DAILY, WEEKEND, AND HOLIDAY INTERNET EVANGELIZE TO THE WORLD MINISTRY

God’s Elect 1 Peter 1:1 Excerpt These Christians lived in the Roman provinces which occupied the area of modern Turkey. They were a set of scattered groups and perhaps isolated individuals in a wide territory. In this respect they resembled the many Jews who lived in small communities scattered throughout the ancient world, and Peter’s wording deliberately echoes the self-description of the Jews as the scattered people outside their homeland. Marshall, I. Howard. 1 Peter. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1991. Print. The IVP New Testament Commentary Series.

The Sanhedrin Acts 4:5–6 Excerpt The next day the supreme council or Sanhedrin meets, what Luke calls therulers, elders, and scribes ( 4:5 ). Some antecedent to this body was likely organized by Ezra after the exile (cf. Ezra 5:5 ; Neh. 2:16 ; etc.). By Peter’s time it is modeled after the group of seventy elders who assisted Moses ( Num. 11:16–24 ; Mishnah Sanhedrin 1.1 , 6 ). This court has come to exercise wide-ranging powers, functioning as the final authority in religious matters and handling many domestic political cases as well. The high priest presides over the assembly, with former high priests, members of privileged families, and noted jurists on the court with him. In earlier days the Sanhedrin was made up chiefly of Sadducees, but around 67 b.c. Pharisees gained in power. Now both parties are found in some strength in the Sanhedrin (cf. Acts 5:34–40 ; 23:6–10 ). The present meeting seems to be a specially called one. The councillors sit in a semicircle, with the presiding

Egyptian Litter

Furnishings of the Tabernacle . ‎The book of Exodus details the construction of the tabernacle and its furnishings. As Yahweh’s sanctuary, the tabernacle served as God’s dwelling place among the Israelites—the expression of the covenant between Yahweh and His people ( Exod 25:8–9 ).

Chipped Stone Artifacts from the Pond Sediments in Area Fig. 23. Chipped stone artifacts from the pond sediments in Area 3. 1: Drill; 2; sickle blade; 3: Type 1 flake; 4: crested blade flake; 5: snapped blade; 6: Type 2 flake (drawn and inked by C. D’Annibale). Testing of the pond area revealed similar intact chipped stone discard/reduction patterns. A total of 132 chipped stone artifacts were recovered from the in situ strata corresponding to the pond sediments. Compared with the abundance of chipped stone found in colluvial fans and gullies covering the site, this is a relatively small sample. These offer a glimpse, however, of what may be the only undisturbed and best represented assemblage on site ( fig. 23 ). Material disposed into the pond, intentionally or not, would remain buried within the sediments with little movement. As the pond dried up, the deposit was effectively sealed. The best evidence for an actual lithic reduction locus is found in N500E485

Gehazi’s Covetousness ‎In Refusing Naaman’s gifts, Elisha had meant to teach him a further lesson of God’s power and of the little worth of the great general’s earthy pomp. He had hoped to make upon the man a permanent impress which should be of worth to Israel. This aim was brought to naught by the covetousness of the prophet’s servant Gehazi. ‎Gehazi was a man of shrewd, wordly wisdom, but of little heavenly insight. He served Elisha long, and in the main faithfully. Yet now as he saw this opportunity of enormous wealth passing away from their door, he could not resist its temptation. Hurrying after Naaman’s cavalcade, he pretended to come by his master’s order, and made excuse for receiving some portion of the rejected gifts. Naaman gave him gladly double all he asked, then went onward feeling that he had repaid his obligations to Israel. Elisha saw well what his servant had done, though Gehazi sought to deny it. “Went not mine heart with thee!” sighed the master in s

Widow Mourns by Her Husband’s Mummy ‎Resurrection as a concept was integral to Egyptian religion. Egyptians believed that the goddess Isis helped her divine husband Osiris to rise from death. The belief system provided no certainty that a given human would rise again, however. First the god Thoth had to weigh the deceased’s soul. No one could know in advance what Thoth would decide. The woman in this picture, weeping before her nobleman husband’s coffin, does not know if she will ever see her husband again. ‎ Gen 50:2–14 , Isa 53:3 , John 11:35 , 1 Thess 4:13 , Titus 1:2 , ‎Image by the Yorck Project, from Wikimedia Commons. License: Public Domain

