Today we are reading from Genesis 28-29:35; Matthew 9:18-38; Psalm 11:1-7; Proverbs 3:11-12
Genesis 28-29:35
Genesis 28
1-5 Isaac blesses Jacob and tells him not to marry a Canaanite woman, but one from her mothers relatives. He prays Abraham's blessings on Jacob and his descendants. That they may be fruitful, increase in numbers, become a community of peoples, take possession of the land God gave to Abraham. So Jacob sets out to his moms brothers home to find a wife.
6-9 Esau over heard all of this and when he figured out how his parents felt about Canaanite woman- which he had also married, he went to find a non Canaanite wife- to add to his wives. He married Ishmael's daughter. He wanted to please his father and/or not be overshadowed by Jacobs obedience.
10-15 Jacob leaves home and has a dream at a city called Luz that he renames "Bethel" after what happens one night when he first gets there. He was resting on a stone under his head. He saw a stairway to heaven, with Angels of God ascending and descending from it. At the top God was there, and reaffirming him of the promises He gave to Abraham now being passed to Him. God ends with "I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”
16-20 When Jacob wakes up he realizes God was in this place and he wasn't aware of it. It makes him afraid but also makes him say "How awesome is this place!" The house of God and "gate way of heaven" is not where He thought it was! Jacob sets up the stone as a pillar to remind him of what happened in this place. He vows to give God a tenth if God indeed does what He says.
In Chapter 29 Jacob reaches his destination.
1-11
He arrives and meets with some "people of the east" where he is in search of Laban. He sees three flocks of sheep near the well (three is a sign of completion in biblical language).... there he talks to some guys and then Rachel catches his eye. She is a shepherd, taking care of her dads sheep. The well has a big stone that is very heavy. Usually all the guys take it off together. Jacob takes it off for Rachel all by himself. Then he gets emotional and breaks down crying really loudly, after greeting her with a kiss. His head is probably spinning. He has so much time to think over all the things he did wrong (towards Esau) the manipulations, saying good bye for good to his entire family. Setting off on a new journey to a place he doesn't know. Meeting up with God in an unexpected place with God reaffirming to Jacob that He is with him. I find God often comes to us in those moments of despair. He reassures us often of His presence when we feel forsaken. He knows those exact moments when we are hanging by a thread and need his encouragement. Using that as my assumption- that God appears often when we are afraid or in a discouraged state, Jacob was probably really down and had been through a lot of emotional turmoil. This was at the end of a long journey with ups and downs.
Then he finds out he hit the right spot and not only that, but as he is finding out the good news of his family member Laban being right near by, he then sees the mans daughter. Success. He has arrived. He can take some comfort and shelter and refuge in a place where he can finally rest. Who knows how long he had been on edge and fearing for his life with his aggressive brother up to that point. Now he breaks down.
12-14
After Rachel finds out who Jacob is she jets off running to tell her dad. Shepherd girl runs. A little bit of a tomboy? I imagine her as a modern day sporty girl. Laban seems excited to meet Jacob... he rushes to meet Jacob, greets him and kisses him. Listens to all the news Jacob has, and after he is caught up he makes a statement about how they are one big happy family. Must have felt refreshing to Jacob to have a new home away from home.
15-21
Six months in we learn that Jacob has been working for free for Laban, and finally Laban asks him how he, Laban, should pay Jacob for his work. He tells Jacob to name the price. He has become smitten with Rachel, Laban's youngest daughter and is willing to pay 150 thousand dollars for her. (aka work 7 years for her). Laban agrees to the arrangement and says that it's good, but really tricks Jacob. It's not the custom to give the younger one without the older daughter being married off first. It seems like Leah is the "runt of the litter".... she has weak eyes. Rachel is the pretty one with the gorgeous body and who Jacob is wanting to make love to.
22-30
When he works for 7 years it feels like a few days but then he gets tricked into sleeping with Leah. I'm not sure how the uncle pulls this off? I thought Leah had the weak eyes and not Jacob. Did they have sex through a blanket? Was he drunk? Those are the things I'm wondering, because he seems surprised when he awakes the next morning to have Leah instead of Rachel. Is it simply that he went along with it all in a state of shock, going through the feast and taking Leah because she is given to him, not wanting to get anyone upset or thinking he would have them both? Does it only dawn on him the next day that he is only going to get Leah in the end? How must it have felt to have been tricked after he was so deceptive with his own dad? He ends up confronting Laban and agrees to work another 7 years (300 thousand being the total price in our day) for Rachel! It also lets us know that he had to finish off his "bridal week" to Leah before getting Rachel. How depressing for Leah that she gets a week with a guy that doesn't even want her but her sister. And the bible says his love for Rachel was far greater then for her.
Sometimes injustice happens. People are viewed as ugly, they have physical disabilities that make their life difficult, their younger siblings outshine them and get all the attention, they are unwanted, unpopular and unloved.
31-32
This was Leah. Unloved by her husband. Loved by God. Unnoticed by her husband. Noticed by God. Fruitless by the standards of society but God decides: "I see how you always come second and that's not how I view you! It's enough. I'm going to take the underdog and make her shine! You are going to bear fruit, and the other that you think always gets everything she wants, wont be able to this time! It will be all you."
