JULY 27

Friends vs. Enemies

Proverbs 27:5: "Open rebuke [correction; i.e., pointing out to your friend his or her faults or failures] is better [more desirable and beneficial] than secret love [remaining silent, or ignoring the problem]."

Proverbs 27:6: "Faithful are the [verbal and emotional] wounds of a friend [in other words, we may feel hurt when our friends rebuke or correct us (point out our sins), even if it is done with good intentions (because they want to help)]; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful [phony and misleading, because they hide the person's true feelings]."
If we notice that our friends are involved in sinful behavior or headed in the wrong direction, we should tell them. Doing so may temporarily hurt their feelings but eventually should help.

In his commentary on the above verses, Pastor Delany of Salem Bible Church said, "Things are not always as they appear at first … Rebukes and wounds are sometimes expressions of true love and friendship while smiles, kisses, flattery, and hugs may actually be expressions of hatred and enmity [hostility, ill will]."

If you want to read the pastor's commentary, here's the link: https://www.salembible.org/proverbs-index/proverbs-27-index/proverbs-27_5-6/.

JULY 26

Reaping What We Sow

In his letter to the Christian churches in Galatia, the apostle Paul wrote:

Galatians 6:7: "Be not deceived [don't be misled or fooled] [by false teachers]; God is not mocked [meaning he won't be disrespected, dishonored, or ignored]: for whatsoever a man [or woman or child] soweth [sows], that shall he [or she] also reap [as when a farmer scatters or plants seeds and harvests a crop; for example, when a farmer sows wheat, he reaps wheat, and when he sows barley, he reaps barley]."

Galatians 6:8: "For he [or she] that soweth to his [or her] flesh [i.e., people who regularly engage in smoking, drinking, gambling, drug abuse, adultery, fornication, pornography, overeating, etc., to satisfy a craving for pleasure] shall of [from] the flesh reap corruption [things like sorrow or distress, disease, and/or death]; but he [or she] that soweth to the Spirit [of God, referring to those who follow the leading of the Holy Spirit] shall of the [Holy] Spirit reap life everlasting [eternal life]."
In verse 8, sowing to the flesh means having a desire to fulfill the lusts of the flesh, and sowing to the Spirit means being guided by the Holy Spirit, which results in salvation and living the kind of life that exhibits the fruit of the Spirit. The Bible describes these two things as follows:

Sowing to the Flesh = Works of the Flesh

Galatians 5:19-20, 21: "Now the works of the flesh are manifest [obvious], which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness [lustfulness], Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance [disagreements], emulations [jealous competition], wrath, strife, seditions [encouraging rebellion against the government], heresies [false teachings], Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings [wild celebrations, partying], and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God [unless they are born again, or saved--see 1 Corinthians 6:9, 10, 11]."

Sowing to the Spirit = Salvation, and Fruit of the Spirit

Galatians 5:22-23 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness [humility], temperance [self-control]: against such there is no law."

JULY 25

Advice from the apostle Paul to the churches in Galatia (and to all Christians):

Galatians 6:10: "As we [born-again Christians] have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men [and women and children], especially unto them who are of the household of faith [i.e., the Christian faith, meaning those who have trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior]."
Although we can't get saved by good works (Ephesians 2:8-9, Galatians 2:16), salvation should make us want to do good works. This is explained very well in the following article: "What does it mean that good works are the result of salvation?" If you want to read it, here's the link: https://www.gotquestions.org/good-works-salvation.html.

JULY 24

At a time when the Christian church at Corinth was undergoing persecution and trials, the apostle Paul wrote:

1 Corinthians 7:8-9: "I say therefore to the unmarried [men and women] and [to] widows [and widowers--i.e., people whose spouses have died], It is good for them if they abide [continue to be. or remain] [single or unmarried,] even as I [do, or am, now] [or 'like me']. But if they cannot contain [control] [their sexual thoughts and actions, or resist temptation], let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn [with lust, or with an overwhelming and unfulfilled desire or craving for sex]."
According to 1 Corinthians 6:18 and other verses in the Bible, fornication (i.e., sexual intercourse between people who are not married to one another) is wrong. Paul says that some people, like him, have no trouble living the single life, but those who cannot control their sexual desires, resist temptation, and avoid fornication should get married.