Morning, February 29       Go To Evening Reading          “With lovingkindness have I drawn thee.”           — Jeremiah 31:3 The thunders of the law and the terrors of judgment are all used to bring us to Christ; but the final victory is effected by lovingkindness. The prodigal set out to his father’s house from a sense of need; but his father saw him a great way off, and ran to meet him; so that the last steps he took towards his father’s house were with the kiss still warm upon his cheek, and the welcome still musical in his ears.          “Law and terrors do but harden          All the while they work alone;          But a sense of blood-bought pardon          Will dissolve a heart of stone.”         The Master came one night to the door, and knocked with the iron hand of the law; the door shook and trembled upon its hinges; but the man piled every piece of furniture which he could find against the door, for he said, “I will not admit the man.” The Master

February 29th What do you want the Lord to do for you? Lord, that I may receive my sight. Luke 18:41 . What is the thing that not only disturbs you but makes you a disturbance? It is always something you cannot deal with yourself. “They rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried so much the more.” Persist in the disturbance until you yet get face to face with the Lord Himself; do not deify common sense. When Jesus asks us what we want Him to do for us in regard to the incredible thing with which we are faced, remember that He does not work in commonsense ways, but in supernatural ways. Watch how we limit the Lord by remembering what we have allowed Him to do for us in the past: ‘I always failed there, and I always shall’; consequently we do not ask for what we want, ‘It is ridiculous to ask God to do this.’ If it is an impossibility, it is the thing we have to ask. If it is not an impossible thing, it is not a real disturbance. God will do the absol

February 28   Forgetting those things which are behind … I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus         Phil. 3:13 , 14 It is not by regretting what is irreparable that true work is to be done, but by making the best of what we are. It is not by complaining that we have not the right tools, but by using well the tools we have. What we are and where we are, is God’s providential arrangement—God’s doing, though it may be man’s misdoing. Life is a series of mistakes, and he is not the best Christian who makes the fewest false steps. He is the best who wins the most splendid victories by the retrieval of mistakes. F. W. Robertson Hardman, Samuel G., and Dwight Lyman Moody. Thoughts for the Quiet Hour . Willow Grove, PA: Woodlawn Electronic Publishing, 1997. Print.

February 28 Lesson 13 FEAST OF TABERNACLES DEVOTIONAL READING: Deuteronomy 8:1–11 BACKGROUND SCRIPTURE : Numbers 29:12–40 ; Leviticus 23:33–43 ; Deuteronomy 16:13–17 ; Revelation 14:1–5 ; 1 Corinthians 15:20–29 LEVITICUS 23:33–43 33 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 34 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the LORD. 35 On the first day shall be an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. 36 Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: on the eighth day shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: it is a solemn assembly; and ye shall do no servile work therein. 37 These are the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD, a burnt offering, and a meat offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings,

Lesson for February 28, 2016 Feast of Tabernacles Leviticus 23:33–43 Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson . Scott teaches  preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri, and has held preaching ministries in Missouri, Illinois, and Colorado . This lesson treatment is published in the February 21 issue of  The Lookout  magazine, and is also available online at  www.lookoutmag.com . ______ By Mark Scott  Pushing the pause button to remember God’s faithfulness is a healthy spiritual discipline. Every so often we need to take a step back from the daily grind and enjoy a spiritual sanity check. In many ways that is how the Feast of Tabernacles functioned for Israel. This feast was one of the final ones according to our calendar year. (The Feast of Dedication, celebrated in winter, originated later than Leviticus.) Tabernacles celebrated harvest’s end and God’s faithfulness during the wilderness wanderings

