April 3

Leviticus 6; Psalm 5-6; Proverbs 21; Colossians 4

Daily Catechism

QUESTION 62: WHAT IS THE REASON ANNEXED TO THE THIRD COMMANDMENT?
Answer: The reason annexed to the third commandment is, that however the breakers of this commandment may escape punishment from men, yet the Lord our God will not suffer them to escape his righteous judgment.
Scripture: Exodus 20:7; Deuteronomy 28:58, 59; Malachi 2:2.

Leviticus 6

This chapter gives added detail to the sin offering that is for accidental breaking of a negative precept.  If it is not a priest and not the whole congregation but only a leader or a common person, then the priest will eat the remainder of the (boiled) meat instead of carrying it outside the camp to be burned.

Psalm 5

     v2. Hear my prayers and my petitions when I come with passion and with need.  When I come with troubles and pains.  You are my king and my God and whom else can I go to?  Who else can help me O God if you do not?
     v3.  So to you alone do I come.  I rise early to seek you and I bring you my thoughts and my troubles.  I bring my confessions and my praise and my petitions.
     v5.  You do not hear the boastful.  They do not stand before you Lord so please let me not come with arrogance or with pride or with self-exaltation or with self sufficiency but with dependance and with a hallowing of your name.
     v8.  Lead me Lord.  You are my only righteousness and I need you to lead me in the right way and to grant me clear vision that I may walk a straight path as you would have me.
     v11-12.  Let all who seek you in the morning for refuge and protection rejoice and be indeed protected.  Let those who love you be caught up in exulting your name and may you bless those who bear your Sons righteousness and may your favor rest upon them each day in all their circumstances.

Psalm 6 

     v4.  Save me Lord for thy own sake.  I am your child and you have placed your name upon me and all watch to see how I handle life’s troubles and blessings alike.  Let me not be destroyed but hold me up and sustain me for the sake of thy witness and glory and praise among the peoples.
     v9.  You hear my voice O God and you accept the prayer that is in the name of your Son and in seeking your will above my own and the prayer that hallows your name and seeks thy glory and furtherance of your kingdom.

Proverbs 21

     v1.  The Lord maintains ultimate control over the authorities that he puts in place.  Hearts are his to influence and to restrain.  He is the embankment that guides and limits the desires and the motives and the outflow of a man, especially a King here.  This is a good picture of Abimelech who he did not allow to sin against Sarah in Genesis 22.
     v2.  We rationalize all we do and we have our own reasons for each action but God looks to our inner motives of the heart and knows if we act for love of him and others or for love of self.
     v3.  The Lord prefers that we do the right thing than that we ask for forgiveness later.  This is why sanctification is something that the Lord accomplishes in us rather than leaving us in the same sorry state and simply applying the blood for cleansing.  Justification is full and complete at conversion but yet he wants us to be made holy as he is holy.  The atoning work of the Son is precisely enough for our sin but this sin he plans to reduce.
     v13.  The golden rule has its consequences.  The Lord cares for the poor and we ought to as well.
     v17.  The tin can pleasures of this world are not to be loved over the gold and silver and jewels of the pleasures in God.  Richness toward God is our prize to seek and it will not be found in wine and luxury.
     v21.  The one who pursues righteousness and kindness.  Meaning he who loves the Lord and loves others, will find life (real life- eternal life), righteousness (a righteousness not their own, but from God), and honor (honor not their own but the honor of the living God and all of his glory).  See Romans 2:7, 10.
     v26.  The sluggard craves but has nothing.  The righteous labors in order to give it away to the glory of God.
     v31.  We plan and we strive and we hope…but ultimately it is the Lord who determines the outcome and he is the one we owe thanks to.  All my striving can come to naught in a heartbeat so I ought not take credit and glory when something works…it still only works by the will of God.  If there will be a victory O God, it will be yours!

Colossians 4

     v1. Paul asserts that those with authority over others (specifically those with hired help under them) should remember that they too have a boss (Almighty God) and so we should be just and fair in our dealings rather than heavy handed or cruel.  This suggests that God is watching and would perhaps bring judgement/discipline upon us for our actions if we are not in alignment here.
     v2. Paul has been giving instructions of putting sin to death and putting on the new self and instructing them on how to live and be married and to love one another and forgive each other.  He now tells them to remain steadfast in prayer with thanksgiving.  Watchful prayer is called for here and maybe it means to be expecting answers and to be not weak in intention or focus but to be very purposeful and looking for God to move.  Watch and pray that you may not enter temptation.  We are to be sober and reflect upon our hearts.  Perhaps watchful prayer could also refer to reflecting upon our hearts and praying for the guarding of our hearts against ill motives and desires and a careful tending to our reliance upon God.
     v3.  The above comments are somewhat validated in verse three because he now contrasts praying for them also.  Suggesting that the watchful prayer is for yourself, not others.  Now he directs them to pray for the apostles that they may receive favor and have opportunity to declare the good news, though he is in prison.
     v4. Paul wants to have clear speech.  He wants that message to be plain to those who would hear and he wants to be simple with his message.
     v5-6. Here Paul speaks to evangelism and the gospel-centered life.  He wants us to act wisely, always mindful that there are those outside of the family of God who see and watch us and we must always be concerned for our witness.  We must be mindful of how we impact them by our living and our speech and our conduct in every way.  We must make best use of our time here on this earth by being constantly in battle for the gathering of the children of God.  He puts a focus on our speech and indicates salt as though our conversations with non-believers should be such as to invite them into questioning us in our faith.  We aught to create opportunities for others to inquire and to see that we are always ready to provide gospel instruction and witness.
     v7. Paul is sending them a witness to fill them in and to lead them.  He gives credit to this man and indicates that he is a faithful minister and fellow servant of the Lord.  This is high praise and something any believer would want to be true of him.
     v8. Tychicus is being sent to inform them and to encourage their hearts.
     v9. Onesimus, a warm brother, but not seemingly indicated to be a minister of the gospel, is also coming with him and Paul gives great praise for him as well in this.
     v10-11.  Knowing that they care for the others as well he updates them and gives greeting from the others that are with him that they know.
     v12. Here he refers to Epaphras (who is a minister to this church in Colossae- see Col 1:7) as a prayerful man who cares about the Colossians and is engaged in constant prayer for their faith.  He seeks that they would be fully assured and mature in their walk.  This is good instruction that we too aught to be engaged not merely in praying for the positive outcome of circumstances for one another but for our hearts and for our faith and for our maturity and confidence in God.  We aught to pray for one another in this deep way that we would be growing in our knowledge of God.
     v13. Paul speaks of how hard this man has worked for them and others.  I can only assume that this means the man has engaged in prayer for hours on end and day after day and week after week by witness of Paul.
     v17.  He indicates here that someone there has a calling and it needs to be fulfilled. 
     v18. Paul want the Colossians to remember his chains.  Perhaps remember the need to suffer for the gospel or the way that Paul suffered joyfully or perhaps keeping in mind that a life of leisure is not our calling. Or perhaps Paul was indicating more provision to be sent later?

Soli Deo Gloria!