GotQuestions.org has an article about this verse. It's entitled "What does it mean that it is better to marry than to burn in 1 Corinthians 7:9?" and can be found here: https://www.gotquestions.org/better-to-marry-than-to-burn.html.

JULY 22-23

During his sermon on the mount, Jesus said to his disciples (followers):

Matthew 5:27-28: "Ye [you] have heard that it was said by them of old time [by Moses and the prophets], Thou shalt [you shall] not commit adultery [which is the seventh commandment]: But I [Jesus] say unto you, That whosoever looketh on [whoever looks upon] a woman to lust after her hath [has] committed adultery with her already in his heart [or mind]."
Examples of the above teaching include watching pornographic videos, reading pornographic literature, etc.

The article entitled "What does the Bible say about pornography?" has more information about this subject. If you want to read it, here's the link: https://www.gotquestions.org/pornography-Bible.html.

Matthew Henry commented on the above verses as follows:

"… What have we the covering of the eyes [i.e., eyelids] for, but to restrain corrupt glances, and to keep out of their defiling impressions? This forbids also the using of any other of our senses to stir up lust. … And if looking be lust, they who dress and deck [decorate], and expose themselves, with design [the intention] to be looked at and lusted after … are no less guilty …"

(Source: https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/matthew-henry-complete/matthew/5.html, "Verses 27-32")

And another Bible commentator wrote:

"Jesus proceeded to clarify God's intended meaning in the seventh commandment (Exodus 20:14; Deuteronomy 5:18). The rabbis in Jesus' day tended to look at adultery as wrong because it involved stealing another man's wife. They viewed it as an external act … Jesus, on the other hand, saw it as wrong because it made the lustful individual impure morally, an internal condition. The Greek word gyn can mean either wife or woman. Certainly the spirit of the command would prohibit lusting after any woman, not just a married woman. Fantasized immorality is just as sinful to God as physical immorality … The fact that fornication that takes place in the brain has fewer bad consequences than fornication that takes place on a bed does not mitigate [lessen the seriousness of] this truth."

(Source: https://www.studylight.org/commentary/matthew/5-27.html, "Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable")

JULY 21

Jesus said:

John 6:37: "All that the Father [God] giveth [gives] me [referring to born-again Christians--people who believe the gospel and want to be saved (from hell) and go to heaven when they die] shall come to me [Jesus] [by faith]; and him [or her] that cometh [comes] to me [for salvation] I will in no wise [never--in no way, at no time] cast out [turn away, throw aside, reject (or refuse to save)]."
In his commentary, Albert Barnes has an excellent explanation of this verse. Here are some excerpts:

"The Father giveth me - We here learn that those who come to Christ, and who will be saved, are given to him by God.

"I. God promised him that he should see of the travail [agony and suffering] of his [Jesus'] soul [on the cross] - that is, 'the fruit of his wearisome toil' … and should be satisfied, Isaiah 53:11.

"II. All men are sinners, and none have any claim to mercy, and he may therefore bestow salvation on whom he pleases.

"III. All people of themselves are disposed to reject the gospel, John 5:40.

"IV. God enables those who do believe to do it. He draws them to Him by His Word and [Holy] Spirit; "He opens their hearts to understand the Scriptures Acts 16:14; and He grants to them repentance … 2 Timothy 2:25.

"V. All those who become Christians may therefore be said to be given to Jesus as the reward of his sufferings, for his death was the price by which they were redeemed …

"Shall come to me - This is an expression denoting that they would believe on him. To come to one implies our need of help, our confidence that he can aid us, and our readiness to trust to him. The sinner comes to Jesus feeling that he is poor, and needy, and wretched, and casts himself on his mercy, believing that he alone can save him. This expression also proves that men are not compelled to believe on Christ. Though they who believe are given to him, and though his Spirit works in them faith and repentance, yet they are made willing in the day of his power … No man is compelled to go to heaven against his will, and no man is compelled to go to hell against his will. The Spirit of God inclines the will of one, and he comes freely as a moral agent. The other chooses the way to death; and, though God is constantly using means to save him, yet he prefers the path that leads down to woe [great sorrow and distress].

