The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing

 Psalm 23:1-6

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,  he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Why?

God is my shepherd; I lack nothing. Everything I need, the Lord provides for me. And the Lord leads me in the right direction.

I do not fear, for the Lord is with me; I am not alone.

Even before my enemies, my Lord protects me and prepares the table before me to watch what will happen.

How?
I don't fear anything or worry about any situation, for the Lord is my way, my salvation, and my guidance. I lack nothing, and I am satisfied with what the Lord has given to me.

No longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother

 Philemon 1:1-25

Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker— also to Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier—and to the church that meets in your home.

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I appeal to you for my son Onesimus(helpful), who became my son while I was in chains. Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.

But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favor you do would not seem forced but would be voluntary. Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back forever—no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me, but even dearer to you, both as a fellow man and as a brother in the Lord.

So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me. 

Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.

Why?

Paul wrote this letter to the Philemon church and hopes that Philemon comes to their church. Philemon was a slave before and served Paul, but now he is a Christian, their brother, so Paul wrote this letter to treat Philemon like their brother.

How?

We treat anyone as we would treat our brothers, with love and joy and peace. 

Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is the new creation.

 Galatians 6:11-18 

The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ. Not even those who are circumcised keep the law, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your circumcision in the flesh. 

May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is the new creation. Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule—to the Israel of God.

Why?

Paul explained the real meaning of the cross of Christ, for mercy, love, and salvation of the Lor,d we may connect with the Lord. So neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything. Through believing in Jesus Christ, we are new creations.

How?

This is our salvation and the real meaning to every Christian. We are free, free from the sins and free from the Laws. But follow the word of the Lord with love and peace and joy.

Let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers

Galatians 6:1-10

Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 

Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, for each one should carry their own load. Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor.

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.  

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

Why?

Everyone has their burden, so what we have to do is fulfill the law of Christ, the way is to carry each other's burden, even under our temptation.

We should share all good things with our instructor, for they spent time and effort to instruct in the word of the Lord.

Doing good does not weary, for we will reap a harvest in the time of the Lord.

How?

Let us do good to all people, no matter who he is, and especially to the family of believers.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control

 Galatians 5:15-24

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

Why?

We belong to Jesus, so we should walk by the Spirit. After Jesus went back to heaven, He gave us the Spirit, so we do not belong to the Law.

The fruits of our actions can identify whether we are following, is by the Spirit or the Laws can be identified by our behavior.

How?

Do my best to live out the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love

 Galatians 5:2-14

You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. 

Brothers and sisters, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished. As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself".

Why?

We are free when we obey the commands of Jesus. Circumcision comes from the Laws, but the Laws can not release us from sins, only through faith and love, and humble ourselves to serve one another. This is the true value in our life, and this is our way to go.

How?

Thanks, Jesus, give us this salvation and free us from sins. And Paul reminds us not to use our freedom to indulge the flesh.

We are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman

Galatians 4:8-5:1

But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? You are observing special days and months and seasons and years! I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you.

Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may have zeal for them. It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always, not just when I am with you. My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you, how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you!

These things are being taken figuratively: The women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar. Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother. 

Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise. At that time the son born according to the flesh persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now. But what does Scripture say? “Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.”[ Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.

Why?

Paul described the reason why we are free from the Laws, and not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.

We are free and not constrained by the laws but live out the laws with love and righteousness.

How?

We can do anything if it is good to us and good to the Lord, and good to others. And we know not to do something unreasonable or shameful.

So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith

Galatians 3:15-4:7 

The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,”[meaning one person, who is Christ. What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on the promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise.

The law was given through angels and entrusted to a mediator. A mediator, however, implies more than one party; but God is one.

Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.

So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.

If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.

Why?

Paul clearly described the relationship between the laws and the promise of the Lord to Abraham.

We were temporarily under the law as slaves, then we accepted Jesus Christ, and we can be released from slaves to sons of the Lord if we trust in Jesus.