It must have been a shock to Leah to realize she was loved and wanted. I would have been shocked. She realizes that God has seen her pain. He has watched her in her misery. Now she thinks finally she has a thought of gaining the love of her husband. People can get Gods love and attention but ultimately we still wrestle with being wanted and accepted and loved by other people. Too often we keep banging our head against a wall trying to gain the love of people who just cannot appreciate us for who we are, and we know it but we hope we can do something else to gain their love when we are not good enough by ourselves to be loved by them. So sad.
33 Obviously she notices that child #1 does not work at giving her the love of her husband. So when she gets pregnant with child #2 she is happy God has continued to see her pain and bless her.
34 Instead of focusing on the fact that God has heard her and loves her, she is hoping that three times is a charm and thinks she will finally have her husband get attached to her for giving him three sons. She is still banging her head on that brick wall... obsessing with gaining his love. Sometimes we are slow to learn. Three children later and she is still hoping for something that isn't going to happen.
35 It seems that she gives up the fight by child #4 because instead of getting her hopes up all over again for her husband affection she does focus on God this time and praises Him. What a beautiful picture that as she stops clinging to what she doesn't have she is able to see what she does have and be thankful. She names her son "praise" because she is praising the Lord this time and directing her attention where it should go. On the God who actually loves her and cares for her.
It is this child that ends up being the line that leads to Messiah. He is the son that will produce the line of Jesus. Not any of Rachel's children, but her very own son. The one child that she accepts as a gift from God without any bitterness or focus on what she is still missing. Her one child born into life in a spirit of Joy and complete thankfulness to God. The child that symbolises her refocusing her mind. How beautiful!
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on to Matthew
18-26
Religious man and "outcast woman". They would seem to have nothing in common by the standards of society. He is synagogue leader. She is not allowed in the synagogue. She is not only a woman but a perpetually "unclean" woman at every single moment. The religious laws made it so that when a woman had her period she had so many restrictions and was sort of outcasted. But whatever societal differences these two have, they have more in common then they may realize. They both have big faith. The woman believes just touching the coat of Jesus will bring healing. The man believes Jesus will raise his dead child from the grave. They both stand in stark contrast to the people of their day who laugh at Jesus when he talks and have little faith in Him.
Jesus encourages the woman to take heart and commends her faith. He gives the man back his girl. Word about Jesus spreads around after this.
27-31
Some blind men publicly ask Jesus to have mercy on them (heal them?) and when Jesus is indoors he asks them if they believe He can. It's all about faith as the focus here. They are told that they are healed according to their faith- and we see they are both healed which means they were for real in their faith. Jesus asks them to keep quiet about it (not the right time for the word about Him to get out) but we see something really important about real faith- it can't keep quiet. They spread the news everywhere they went. It is a big challenge about how we respond!
32-34 Jesus does a spectacular miracle driving out a demons in a possessed man and making him speak again (because he had been mute). I wonder what it was like for this man to be free of his demons and able to talk. He did use his mouth to talk too! And people were shocked and amazed. Except for the Pharisees that are trying to twist it into something Satanic. Interesting that the hyper spiritual or religious outwardly proclaim God while they actually label things Satanic that make them uncomfortable even if they are things done by God Himself! We should be weary of people who credit Satan for everything- even stuff the bible doesn't claim.
35-38 Jesus is compassionate. He is moved by people. His good news was spread around with practical healing. Both were side by side. He cared deeply for the "harassed and helpless" I think I care more about the harassed and feel like the helpless are often simple minded people who can't tie their shoes... but God cares for the simple as well. He cares about taking care of others. The image of sheep without a shepherd is one of being vulnerable and needing a caretaker. Someone to look out for them and protect them. He encourages His disciples to pray for workers to help with the harvest. He says it is plentiful but the workers are few.
I wonder if, as they prayed, they would feel convicted to be the answer to their own prayers?
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Psalm 11:1-7 is a bold declaration! It starts with "God is my refuge" and goes on to talk about those who challenge Gods goodness and say the enemy is out to get the good and will strike them down. I wonder who the questioner is. Is it our own doubts we each face when we are trying to do what is right and feel under attack? Is it the doubts others try and plant in our mind when they tell us why God is unfair and try and discourage us from trusting in Him to come through for us?
Either way the psalmist is clear that He cant look at it that way! He refuses to give in to a view of God that is not just. He recognizes God is righteous and that he loves Justice. That He is soverign and on His throne, totally in control and totally good. He is fair. He rewards the good and punishes the bad. He is even scary to mess with if you are bad. His punishments arent fluffy or light- they are deadly and horrifying. You dont want to be on the wrong side of Him. Yet we also see more attributes of God: He is all knowing. He sees everyone and knows each persons heart.