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2016 | LENT THIRD SUNDAY IN LENT YEAR C              Old Testament       Exodus 3:1–8b , 10–15               Old Testament       Numbers 16:23–40 ( Supplemental )              Psalm       Psalm 38              New Testament       1 Corinthians 10:1–13              Gospel       Luke 13:1–9 Christian Worship Three Year Lectionary (with Supplemental Lectionary) . Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009. Print.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2016 | LENT THIRD SUNDAY IN LENT YEAR C              Old Testament       Isaiah 55:1–9              Psalm       Psalm 63:1–8 (UMH 788)              New Testament       1 Corinthians 10:1–13               Gospel       Luke 13:1–9 Vanderbilt Divinity Library. United Methodist Revised Common Lectionary . Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009. Print.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2016 | LENT THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT YEAR C | ROMAN MISSAL               First Reading       Exodus 3:1–8a, 13–15               Response       Psalm 103:8a               Psalm       Psalm 103:1–4, 6–8, 11               Second Reading       1 Corinthians 10:1–6, 10–12               Gospel Acclamation       Matthew 4:17               Gospel       Luke 13:1–9 Catholic Lectionary . Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009. Print.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2016 | LENT THIRD SUNDAY IN LENT YEAR C              Old Testament       Ezekiel 33:7–20              Psalm       Psalm 85              Epistle       1 Corinthians 10:1–13              Gospel       Luke 13:1–9 Lutheran Service Book Three Year Lectionary . Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009. Print.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2016 | LENT THIRD SUNDAY IN LENT YEAR C              Psalm       Psalm 103 or Psalm 103:1–11              First Reading       Exodus 3:1–15              Second Reading       1 Corinthians 10:1–13              Gospel       Luke 13:1–9 The Episcopal Church . Book of Common Prayer (1979) Sunday Lectionary. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010. Print.

Winnowing Grain ‎The three Egyptian farm laborers shown here illustrate one of the final stages in grain production. They are winnowing the combination of grain kernels, chaff, and stalk fragments produced as the oxen tread the threshing floor. Winnowing uses wind to separate the kernels from the chaff. The wind blows the chaff away and the heavier kernels, as well as some other plant fragments, drop straight to the ground, ready for sifting. ‎ Ruth 3:2 , Isa 21:10 , Isa 30:24 , Jer 4:11 , Luke 3:17

Temple of the Ark, Shiloh ‎Leaving Shechem, the Nazareth party would pass by Jacob’s Well and in sight of Joseph’s Tomb. Another day’s journey would bring them to Seilûn—the Shiloh of the Scriptures , and probably the site of the first temple to Jehovah, the home of the Ark of the Covenant . Shiloh is used also as one of the names of the Messiah, as in Genesis 49:10 , and means the Savior and the tranquility of peace from Him. It is written of this place: “But go ye now unto my place in Shiloh where I set my name at the first.” — Jeremiah 7:12 . Here Eli lived, and Hannah prayed and was answered, and here Samuel served and was called to the priesthood. Here the holy oil burned before the ark “ere the lamps of God went out in the temple of the Lord,” and the ark, captured by the Philistines, came no more to Shiloh. If you approach it through the Valley of Ain El Haramyeh you follow the path skirting the east slope till it reaches the top of the pass, where a glimpse of Mt. He

Sea of Galilee: Church of St. Peter’s Primacy—Statue ‎ A statue beside the Church of St. Peter’s Primacy at Tabgha depicts Jesus, after his death and Resurrection, appearing before St. Peter. Passing his hand over St. Peter’s head, he crowns him as the future head of the Church. On the background of the blue sky merging into the blue sea the statue looks like a moving shadow.

The Office of Overseer Excerpt The word “overseer” receives such translations as “bishop” ( KJV , ASV ), “Presiding-Officer” ( TCNT ), “superintendent” (Goodspeed), or “pastor” (Williams). In such passages as Acts 20:17 , 28 and Titus 1:5 , 7 the terms “elders” and “overseers” appear together to suggest that the positions are partially, if not fully, interchangeable. In discussing the office of an overseer, Paul was not requesting that Timothy begin a new office in the church. Men were already functioning in the position ( Acts 14:23 ; 20:17 , 28 ). What Paul stipulated was that those appointed to the office were to possess qualifications of commitment. Lea, Thomas D., and Hayne P. Griffin. 1 , 2 Timothy , Titus . Vol. 34. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1992. Print. The New American Commentary.