"Him that cometh - Everyone that comes - that is, everyone that comes in a proper mariner [i.e., manner], feeling that he is a lost and ruined sinner. This invitation is wide, and full, and free. It shows the unbounded mercy of God; and it shows, also, that the reason, and the only reason, why men are not saved, is that they will not come to Christ. Of any sinner it may be said that if he had been willing to come to Christ he might have come and been saved. As he chooses not to come, he cannot blame God because he [God] saves others who are willing, no matter from what cause, and who thus are made partakers of everlasting life …

"Cast out - Reject, or refuse to save. This expression does not refer to the doctrine of perseverance of the saints [see note below*], but to the fact that Jesus will not reject or refuse any sinner who comes to him."

(Source: https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bnb/john-6.html, "Verse 37")

Another Bible commentator said that "… Christ [Jesus] is God's gift to men, but the believers [born-again Christians] are his [God's] gift to Christ …"

(Source: https://www.studylight.org/commentary/john/6-37.html, "People's New Testament")

*For the meaning of the term perseverance of the saints, see the following article: "Perseverance of the Saints - is it biblical?" Here's the link: https://www.gotquestions.org/perseverance-saints.html.

If you want to be saved but don't know what to do, please read one or more of the tracts on the "Printable Gospel Tracts" page of my website, It can be found here: https://www.mansioninheaven.com/PrintableGospelTracts.html.

JULY 20

While praying for God's help and protection, King David said:

Psalm 54:2: "Hear my prayer, O God; give ear [listen] to the words of my mouth."
According to the Bible, if we want God to answer our prayers, we must:

-- Be born again, or saved (per John 9:31)
-- Obey God's commandments and do things that are pleasing in his sight (per 1 John 3:22).
-- Not have unconfessed sins in our lives (per 1 John 1:9).
-- Pray to God in faith (per James 1:6-7).
-- Pray in accordance with God's will (per 1 John 5:14-15).
-- Pray "in Jesus' name" (per John 14:13-14).

JULY 19

Are You a Hypocrite?

The apostle Paul asked this question in his letter to the professing Christians in Rome:

Romans 2:21: "Thou [you] therefore [referring to what Paul had written before this verse, about judging others and being an example to them] which teachest [who teach] another [person] [to do or not do something], teachest thou not thyself [do you not teach yourself] [to do the same--or, like a hypocrite, do you do the opposite]? [For example:]

"thou that preachest [you who preach or proclaim] [that] a man should not steal, dost thou [do you] steal?"

Romans 2:22: "Thou that sayest [you who say] [that] a man should not commit adultery [have sex with another man's wife], dost thou commit adultery?

"thou that abhorrest [hate] idols, dost thou commit sacrilege [by violating or misusing things that are considered sacred (dedicated to God) or by taking things that belong to God]?"

Romans 2:23: "Thou that makest thy boast of the law [you who teach the importance of obeying God's law, as found in the Bible and the Ten Commandments], through breaking the law [by not obeying the law,] dishonourest thou God [do you dishonor or insult God--see note below*]?"
The teaching in the above verses can be summarized by this common saying: "Do you practice what you preach?"

*Meaning of the phrase dishonourest thou God in verse 23, according to Albert Barnes:

"… By boasting of the Law, they proclaimed their conviction that it was from God. By breaking it, they denied it. And as actions are a true test of man's real opinions, their breaking the Law did it more dishonor than their boasting of it did it honor. This is always the case. It matters little what a man's speculative opinions may be; his practice may do far more to disgrace religion than his profession does to honor it. It is the life and conduct, and not merely the profession of the lips, that does real honor to the true religion. Alas, with what pertinency and force may this question be put to many who call themselves Christians!"

