Pious Bob

By Robert Halsey Pine “And I said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, ‘The work is great and widely spread out, and we are separated far from one another on the wall. Rally to us wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet. Our God will fight for us.” (Nehemiah 4:1-23

By Robert Halsey Pine “Those who bring thanksgiving as their sacrifice honor me; to those who go the right way I will show the salvation of God.” (Psalm 50 NRSV). We have so much to be thankful for. You say, “I don’t have anything to be thankful for. Everywhere that I turn, I am a victim.”

By Robert Halsey Pine “Oh, how I love your law! It is my meditation all day long. Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies, for it is always with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your decrees are my meditation. I understand more than the aged, for I keep your precepts.

By Robert Halsey Pine “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matthew 6:7-15 NRSV). Forgiveness is at the center of everything. Our Christian heritage comes out of the forgiveness of our sins through the death

By Robert Halsey Pine Jesus uses His stories to reveal life to us and how we should understand it: “What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ He answered, ‘I will not;’ but later he changed his mind and went.

By Robert Halsey Pine “And he said to him, ‘Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death!’” (Luke 22:31-38 NRSV). We are just like Peter was in his situation with Christ when the end was near. We are sometimes reluctant to let people know that Christ is in our life. After

By Robert Halsey Pine “When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, ‘You are not far from the kingdom of God.’” (Mark 12:28-34 NRSV). A scribe asked Jesus, “Which commandment is the first of all?” Jesus had just made several Sadducees speechless in a discussion that they thought would put down the idea

By Robert Halsey Pine “Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath. Do not fret – it leads only to evil.” (Psalm 37:1-18 NRSV). David really got me on this verse. In many of his psalms he talks about wrongdoers and evil people and how they will not prevail over the righteous. Here he slips in one aimed

By Robert Halsey Pine “Keep up your courage! For just as you have testified for me in Jerusalem, so you must bear witness also in Rome.” (Acts 23:12-24 NRSV). The Lord was near Paul as there were those plotting to kill him in Jerusalem. Jesus was telling Paul that he’d better get used to rough treatment

By Robert Halsey Pine “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:22-33 NRSV). Jesus said this to Peter as Peter’s fear caused him to sink into the water. Seeing Jesus walking on the water Peter asked to come with Him. Jesus commanded him to come but the strong wind frightened Peter and he began

By Robert Halsey Pine “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants…” (Matthew 11:25-30 NRSV). With this statement, Jesus takes the mysteries of God’s kingdom out of the reach of the wise. Infants better understand these mysteries.

“Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet, not my will but yours be done.” (Luke 22:39-51 NRSV). Jesus has taught us so much. As He prays these words in the Garden of Gethsemane, He teaches us that in our praying to God we must pray that, “… not my will but

By Robert Halsey Pine God’s mission was coming to fruition: “And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” (Mark 1:1-13 NRSV). John baptized Jesus and as He came up out of the water, the Holy Spirit came down on Him. John was baptizing people as repentance

By Robert Halsey Pine “I know your works; you have a name of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is on the point of death, for I have not found your works perfect in the sight of my God. Remember then what you have received and heard; obey it

By Robert Halsey Pine “I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord, forever; with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations.” (Psalm 89:1-18 NRSV). The psalmist begins with praising God. Later in the psalm he complains to God and wonders when God is going to intervene and restore the House of

“When the earth totters, with all its inhabitants, it is I who keep its pillars steady.” (Psalm 75 NRSV). Did you know that the earth has a wobble? This wobble, along with a luni-solar action on the bulging matter about the earth’s equator causes what is known as the “precession of the equinoxes.” One wobble

By Robert Halsey Pine “…It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority.” (ACTS 1:1-14 NRSV). When I was a child I would always ask my mother when we could do this or when we were going to do that. She would say, “I’m not

By Robert Halsey Pine “…The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed…the kingdom of God is among you.” (Luke 17:20-37 NRSV). How do you argue whether or not God exists? You don’t have to. You seek, feel and experience God or you don’t. On occasion I’ll tune in to a television

“…I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer…” (Luke 22:14-23 NRSV). These are the words of a man who knows fully what is about to happen to Him. A person who is committed to His Father’s will. A person with a huge gift to give on His way out. A

By Robert Halsey Pine Isn’t it great to celebrate the Lord’s blessings? It’s been going on for a long time: “You have turned my mourning into dancing; you have taken off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy…” (Psalm 30 NRSV). We must continuously thank the Lord. The psalmist helps us remember that God’s anger

By Robert Halsey Pine Jesus has an unusual way of commissioning us: “See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” (Matthew 10:7-16 NRSV). Herein lays our challenge. As with the disciples, He is sending us “out like sheep into the midst

By Robert Halsey Pine Jesus is so much for us. He joys in giving us hope: “Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.” (Luke 15:1-10 NRSV). Jesus’ parable of the one and the ninety-nine is a

By Robert Halsey Pine Jesus reports to His Father:                        “I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I am not asking you to

By Robert Halsey Pine As Jesus was challenged, so must we: “…Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” (Luke 9:51-62 NRSV). Jesus keeps reminding us that if we follow Him, we must be prepared for full-time work. On His way to

St. Paul tells us, there’s no wasting away with Jesus: “We know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus, and will bring us with you into his presence. Yes, everything is for your sake, so that grace, as it extends to more and more people, may increase thanksgiving,

By Robert Halsey Pine Paul fought the law and the law won: “What then should we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet, if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not

By Robert Halsey Pine David’s struggles outlined in the Psalms can be lessons for us today: “My heart is in anguish within me, the terrors of death have fallen upon me. Fear and trembling come upon me, and horror overwhelms me. And I say, “O that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away

St. Paul continues to help us merger the old with the new in Christ Jesus: “But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is attested by the law and the prophets, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction,

By Robert Halsey Pine Can Peter possibly know what he’s saying? “Finally, all of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or abuse for abuse; but, on the contrary, repay with a blessing. It is for this that you

By Robert Halsey Pine This is Christ praying to God in the presence of His disciples: “Father, the hour has come, glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you; since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him…I have made your name