How?

All of us are under the Law as slaves, until Christ came that we might be justified by faith; this is the good news to everyone. This is the Gospel in our churches and every Christian.

The righteous will live by faith

 Galatians 3:1-14

I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?

So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.

Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.”So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.”

Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.” He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.

Why?

No one can be saved by work or by the Laws but by faith only. All of us can be sons of the Lord, for we received the Spirit and not by the work of the law.

I was first believed, then gradually came to know the words of the Lord, then through faith to Jesus Christ erased my sins. So all of us can be sons of the Lord.

This is the grace of the Lord that came upon us.

How?

I was a sinner before I trust in Jesus Christ and my mission in this world is to honor the Holy name of the Lord and let more people know the grace of the Lord!

if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!

 Galatians 2:11-21

When Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.

When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all, “You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?

We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.

For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!

Why?

We have salvation from Jesus Christ through the faith and not from the law, or doing something or from our birth family.

I live by faith in the Son of God; this is our kernel value, Christians.

How?

Just trust in the Lord and do the word of the Lord as I can. The strength and wisdom come from the Lord!

the freedom we have in Christ Jesus

 Galatians 2:1-10

This matter arose because some false believers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.

God does not show favoritism—they added nothing to my message. On the contrary, they recognized that I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised. For God, who was at work in Peter as an apostle to the circumcised, was also at work in me as an apostle to the Gentiles. James, Cephas and John, those esteemed as pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised. All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along.

Why?

Paul sent this letter to prove that his mission to preach the gospel to the Gentiles is approved by Peter and other apostles. 

Not only preach the Gospel but also remember the poor, the very thing eager to do all along.

How?
W say remember the poor but I need the actions to do it for my God has given me fully mercy and love.

I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.

 Galatians 1:13-24 

I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.

For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being. I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus.

Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Cephas and stayed with him fifteen days. I saw none of the other apostles—only James, the Lord’s brother. I assure you before God that what I am writing you is no lie.

Then I went to Syria and Cilicia. I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. They only heard the report: “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” And they praised God because of me.

Why?

Paul got to know the Lord Jesus Christ not from anyone or the apostles, but was directly revealed by the Lord. Paul was chosen by the Lord, so the Lord gave him more duty and wisdom and the Spiritual capability to know the way of preaching. Especially preach the Gospel to the Gentiles.

Because Paul had a common acknowledgment and did not bear traditional Israelite culture and regulations, Paul could get power and spiritual authority directly from the Lord.

How?

Revealed from Jesus Christ, so all of us could be sons of the Lord, not by our culture, identity,  acknowledgment, or capability, but by the grace of the Lord. 

If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ; Galatians 1

 Galatians 1:1-12 

Galatians is wroten by Paul. To the churches in Galatia:

Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by a man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— and all the brothers and sisters with me,

you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel. which is really no gospel at all.

if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse! 

Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.

I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.

Why?

In the first centry there is false teaching about Gospel until now, so we have to distinquish what is the true Godpel, unless we know the truth, we cannot identify which one is true gospel.

Real Gospel and real servant of Christ is not trying to please people but to please the Lord.

So to be a servant of Christ is hard and difficult.

How?

To be Christian we will suffer many difficulty but rely on the Lord we will have peace and joy in our daily life.

Nineveh is in ruins; for who has not felt your endless cruelty?

 Nahum 3:1-19

Woe to the city of blood, full of lies, full of plunder, never without victims!

All who see you will flee from you and say, ‘Nineveh is in ruins—who will mourn for her?’ Where can I find anyone to comfort you?”

Yet she was taken captive and went into exile. Her infants were dashed to pieces at every street corner. Lots were cast for her nobles, and all her great men were put in chains.

All your fortresses are like fig trees with their first ripe fruit; when they are shaken, the figs fall into the mouth of the eater.