(Source: https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bnb/romans-2.html, "Verse 23")

JULY 18

To his disciples during the Last Supper, Jesus said:

John 15:5: "I [Jesus] am the vine, ye [you] are the branches: He [or she] that abideth in me [meaning that if a saved person continues to stay close to Jesus through faith], and [if] I [Jesus] [abideth] in him [or her, which is made possible through the Holy Spirit, who comes to live in that person's heart after salvation], the same ['branch,' or saved person] bringeth forth [will bring forth or produce] much fruit [in the form of good works, including thoughts, words, and actions]: for without me [because separate or apart from me (Jesus),] ye can do nothing [that is truly and spiritually good and acceptable in the sight of God]."
What Jesus said to his disciples also applies to all born-again Christians. Jesus is the source of our strength, and he wants us to be fruitful. The praise for any good works that we do belongs to him.

In regard to the above verse, one Bible commentator  wrote:

"… Obviously it is impossible for a branch to bear any fruit if it has no contact with the life-giving vine. Many unbelievers appear to bear the fruit of godly character and conduct, but their fruit is phony. It is similar to plastic fruit that one could hang on trees to give them the appearance of being healthy and productive. It is natural, though not inevitable, that a branch that has vital connection with the vine bear some fruit. The way to bear much fruit is for the branch to maintain unhindered fellowship with the vine by allowing the vine to have its way with the branch. The alternative would be resisting the Holy Spirit"s work by neglecting and disobeying God.

"Lack of fruit in the life, therefore, may not necessarily be an indication that the branch has no vital relationship to the vine (i.e, that the person is unsaved). It may indicate that the branch, though connected to the vine, is not abiding in it (i.e, that the believer is not cultivating an intimate relationship with the Savior) …"

(Source: https://www.studylight.org/commentary/john/15-5.html, "Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable")

JULY 17

Acts 11:25: "Then departed [went] Barnabas to Tarsus [a major city in Cilicia, in Asia Minor, where the apostle Paul was born and had been living], for to seek [in search of] Saul [Paul]:"

Acts 11:26: "And when he [Barnabas] had found him [Saul], he brought him unto Antioch [a city in, and capital of, ancient Syria]. And it came to pass, that [for] a whole year they [Paul and Barnabas] assembled themselves [gathered together for worship] with [those who attended] the church, and taught much [many] people. And the disciples [followers of Jesus Christ] were called Christians first [for the first time] in Antioch."

JULY 16

Proverbs 16:24: "Pleasant [kind, thoughtful, helpful, encouraging] words are as [desirable as] an honeycomb, [because they are] sweet to the soul [meaning they can bring comfort and joy to the mind], and [they can also be] health to the bones [or healing to the body]."
Hopefully, pleasant words can be heard in our daily conversations with others. They can and will … if and when we properly apply the wisdom that we obtain from hearing and reading God's word (the Bible).

Salem Bible Church has a good commentary on the above verse. Regarding pleasant words being sweet to the soul, it says:

"3e. Pleasant words can come in all different kinds of packages.

"3f. They could be words of advice, correction, instruction, warning, comfort, challenge, help us refocus.

"3g. But for the most part, the pleasant words would refer to gracious, kind, thoughtful words of encouragement."

In addition, pleasant words can be health to the bones because:

"3c. Kind, gentle words can soothe the mind, and actually help make a person feel better… by lifting up his heart."

"5b. When the heart is healthy, that has a curative effect on the rest of the person."

If you want to read the commentary, here's the link: https://www.salembible.org/proverbs-index/proverbs-16-index/proverbs-16_24/.

JULY 15

Proverbs 15:8: "The sacrifice of the wicked [such as an offering that is given or a religious thing that is done by an unsaved person or a born-again Christian whose heart is not right with God and/or other people] is an abomination [a disgusting or repulsive thing] to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright [person, referring to someone who is saved and tries to live his or her life in a way that is acceptable and pleasing to God] is his [God's] delight."
Salem Bible Church has two commentaries on this verse, entitled "Sacrifice and Prayer" and "The Prayer of the Upright." Here are some highlights from the second one ("The Prayer of the Upright"):

Sacrifices

"God knows what's going on in the mind as the sacrifice is offered."

"The wicked mind can devise all kinds of reasons to offer sacrifice to God: an attempt to atone for our sin; to restore fellowship = a lack of confidence in the blood of Christ; a cloak for maliciousness; pretense; pride; showmanship; to be seen of men…"

Prayer

"God is not impressed with a room full of people here at our prayer meetings… if we are harboring SIN in our hearts at the same time we come to the throne of grace in prayer!"