The Serpent Genesis 3:1 Excerpt Genesis 3:1 is connected with 2:25 by a Hebrew wordplay: Adam and Eve were “naked” ( ‘ărûmmîm ); and the serpent was more crafty ( ‘ārûm , “shrewd” ) than all. Their nakedness represented the fact that they were oblivious to evil, not knowing where the traps lay, whereas Satan did and would use his craftiness to take advantage of their integrity. That quality of shrewdness or subtleness is not evil in itself (indeed, one of the purposes of the Bible is to make believers so, according to Prov. 1:4 , where ‘ārmâh , shrewdness, is trans. “prudence”). But it was used here for an evil purpose. Ross, Allen P. “Genesis.” The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures . Ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck. Vol. 1. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985. 32. Print.

Three Heads of Emmer Wheat ‎Emmer wheat (Triticum dicoccum), one of the earliest cultivated crops, was grown in many Bible lands, notably Egypt, Palestine, and Mesopotamia. Emmer thrives better than many other grains in a variety of marginal or arid soils. The long filaments projecting from each emmer kernel’s husk are called “awns,” and aid in plant propagation in wild varieties by helping the seed push itself down into the soil. ‎ Exod 9:32 , Isa 28:25 , Ezek 4:9 ‎Image by user Marknesbitt, from Wikimedia Commons. License: Public Domain

Ebal ‎View across the village Nablus toward Mt. Ebal, where Joshua is said to have built an altar. The report of a few years ago that archeological evidence had proven the existence of the altar is incorrect. The excavated complex turned out to be the remainder of a residence and a tower. ‎ Deut 11:29 ; 27:4 , 27:13 ; Josh 8:30–33

https://www.gci.org/SpOL453

February 27: Reality Can Bite Leviticus 23–25 ; John 10:1–21 ; Song of Solomon 8:6–9 Reality shows are all about people who are known or want to be known—they have celebrity syndrome. The root cause of this obsession is probably, like most things, a disconnect from our Maker. As people disconnect from the God who made us, we seek affirmation from other sources. And as wrong as this desire may be, our culture makes it feel like second nature. The Jewish people Jesus spoke to also felt displaced. They were a people who had lost touch with their guide—their shepherd. Jesus is the answer to their call. Echoing Ezekiel 34:11–24 , He says, “I am the good shepherd, and I know my own, and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father.” But Jesus goes one step further by adding, “and I lay down my life for the sheep” ( John 10:14–15 ). Jesus promises that He will know us, and by echoing the very words of God, He is claiming that He is the God of Israel—He is t

Morning, February 27      Go To Evening Reading          “Thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation.”          — Psalm 91:9 The Israelites in the wilderness were continually exposed to change. Whenever the pillar stayed its motion, the tents were pitched; but tomorrow, ere the morning sun had risen, the trumpet sounded, the ark was in motion, and the fiery, cloudy pillar was leading the way through the narrow defiles of the mountain, up the hill side, or along the arid waste of the wilderness. They had scarcely time to rest a little before they heard the sound of “Away! this is not your rest; you must still be onward journeying towards Canaan!” They were never long in one place. Even wells and palm trees could not detain them. Yet they had an abiding home in their God, his cloudy pillar was their roof-tree, and its flame by night their household fire. They must go onward from place to place, continually changing, never having time to s

February 27th The impoverished ministry of Jesus From whence then hast Thou that living water? John 4:11 . “The well is deep” —and a great deal deeper than the Samaritan woman knew! Think of the depths of human nature, of human life, think of the depths of the ‘wells’ in you. Have you been impoverishing the ministry of Jesus so that He cannot do anything? Suppose there is a well of fathomless trouble inside your heart, and Jesus comes and says— “Let not your heart be troubled”; and you shrug your shoulders and say— ‘But, Lord, the well is deep; You cannot draw up quietness and comfort out of it.’ No, He will bring them down from above. Jesus does not bring anything up from the wells of human nature. We limit the Holy One of Israel by remembering what we have allowed Him to do for us in the past, and by saying— ‘Of course I cannot expect God to do this thing.’ The thing that taxes almightiness is the very thing which as disciples of Jesus we ought to believe He wil

February 27   I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me         John 14:6 Heaven often seems distant and unknown, but if He who made the road thither is our guide, we need not fear to lose the way. We do not want to see far ahead—only far enough to discern Him and trace His footsteps.… They who follow Christ, even through darkness, will surely reach the Father. Henry Van Dyke Hardman, Samuel G., and Dwight Lyman Moody. Thoughts for the Quiet Hour . Willow Grove, PA: Woodlawn Electronic Publishing, 1997. Print.

