It's come to my attention that I learn best when I am then going on to teach. And so this blog is an attempt to help me to learn from God's word, through the simple act of make observations as though I am teaching from the passage that I am reading. 

I am using the Everyday with Jesus Bible, which is a Holman Standard. It's easily readable, though a little less transliterative than my prefered ESV.

Joshua 19

The final part of the dividing of the land of inheritance. It also sets out the first loss of land by the Danites, who then recaptured it. Israel has not had an easy time getting to the stage of holding their land, and now find themselves not in an ideal situation where God provides an easy life - on the contrary, they have only just taken the land that God has given them and have to then fight again to retake it. Life is like that sometimes - we've picked up a strange idea somewhere that now that we're Christian, God will make life easy to us - this often is not the case!

Psalm 51:10-13

This is a prayer from a man who has seen in himself a heart that is unclean, who has seen that his spirit is not 'steadfast' (or 'renew a right spirit in me - ESV). Seeking petition to not leave this fallen man, to restore joy of God's salvation and to reform his spirit so that it is willing (to follow God?) and in so the man will then turn to teaching the rebellious God's ways. 

This being a psalm of David and a 'penitent psalm' and probably coming after Nathan's convicting words to David regarding his relationship with Bathsheba, this is a good study of how a man in authority who has messed up can come back to the Lord. Answer: On his knees. 

I find this touching, as David is not being specific about his sin, nor is he making bold promises of how he will make himself right with God - instead, he is falling on God's grace and mercy and coming out of that, is seeing that he will then be able to continue his duties to God - God's grace is empowering David to go back to being the leader that God made him to be. Also, I see here a recognition of the importance of testimony - 'then I will teach the rebellious your ways and sinners will return to you' - David can see that a testimony of God's grace to a fallen man is very powerful to a race of fallen people. 

Proverbs 12:11-12

I love 12:11. It's talking about XBOXs - 'The one who works his land will have plenty of food, but whoever chases fantasies lacks sense'. I take it to mean that my owning an allotment is godly and that I must work hard at it - living on computer games is senseless. I also see the phrase 'lacks sense' as being held up against 'plenty of food' as though they are in conflict. the word 'but' in the middle of the verse is quite a handy indicator to that affect.

Luke 18:1-23

The first parable in this section is potentially dangerous, and I know of someone who takes this verse to mean that the way to get what you want is to pester people into giving into your wants. I wouldn't say that it is particularly dangerous - but the potential is for people to get confused and pick this veiw up - it doesn't say that! The important point is that even though the judge was 'bad' he was also open to petition - in a similar way to Luke 11:10-13 (that fathers give their sons good gifts, even though they are compared to God, evil).

18:8 is an interesting question - I tell you that He will swiftly grant them (the elect) justice. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man omes, will He find that faith on the earth? Luke is asking if we believe this - do we believe that God will grant justice to the elect - His people, or do we not believe God's promises? Do we follow other gods?

Verses 9-14 compare a Pharisee and a tax collector - one, the upright living by the law 'good' person. The second someone who has sided with the Roman oppressors and inevitably has done his own share of opressing. The possible hyperbole used that the Pharisee would stand and openly thank God that he's not as bad as such an evil sinner is amusing to me - I can't be sure that it is hyperbole of course, but I like to think that people are much as they always have been - and rather than standing openly denouncing others, he's more likely to be subtly telling everyone around how great he is - for instance 'thank you Lord, that you have given me the fortitude and the strength to fast twice a week, that you have made my desires holy and pure in your sight - that you have made this, your humble servant, honest and full of integrity. I thank you that you have given me work that means I don't have to live as a bully - much like the tax collectors that also worship here....' etc. 

The tax collector on the other hand has an attitude of self-flaggelation, stating that he is evil and that he knows it - unable to look up to where God dwells (the temple) he instead is asking for God's mercy. He knows that he's a sinner - but also knows that God is merciful, whereas the Pharisee seems to have forgotten that no matter how good he thinks he is, he is still not the perfect man that God's justice demands. Later on, we realise that actually, the tax collector has a more open heart to Jesus' message than the Pharisee - the Pharisee has a lot to unlearn before he can accept Jesus' sacrifice. 

Verses 15-17 catalogues an episode which confirms the idea of an open heart to Jesus - the little children represent an openness to Jesus which the tax collector is a step behind on - the tax collector recognises that he is a sinner, this is the first step. The little children come to Jesus with an open heart and mind, this is the second step and the final step comes next;-

Verses 18-23 - the rich young ruler. This rich young man comes to Jesus and states that he has followed all of God's laws since he was a child - an interesting continuation from the children, and Jesus loves him. He then issues the final step - give everything away in order to follow God. Remove those things that distract you from following Him, put Him first and follow as a drowning man searches for water.