"If we behave in a wicked way--even our prayers are an abomination to God."

"It is not that God is unable to hear the prayers of the wicked, or that He is ignorant of what they are saying in their prayers. He knows their hearts."

"It is that God CHOOSES not to hear them… BECAUSE He knows their heart!"

If you want to read one or both of the above-mentioned commentaries, here are the links:

-- "Sacrifice and Prayer"
    https://www.salembible.org/proverbs-index/proverbs-15-index/proverbs-15_8a/

-- "The Prayer of the Upright"
    https://www.salembible.org/proverbs-index/proverbs-15-index/proverbs-15_8b/

JULY 14

Proverbs 14:34: "Righteousness [behavior that is morally justifiable or right] exalteth [lifts up, brings honor to] a nation: but sin is a reproach [disgrace, shame] to any [group of] people."
Salem Bible Church has two commentaries on this verse, both of which end with the following conclusions:

"1. History is replete [filled] with illustrations of the truth in this proverb: nations are judged… nations rise and fall according to their works.

"2. When sin, pride, corruption, immorality, greed, cruelty, and injustice prevail--eventually that nation falls… as Rome, which crumbled from within.
"» Greece became proud of their science and art
"» Rome became proud of its conquests
"» Great Britain (an empire which once championed the cause of Christ in missionary endeavors around the world) has now turned its back on Christianity
"» The USA is not exempt from this principle. Those great world powers became corrupt from within and declined in significance. Sin became a reproach to those nations.
"» Can the USA be far behind?
"3. Israel is God's LIGHT to the world of this principle. When Israel followed God's Law, they were exalted. When they departed from it, they were defeated and enslaved by enemies. Read the Old Testament, especially the book of Judges--this truth is repeated over and over again… as a constant object lesson to the nations."

This excerpt is from the Salem Bible Church commentary on sin:

"3. Sin brings reproach in the sight of God--and results in judgment. Consider some of the sins of OUR nation [the United States] in recent years.

"a. Immoral activities outlawed by the government are rampant [spreading rapidly, out of control]:
"» Kidnapping
"» Pedophiles [people who are sexually attracted to children]
"» Rapes
"» Violence and Murders
"» Drug and alcohol abuse
"» Political corruption--in both parties [Republican and Democrat]
"» These activities are carried out with increasing frequency. But at least they are illegal, and are unacceptable by our society.

"b. Immoral activities approved by the government are far worse for a nation:
"» Legalized abortion
"» Acceptance of homosexuality
"» Changing God's design for the family
"» Gay Marriage
"» Issues of medical ethics in our day
"» Legal prescription of drugs and legal alcohol abuse
"» State sponsored gambling
"» God designed human governments to condemn such behavior, not to sponsor it… and certainly not to pay for it with tax dollars!
"» This is far worse. This brings shame and reproach to any nation.
"» And by the way, this is not just America… this kind of approval is world wide."

If you want to read one or both of the commentaries referred to above, here are the links:

-- "Righteousness Exalteth a Nation"
    www.salembible.org/proverbs-index/proverbs-14-index/proverbs-14_34a/

-- "Sin is a Reproach to Any People"
    www.salembible.org/proverbs-index/proverbs-14-index/proverbs-14_34b/

JULY 13

Proverbs 13:5: "A righteous man [a just, lawful person] hateth [hates] lying: but a wicked man [or woman or child, especially one who repeatedly tells lies] is loathsome [detestable, disgusting], and cometh [comes] to shame [by either feeling ashamed (humiliated, embarrassed) or acting in a shameful or disgraceful manner].
Here's a good illustration from "The Biblical Illustrator" of the consequences of lying:

"There is no knowing the effects of a lie even in this world. Said a lady, 'I told once for all the fashionable lie of having my servant announce at the door that I was not at home. At night my husband said, " Mrs.       died to-day." It went through me like cold steel. She had made me promise that I would be at her bedside at the last hour, as she had something of great importance to disclose. "And," said my husband, "she died in great distress to see you, having sent three times, only to learn that you were not at home." How I loathed myself! No more lies for me!'"