Towers Beside A City Gate TOWERS BESIDE A CITY GATE At the gates he built towers: The text does not tell us how many gates there were or how many towers. TEV indicates one tower at each gate, but the text does not say this. The author could well be thinking of two at each gate, one on either side. Towers were immense stone structures either built on the walls or, in this case, attached to the walls beside a gate. On these towers were protected places where archers could shoot down on the enemy soldiers. Many translators will need to use a descriptive phrase; for example, “high strong buildings beside each gate ” (so also TOB 13:12 ). Sixty cubits wide at the foundations may be rendered “with a base that was ninety feet wide” (CEV) or “that was ninety feet [or, thirty meters] wide at the bottom.” Gates … forty cubits wide means “gates … sixty feet [or, twenty meters] wide.” It is important that the information about the width of the gates be placed in conju

Adam and Eve Excerpt This section ( 2:4–7 ) is introduced as “the account of the heavens and the earth” ; this is the first of ten units in Genesis introduced with “account of” (or, “story of, descendants of” ). In a sense man is viewed as the offspring of the heavens and the earth. But it is an earth without vegetation ( v. 5 a) and water ( v. 5 b), except for subterranean streams ( v. 6 ). God is pictured as a potter. He forms man from the dust. Perhaps we should translate dust as mud or clay, for potters do not work with dust. The idea of God creating man from the earth is mentioned elsewhere in the Old Testament ( Job 4:19 ; 10:8 ; Pss. 90:3 ; 103:14 ; 104:29 ; 146:4 ). Not only is God potter, he is animator as well. God breathes the breath of life into man. More Elwell, Walter A. Evangelical Commentary on the Bible . Vol. 3 . Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1995. Print. Baker Reference Library.

Herod’s Gate

Greetings to the Seven Churches Excerpt As with the prologue in 1:1–3 , the greeting was written after John had experienced the visions of the book. It presents the major themes of the book: seven churches, the eternality of God, Jesus the faithful witness, and God’s eternal glory and dominion. These themes will be illustrated throughout the book. John gave a standard blessing: “grace and peace.” Revelation is addressed to the seven churches of Asia. The churches were in cities Paul had visited on his second and third missionary journeys. As elder, or bishop, of Ephesus, the apostle John was responsible for these churches. Note the structure of 1:4–8 . It starts and ends with the eternality of God ( cf . Exod. 3:14–15 ). The middle part describes the person and work of Jesus, which results in believers being “priests” ( 1:6 ). The servants of God do their priestly ministry in Christ surrounded by the eternal power and nature of the Father. More Hughes, Robert B., and J. Carl Laney.

Be Hospitable Excerpt Hospitality (philazenos, “love of strangers” ) is a telltale virtue of the people of God. Paul told the Roman church to “Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality” ( Romans 12:13 ). “Practice” means “pursue” or “chase” and sometimes means “strenuous pursuit.” Christians, and especially leaders, are not simply to wait for opportunities for hospitality but are to pursue them. They are to do it “without grumbling,” as Peter says ( 1 Peter 4:9 ). Today’s elder must be a joyous host. He must invite people to his table. His home must be open. Hospitality is all over the New Testament. And the writer of Hebrews offers an enchanting motivation: “ Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it” ( 13:2 ). These are God’s thoughts on hospitality! Hughes, R. Kent, and Bryan Chapell. 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus : To Guard the Deposit. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2000. Print. Preaching the

A Copper Crown A copper crown, one of 416 copper objects found in the “Cave of the Treasure,” in the Nahal Mishmar in southern Palestine; forth millenium B.C. Powell, Mark Allan, ed. “Zurishaddai.” The HarperCollins Bible Dictionary (Revised and Updated) 2011 : n. pag. Print.