King of Assyria, your shepherds slumber; your nobles lie down to rest. Your people are scattered on the mountains with no one to gather them. Nothing can heal you; your wound is fatal. All who hear the news about you clap their hands at your fall, for who has not felt your endless cruelty?

Why?

Nineveh is in ruin, the Lord let his enemies destroy them, and killed all his people, old and young.

All her great men were put in chains, no pride, no power, and no strength as before.

For Assyria treat others with endless cruelty, so his enemies treated Assyria in the same way.

How?

The Lord demonstrates this righteousness in many ways, one of which is by showing them a strong enemy who oppresses them.

I am against you,” declares the Lord Almighty. “I will burn up your chariots in smoke, and the sword will devour your young lions

 Nahum 2:1-13 

Nineveh is like a pool whose water is draining away. “Stop! Stop!” they cry, but no one turns back.

She is pillaged, plundered, stripped! Hearts melt, knees give way, bodies tremble, every face grows pale.

“I am against you,” declares the Lord Almighty. “I will burn up your chariots in smoke,  and the sword will devour your young lions. I will leave you no prey on the earth. The voices of your messengers will no longer be heard.”

Why?

Nineveh failed, and Israel will become greater. For the Lord is working on them. 

The stronghold was broken, the beauty was gone, and the rich became poor in the city of Nineveh.

This is the destination of Nineveh in the hands of the Lord.

How?

Nothing can endure forever unless under the blessing of the Lord; nothing can succeed except the blessing of the Lord!

The Lord is slow to anger but great in power; the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished

Nahum1:1-15 

The Lord is slow to anger but great in power; the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished.

The mountains quake before him and the hills melt away.

Who can withstand his indignation? Who can endure his fierce anger? His wrath is poured out like fire; the rocks are shattered before him.

The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him,

Although they have allies and are numerous, they will be destroyed and pass away. Although I have afflicted you, Judah, I will afflict you no more. Now I will break their yoke from your neck and tear your shackles away.”

Why?

Nahum described the character of the Lord. Declared the end of the people of Nineveh, because they rejected the Lord and oppressed the people of the Lord.

Our Lord is slow to anger in order to let us have time and chances to repent before the Lord.

The Lord will no leave the guilty unpunished, for the Lord is righteous, but the Lord has his schedule and timing to the evildoers.

How?

Let's take care of our heart and mind closer to the Lord and trust in the Lord!

All the sinners among my people will die by the sword; I will plant Israel in their own land

 Amos 9:7-15 

Surely the eyes of the Sovereign Lord are on the sinful kingdom. I will destroy it from the face of the earth. Yet I will not totally destroy the descendants of Jacob,” declared the Lord.

All the sinners among my people will die by the sword, all those who say, ‘Disaster will not overtake or meet us.’

In that day, “I will restore David’s fallen shelter— I will repair its broken walls and restore its ruins— and will rebuild it as it used to be, so that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations that bear my name,” declares the Lord, who will do these things.

New wine will drip from the mountains and flow from all the hills, and I will bring my people Israel back from exile.

I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them,” says the Lord your God.

Why?

The Lord keeps his righteousness and love in his people Israel. All sinners will die by the sword, and the Lord will bring his people back from exile. The words have proven to be true in recent history, dating back many years.

The word of the Lord is truth and never fails. But because of the Love of the Lord has given us many chances and time to repent and return to the Lord.

How?

Worship the Lord and give thanks to the Lord, because the Lord is my shelter and my way.

Not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord

 Amos 8:4-9:6

Hear this, you who trample the needy and do away with the poor of the land.

The Lord has sworn by himself, the Pride of Jacob: “I will never forget anything they have done.

In that day,” declares the Sovereign Lord, “I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight. I will turn your religious festivals into mourning and all your singing into weeping. I will make all of you wear sackcloth and shave your heads. I will make that time like mourning for an only son and the end of it like a bitter day.

When I will send a famine through the land— not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord.

