A merchant can hardly avoid doing wrong; every salesman is guilty of sin. -Sirach 26:29 (GNT)
Having just bought a new car a few months ago, I remember the experience and know exactly what he is talking about when he writes this!
Friday, June 21, 2019
Thursday, June 6, 2019
Anger.
Don't be angry with someone for every little thing he does wrong. Don't do anything out of injured pride. -Sirach 10:6 (GNT)
Anger is so much more destructive than we may realize. Sure, we can all see from time to time how it hurts others and there are always those times when we wish we could take something back that we said or did. Aside from that, which is bad enough, are the times when we hurt ourselves. Anger is like a cancer, that when left unattended, can spread and cause a serious threat to our health and well being. Even if were you to discount anything you read in the Apocrypha, the fact remains that the Bible has a lot to say about anger.
We would be wise to heed what the Bible has to say in Psalm 37:8 (CEB):
Let go of anger and leave rage behind!
Don’t get upset—it will only lead to evil.
Thursday, May 30, 2019
Practical advice from Sirach 7:1-17 (CEB):
1 Don’t do evil things,
and evil will never catch up with you.
2 Keep your distance from anything unjust, and it will turn away from you.
3 Don’t sow in furrows of injustice,
and you won’t reap
evil things sevenfold.
4 Don’t seek political power from the Lord
or a seat of honor from the king.
5 Don’t justify yourself
in the Lord’s presence,
and don’t make a show of your wisdom
with a king.
6 Don’t aspire to become a judge;
you might not be strong enough
to get rid of injustice.
Perhaps you will be too cautious
in the presence of a powerful person
and bring a scandal on your good name.
7 Don’t sin against a city’s inhabitants,
and don’t bring yourself down
in their estimation.
and evil will never catch up with you.
2 Keep your distance from anything unjust, and it will turn away from you.
3 Don’t sow in furrows of injustice,
and you won’t reap
evil things sevenfold.
4 Don’t seek political power from the Lord
or a seat of honor from the king.
5 Don’t justify yourself
in the Lord’s presence,
and don’t make a show of your wisdom
with a king.
6 Don’t aspire to become a judge;
you might not be strong enough
to get rid of injustice.
Perhaps you will be too cautious
in the presence of a powerful person
and bring a scandal on your good name.
7 Don’t sin against a city’s inhabitants,
and don’t bring yourself down
in their estimation.
8 Don’t repeat a sin,
for you won’t be innocent
even of committing it the first time.
9 Don’t say,
“He will look at the heap of my gifts,
and when I make an offering
to the Most High, he will accept it.”
10 Don’t be timid in your prayer,
and don’t neglect caring for those in need.
11 Don’t mock a person
who is bitter in spirit;
for there’s one who humbles
and who exalts.
12 Don’t cultivate a lie against your relative
or do the same thing to a friend.
13 Don’t desire to tell a lie;
continuing in a lie results in no good.
14 Don’t babble when the elders
are assembled,
and don’t repeat yourself when praying.
for you won’t be innocent
even of committing it the first time.
9 Don’t say,
“He will look at the heap of my gifts,
and when I make an offering
to the Most High, he will accept it.”
10 Don’t be timid in your prayer,
and don’t neglect caring for those in need.
11 Don’t mock a person
who is bitter in spirit;
for there’s one who humbles
and who exalts.
12 Don’t cultivate a lie against your relative
or do the same thing to a friend.
13 Don’t desire to tell a lie;
continuing in a lie results in no good.
14 Don’t babble when the elders
are assembled,
and don’t repeat yourself when praying.
15 Don’t hate hard work and farming,
which were created by the Most High.
16 Don’t count yourself
among a group of sinners;
remember that God’s anger won’t delay.
17 Humble your whole being
as much as possible,
because fire and worms
are the punishment of the ungodly.
which were created by the Most High.
16 Don’t count yourself
among a group of sinners;
remember that God’s anger won’t delay.
17 Humble your whole being
as much as possible,
because fire and worms
are the punishment of the ungodly.
Although these verses are from the Apocrypha, I find them to contain worthy advice from ancient writings that are as applicable to my daily life as a believer in Christ as they certainly were back when they were first conceived. I really enjoy the writings contained in Sirach, as well as others I find in the apocryphal books.
Tuesday, May 28, 2019
New Posts Coming!
I've neglected this blog for a few years now, which is something I intend to remedy soon!
I still see the Apocrypha as something of great value to a child of God in their study of His wonderful word!
I leave you with these words from the book of Wisdom:
Love righteousness, you rulers of the earth, think of the Lord in goodness and seek him with sincerity of heart;because he is found by those who do not put him to the test, and manifests himself to those who do not distrust him.For perverse thoughts separate people from God, and when his power is tested, it exposes the foolish;because wisdom will not enter a deceitful soul, or dwell in a body enslaved to sin.For a holy and disciplined spirit will flee from deceit, and will leave foolish thoughts behind, and will be ashamed at the approach of unrighteousness. Wisdom 1:1-5 (NRSVCE)
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