North Shore, Sea of Galilee ‎The rocky northern shoreline of the Sea of Galilee.

February 26: Patiently Waiting Leviticus 20:1–22:33 ; John 9:35–41 ; Song of Solomon 8:1–5 Delayed gratification is a foreign concept to our natural instincts. Our culture doesn’t encourage patience or contentment; we would prefer to have our desires met the moment they arise. The woman in Song of Solomon tells us that she is delighted in her beloved. She praises his attributes and tells of the wonders of their love. But throughout the poem, at seemingly random moments, she also warns the daughters of Jerusalem about love: “I adjure you … do not arouse or awaken love until it pleases!” ( Song 8:4 ). This is not the first time she has “adjured” them to wait and have patience: the same refrain is found elsewhere in the poem, and it acts like an oath ( Song 2:7 ; 3:5 ). Although the elevated poetry glories in love, delight, and fulfillment, it also warns about immediate gratification. The woman urges us not to force love. It is something that must be anticipated and protected

Morning, February 26       Go To Evening Reading          “Salvation is of the Lord.”           — Jonah 2:9 Salvation is the work of God. It is he alone who quickens the soul “dead in trespasses and sins,” and it is he also who maintains the soul in its spiritual life. He is both “Alpha and Omega.” “Salvation is of the Lord.” If I am prayerful, God makes me prayerful; if I have graces, they are God’s gifts to me; if I hold on in a consistent life, it is because he upholds me with his hand. I do nothing whatever towards my own preservation, except what God himself first does in me. Whatever I have, all my goodness is of the Lord alone. Wherein I sin, that is my own; but wherein I act rightly, that is of God, wholly and completely. If I have repulsed a spiritual enemy, the Lord’s strength nerved my arm. Do I live before men a consecrated life? It is not I, but Christ who liveth in me. Am I sanctified? I did not cleanse myself: God’s Holy Spirit sanctifies me. Am I wea

February 26th Inferior misgivings about Jesus Sir, Thou hast nothing to draw with. John 4:11 . ‘I am impressed with the wonder of what God says, but He cannot expect me really to live it out in the details of my life!’ When it comes to facing Jesus Christ on His own merits, our attitude is one of pious superiority— ‘Your ideals are high and they impress us, but in touch with actual things, it cannot be done.’ Each of us thinks about Jesus in this way in some particular. These misgivings about Jesus start from the amused questions put to us when we talk of our transactions with God— ‘Where are you going to get your money from? How are you going to be looked after?’ Or they start from ourselves when we tell Jesus that our case is a bit too hard for Him. ‘It is all very well to say “Trust in the Lord,” but a man must live, and Jesus has nothing to draw with—nothing whereby to give us these things.’ Beware of the pious fraud in you which says— ‘I have no misgivings a

February 26   Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him         Gen. 32:1 It is in the path where God has bade us walk that we shall find the angels around us. We may meet them, indeed, on paths of our own choosing, but it will be the sort of angel that Balaam met, with a sword in his hand, mighty and beautiful, but wrathful too; and we had better not front him! But the friendly helpers, the emissaries of God’s love, the apostles of His grace, do not haunt the roads that we make for ourselves. Alexander Maclaren Hardman, Samuel G., and Dwight Lyman Moody. Thoughts for the Quiet Hour . Willow Grove, PA: Woodlawn Electronic Publishing, 1997. Print.

Prosperity Psalm 1:3 Excerpt For all who take their delight in living by God’s Word, there is prosperity. Under the image of a fruitful tree, the psalmist declared that whatever the righteous do will prosper (cf. 92:12-14 ). Two qualifications need to be noted. First, the fruit, that is, the prosperity, is produced in its season and not necessarily immediately after planting. Second, what the godly person does will be controlled by the Law of God ( 1:2 ). So if a person meditates on God’s Word, his actions will be godly, and his God-controlled activities will prosper, that is, come to their divinely directed fulfillment. Ross, Allen P. “Psalms.” The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures. Ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck. Vol. 1. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985. 790. Print.