People will stagger from sea to sea and wander from north to east, searching for the word of the Lord, but they will not find it.

Not one will get away, none will escape.

Those who swear by the sin of Samaria—  who say, ‘As surely as your god lives, Dan,’ or, ‘As surely as the god of Beersheba lives’—  they will fall, never to rise again.”

Though they dig down to the depths below, from there my hand will take them.
Though they climb up to the heavens above, from there I will bring them down.
3 Though they hide themselves on the top of Carmel, there I will hunt them down and seize them. 

Though they hide from my eyes at the bottom of the sea, there I will command the serpent to bite them.

4 Though they are driven into exile by their enemies, there I will command the sword to slay them.

Why?

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.

What do we need? The Lord knows, and by God's love, the Lord will prepare for us. What we have to do, then, is listen to the word of the Lord.

When the day of the Lord comes, no one can escape; the judgment coming, no one can escape either.

How?

Bear in mind listen to the word of the Lord and do as what the Lord says.

The time is ripe for my people Israel; I will spare them no longer.

 Amos 7:1-8:3 

This is what the Sovereign Lord showed me: He was preparing swarms of locusts after the king’s share had been harvested and just as the late crops were coming up. When they had stripped the land clean, I cried out, “Sovereign Lord, forgive! How can Jacob survive? He is so small!” So the Lord relented.

This is what the Sovereign Lord showed me: The Sovereign Lord was calling for judgment by fire; it dried up the great deep and devoured the land. Then I cried out, “Sovereign Lord, I beg you, stop! How can Jacob survive? He is so small!” So the Lord relented.

Then Amaziah said to Amos, “Get out, you seer! Go back to the land of Judah. Earn your bread there and do your prophesying there. Don’t prophesy anymore at Bethel, because this is the king’s sanctuary and the temple of the kingdom.”

Amos answered Amaziah, “I was neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees. But the Lord took me from tending the flock and said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’

This is what the Sovereign Lord showed me: a basket of ripe fruit. “What do you see, Amos?” he asked.

Then the Lord said to me, “The time is ripe for my people Israel; I will spare them no longer.  “In that day,” declares the Sovereign Lord, “the songs in the temple will turn to wailing. Many, many bodies—flung everywhere! Silence!”

Why?

The sound of ripe fruit in summer is similar to the result. This summer fruit should be fig, and the saving period is short.

It means the judgment time for Israel is near. 

Amaziah did not like what Amos prophesied to Israel. Amos is not a prophet but followed the command of the Lord to warn people of Israel.

Most people don't like judgment, but love, but when our sins increase, we will be confronted with judgment and punishment from the Lord.

How?

When we say something in this kingdom at any time, the government doesn't like the disaster but peace and numerous, but it depends on the Lord and what they have done before the Lord.

I abhor the pride of Jacob and detest his fortresses

 Amos 6:1-14

Woe to you who are complacent in Zion,  and to you who feel secure on Mount Samaria, you notable men of the foremost nation,  to whom the people of Israel come!

Therefore you will be among the first to go into exile; your feasting and lounging will end.

The Sovereign Lord has sworn by himself—the Lord God Almighty declares: “I abhor the pride of Jacob and detest his fortresses; I will deliver up the city and everything in it.”

For the Lord has given the command, and he will smash the great house into pieces and the small house into bits.

But you have turned justice into poison and the fruit of righteousness into bitterness— you who rejoice in the conquest of Lo Debar and say, “Did we not take Karnaim by our own strength?

For the Lord God Almighty declares, “I will stir up a nation against you, Israel, that will oppress you all the way from Lebo Hamath to the valley of the Arabah.”

Why?

The Lord declared judgment upon Israel and Samaria for their sins and their pride. 

God will stir up a nation against Israel; this is Assyria.

Because they turned justice into poison and the fruit of righteousness into bitterness.

How?

Let me be a Bible study reader with all my heart and all my soul and all my strength to read and understand the Bible, God's words.