(Source: https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/tbi/proverbs-13.html#verse-5, "Verse 5," "Lying hateful")

Note: There is no commentary for this verse on the Salem Bible Church website.

JULY 12

Proverbs 12:25: "Heaviness [a consuming or controlling type of worry, fear, anxiety] in the heart [or mind] of man [mankind, or 'of a person'] maketh it [makes the heart] stoop [sink to a lower place; i.e., weighs it down, causing sadness, discouragement, and/or depression]: but a good [kind, compassionate, encouraging] word [or promise or message--that is read in or quoted from the Bible, sung in a Christian song or hymn, spoken by a friend, relative, pastor, coworker, etc.] maketh it [the heart] glad."
Salem Bible Church has a good commentary on this verse, including many examples of where we can find "good words" in the Bible and the ways in which, and reasons why, they bring comfort, peace, and joy to others. Some of the verses mentioned are Philippians 4:6-7, 1 Peter 5:7, Matthew 11:29, Psalm 55:22, Psalm 42:10, Psalm 62:8, Luke 12:22, Luke 12:25-26, and Isaiah 50:10.

If you want to read the commentary, here's the link: https://www.salembible.org/proverbs-index/proverbs-12-index/proverbs-12_25/.

JULY 11

During his "sermon on the plain" (see note below*), Jesus said:

Luke 6:35: "But love ye your enemies, and do good [to everyone], and lend [loan things] [to others], hoping for nothing again [in return]; and your reward [on earth and/or in heaven] shall be great, and ye [you] shall be the children of the Highest [i.e., Almighty God]: [you should do these things (love your enemies, do good, and lend)] for [because] he [God] is kind unto the unthankful [people] and to the evil [people]."
Christians should be kind to everyone, both bad and good, because our heavenly Father (God) is kind to everyone. We should try to follow his example.

*Differences between the "sermon on the plain" and the "sermon on the mount" are explained in the following articles:

-- "What is the Sermon on the Plain?
    https://www.gotquestions.org/Sermon-on-the-Plain.html

-- "What is the Sermon on the Plain?"
    https://carm.org/what-is-the-sermon-on-the-plain

JULY 10

Jesus told his disciples (followers):

Luke 18:17: "Verily [truly] I say unto you, Whosoever [whoever] shall not receive the kingdom of God [heaven] as [like] a little child [i.e., by accepting God's free gift of eternal life willingly, sincerely, humbly, and gratefully] shall in no wise [in no way, or 'shall not'] enter therein."
The above words apply not only to Jesus' disciples but also to everyone else in the world, including children.

In a nutshell, according to the Bible, this is how to be born again (saved from hell) and receive the "kingdom of God" (i.e., God's free gift of eternal life):

Basically, if you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and Messiah, that he died on the cross to pay for your sins, and that he was buried and rose again, all you need to do is sincerely ask him (through prayer, either silently or out loud) to come into your heart and save you so you can go to heaven when you die.

For detailed instructions on the plan of salvation, read one or more of the tracts in the "Printable Gospel Tracts" section of my website. Here's a direct link to that page: https://www.mansioninheaven.com/PrintableGospelTracts.html.

JULY 6-9

The Night the Jailer and His Family Got Saved

This took place in Philippi, a city in Macedonia, after Paul (the apostle) and Silas (Paul's companion on several missionary journeys) were arrested, beaten with wooden rods, and thrown into prison (i.e., the inner prison, probably the dungeon, which was the darkest and most secure part of the prison), with their feet bound in stocks (a wooden device with holes for the head, hands, and feet), for casting a demon out of a fortune-telling slave girl.

Acts 16:25-26: "And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the [other] prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great [very strong, major] earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors [of the prison] were opened, and every one's bands [cords, chains] were loosed [loosened, as in untied or unlocked]."

Acts 16:27-28: "And the keeper of the prison [the jailer] awaking out of [awakening from] his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled [had escaped, or run away]. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself [yourself] no harm [or 'don't commit suicide']: for we are all here."

