you are not committed to the Lord, who in this parable is the rich man, then you may as well be committed to the riches of this world and bribe your way to the top. But at the end of the day the Lord will only receive the children of light. You cannot serve two masters, you cannot love God and money.

Did you notice today’s quote was a Bible Sequence?