Acts 16:29-30, 31: "Then he [the jailer] called for a light [a lamp or torch], and sprang in [rushed in], and came trembling, and fell down [as an act of honor and respect] before Paul and Silas, And [the jailer] brought them [Paul and Silas] out [of the inner prison], and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved [from hell]? And they said, Believe on [have faith in, trust in] the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt [you shall] be saved [from the consequences of, or punishment for, sin], and [so will] thy [your] house [household, or family] [if they also believe--see note below*]."

Acts 16:32-33: "And they [Paul and Silas] spake [spoke] unto him [the jailer] the word of the Lord [i.e., they preached the gospel to the jailer], and to all that were in his house [meaning they also told his family members how to be saved]. And he [the jailer] took them [Paul and Silas] [to a place with water] the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes [or 'cleansed the blood from the wounds that resulted from beatings they had received in prison']; and [the jailer] was baptized, he and all his [i.e., the jailer and all of his family members who were saved] [were baptized], straightway [immediately]."

Acts 16:34: "And when he [the jailer] had brought them [Paul and Silas] into his house, he set meat [food] before them [meaning he gave them something to eat], and [he--the jailer] rejoiced [was filled with joy], believing in God with all his house [or because he and his family had 'believed on the Lord Jesus Christ' and were saved]."
Besides being a story of salvation and baptism, the above verses illustrate the power of prayer and praising God.

*In Acts 16:31, salvation was being offered to the jailer and his family. With their words Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house, Paul and Silas were telling the jailer that if he believed on the Lord Jesus Christ (or trusted in Jesus for salvation), he would be saved from hell and have the gift of eternal life, and, likewise, every one of his family members who 'believed on Jesus' would also be saved.

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved in Acts 16: 31 means that if you believe that Jesus can save you (from hell), and you sincerely ask him to save you, you will be saved.

You can say a simple prayer (such as "Jesus, save me"), or a long and complicated prayer in your own words (confessing your sins to God, asking his forgiveness, etc.), or anything in between. As long as you mean what you say (and let me assure you that God always knows what's in your heart!), you will be saved.

When I got saved, I prayed something like this: "Jesus, please come into my heart and save me so I can go to heaven when I die." If you're not already saved, I hope you'll do the same.

Note: If you want detailed information on the plan of salvation, visit the "Printable Gospel Tracts" page of my website. You'll find it here: https://www.mansioninheaven.com/PrintableGospelTracts.html.

JULY 5

Jeremiah 17:7: "Blessed is the man [or woman or child] that trusteth [trusts] in the LORD [God--for salvation, help, protection, happiness, etc.], and whose hope [for the future] the LORD is [or 'whose hope (for the future) is in the LORD']."

JULY 4

In a letter to the Christian churches in Galatia, warning them to beware of false teachers, the apostle Paul wrote:

Galatians 5:1: "Stand fast [be firm and unwavering] therefore in the liberty [freedom] [of the gospel (referring to God's plan of salvation--see Note 1 below)] wherewith [by which] Christ [Jesus] hath [has] made us [born-again Christians] free [from religious rites and ceremonies], and be not [don't be] entangled again with the yoke [see Note 2 below] of bondage [which meant that Galatian Christians shouldn't go back to being slaves to the law of Moses, especially to Jewish ceremonial law (see Note 3 below)]."
Paul's warning to the Galatians in New Testament times also applies to present-day Christians.

NOTE 1:

To learn about God's plan of salvation, read the GotQuestions.org article entitled "What is the plan of salvation?" Here's the link: https://www.gotquestions.org/plan-of-salvation.html.

NOTE 2:

Dictionary.com's definition of yoke: a wooden crosspiece that is fastened over the necks of two animals and attached to the plow or cart that they are to pull.

NOTE 3:

Ceremonial law is explained in the following article: "What is the difference between the ceremonial law, the moral law, and the judicial law in the Old Testament?" If you want to read it, here's the link: https://www.gotquestions.org/ceremonial-law.html.

JULY 2-3

Biblical Description of a Godly Person

Psalm 1:1: Blessed [happy] is the man [person] that walketh not [does not walk] in the counsel of the ungodly [or 'does not take advice from unsaved people'], nor standeth [or stand] in the way of sinners [or 'does not go where habitual sinners go'], nor sitteth [or sit] in the seat of the scornful [or 'does not keep company (hang out, spend time, associate) with people who disrespect God and his followers and/or make fun of sin']."

Psalm 1:2: "But his [or her--the godly person's] delight is in the law of the LORD [as recorded in the Bible]; and in his [God's] law doth [does] he [or she] meditate day and night [which means that he (or she) is in the habit of reading and/or studying the Bible on a daily basis]."

Psalm 1:3: "And he [or she--the godly person] shall be like a [beautiful, healthy] tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth [brings] forth his [its] fruit in his [its] season [or 'at the proper time' (i.e., when the fruit is ripe)]; his [its--the tree's] leaf also shall not wither [from drought (lack of water) and/or too much heat]; and whatsoever he doeth [whatever he (or she)--the godly person--does,] [in most cases,] shall prosper [flourish, thrive, succeed]."
The above verses describe godly people. Basically, they have learned to stay away from bad people and ignore bad advice. They enjoy reading, studying, and obeying the Bible. They also take good care of themselves so they can be healthy and fruitful (both physically, concerning children, and spiritually, like soul-winners are when they spread the gospel and help people get saved) and full of life. As a result, godly people are generally happy and successful.

JULY 1

In a letter to the church at Corinth, regarding rules for public worship in Christian churches, especially when it involves spiritual gifts, such as speaking in tongues, prophesying, etc. (see note below*), the apostle Paul wrote:

1 Corinthians 14:33: "For God is not the author of confusion [disorder], but of peace, as in all churches of the saints [which, in the Bible, means born-again Christians--see note below**]."
Christians should never behave publicly in a manner that would give false impressions to others.

Regarding the Corinthian church, Albert Barnes says, "The effect of their all speaking with tongues would be to produce confusion and disorder, and disgust among observers, and the conviction that they were deranged [crazy, insane]…"

(Source: https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bnb/1-corinthians-14.html, "Introduction," paragraph VIII)

Note: I separated the following quote into paragraphs to make it easier to read. The verses referred to in parentheses can be found here: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+14&version=KJV).


*At the beginning of his commentary on 1 Corinthians, Chapter 14, Matthew Henry said:

"… In this chapter the apostle [Paul] directs them [the Corinthian church] about the use of their spiritual gifts, preferring those that are best and fitted to do the greatest good.

"I. He begins with advising them of all spiritual gifts to prefer prophesying, and shows that this is much better than speaking with tongues (v. 1-5).

"II. He goes on to show them how unprofitable the speaking of foreign languages is, and useless to the church; it is like piping in one tone, like sounding a trumpet without any certain note, like talking gibberish; whereas gifts should be used for the good of the church (v. 6-14).

"III. He advises that worship should be celebrated so that the most ignorant might understand, and join in prayer and praise, and presses the advice by his own example (v. 15-20).

"IV. He informs them that tongues were a sign for unbelievers rather than those that believe; and represents the advantage of prophecy above speaking with tongues, from the different suggestions they would give to the mind of an unbeliever coming into their assemblies (v. 21-25).

"V. He blames them for the disorder and confusion they had brought into the assembly, by their vanity and ostentation [flaunting, showing off] of their gifts; and directs them in using the gifts both of tongues and prophecy  (v. 26-33).

"VI. He forbids women speaking in the church; and closes this subject by requiring them to perform every thing in the public worship with order and decency (v. 34 to the end)."

(Source: https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/matthew-henry-complete/1-corinthians/14.html, introduction)

**"The word 'saints' (hagios) meant 'set apart for God's use.' This term is found in every New Testament book except Galatians, James, Second and Third John. Although Catholicism uses this word to describe the deceased [i.e., people who are dead] (some [dead people] are considered for sainthood if they meet certain criteria), the Bible repeatedly portrays saints as living Christians …"

(Source: https://www.studylight.org/commentary/1-corinthians/14-33.html, "Living By Faith: Commentary on Romans & 1st Corinthians")