I like how it ends with the righteous will see His face. :)
Proverbs 3:11-12
Encourages us to understand that God needs to punish those He loves as well. He tells us to recognize God does it because He loves and delights in us- so not to grow bitter or resentful because sometimes we need a hard lesson to straighten us up.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
January 12th: Genesis 26:17-27:46; Matthew 9:1-17; Psalm 10:16-18; Proverbs 3:9-10
Today we are reading from: Genesis 26:17-27:46; Matthew 9:1-17; Psalm 10:16-18; Proverbs 3:9-10
Yesterday we ended in Genesis after Isaac had imitated his dad in a bad way by lying about his wife. We see God grace override again, and now we will start with Isaac moving on in Chapter 26.
Verses 17-22 Isaac physically moves, and goes back to settle where his dad had been (Gerar). Only instead of following in his dads footsteps in the mistakes his dad made, now he reopens the wells that had been stopped up after Abraham had died and gives the wells the same names their dad gave them. There is a remembering of the faith his dad has had and the good in the life his father lived as well as Gods promises to Isaac.
They discovered a fresh water well. The herders quarreled for it and instead of fighting wih them Isaac takes the route of a peacemaker and he givs it up to them. He gives over what belongs to him in order to make peace. The second time around, same thing happened with a different well. Then at the third well he found no one bothered him for it so he saw it as God giving him room to flourish.
23-33 He moved on. God appeared to him and told him not to be afraid. Reminded him that the blessing to his father is to him as well. Isaac called on Gods name there and he dug a well. Although this reminds me of shades of his dad (in a good way this time) there are even more similarities. Abimelek comes to him asking for a peace treaty - just as they did with Abraham after seeing how God is with him. Isaac agrees.
After this peace treaty Isaac's servants dig a well and find water.
There is a lot of well digging in this chapter. A well would be a source of life wherever they went. An empty well is useless but a well with water would be a reminder of Gods provision. They have two wells that the initially let the Philistines have. The third one - nobody bothers them for so they stay there. But Isaac digs one more well, and a third dug well leads to water. He ends up back with two wells with water, and possibly a third- Even though he gave up two for peace. Neat. Do we give up stuff in the name of peace knowing that God will provide above what we give?
34-35 Esau marries a Hittite, who- along with her family, is a source of grief to Isaac and Rebekah.
Genesis 27
1-20 Issac can't see anymore so he calls over Esau to bless him but asks him to go hunt some of his favorite food and bring it before him.
Rebekah is listening and wants to beat Esau to the chase by preparing him food and using it to get Jacob the blessing instead. They need to trick him with a disguise though because Esau is more hairy. Jacob is worried but Rebekah is willing to take a curse in the place of her son if he does get caught.
Jacob says he is Esau and Isaac asks how he got the food so quickly:
“The LORD your God gave me success". Is his next lie.
21-29 Isaac has his doubts- especially recognizing Jacobs voice, so he touches him but their disguise causes enough confusion in the dad that he asks a second time if it is really Esau and Jacob lies again.
Then the dad eats the food and asks to kiss his son. He catches the smell of Esau's clothing (that Jacob is wearing) and that fully convinces him. So he blesses him. So he went to him and kissed him. When Isaac caught the smell of his clothing he blessed him with the richness of the earth and his brothers serving and bowing to him.
30-40 Esau walks in with his food and when Isaac realises he has been deceived he trembles violently. Esau weeps begging his dad for a blessing but Isaac says that his blessing to Jacob cannot be revoked and wonders how he could possibly bless him. Eventually he does think of a blessing for him but the only good part seems to be that at the end of his life he will throw of Jacobs yoke from around his neck.
41-45
Esau's grudge harboring towards his bro leads to a murderous heart. He plans to kill Jacob once Isaac dies. Rebekah tells her son Jacob to go away to his brothers house till Esau forgets and calms down because she doesn't want to lose both her children.
46 Rebekah thinks life will not be worth living if Jacob marries a Hittite woman and expresses this to Isaac before Jacob leaves.
Interesting things from this chapter: Isaac tried to reverse Gods prophecy. It didn't work. Jacob and Rebekah thought God needed their help through trickery instead of trusting. They lose each other in the process- when they could have had it all. God still blesses Jacob but it comes with a cost for his sin. Even when we use the devils tactics to accomplish Gods work - God still is faithful to what he has promised us- even though we do not deserve it. Trying to short cut Gods plan will inconvenience you in the end and give you consequences, but God does not abandon those who blow it by their sins. His grace is bigger then our failures and stupidity, even if we could have had better still! It is Gods grace that we don't get an idea of what we could have had if we showed more faith and obedience.
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Matthew 9:1-17
1-8
When a paralyzed man is brought to Jesus, the teachers of the law get upset because Jesus tells him "your sins are forgiven". They understood well, that only God could forgive sins. Jesus knew their thoughts and said they were evil. Jesus points out that it is easier to claim to forgive sins then to heal a man who is paralyzed. He tells them he will show them He has the power to forgive sins - and tells the paralyzed man to get up and go home. When he does, the crowds are in awe and praise God over what Jesus is able to do.
9-13 Jesus sees Matthew a tax collector and tells him to follow him. Matthew does.
Jesus goes to Matthews home to eat with him and his shady friends which bothers the pharisees who question the disciples about it. Jesus point to the fact that the healthy do not need a doctor but the sick do. He says he has come to call sinners, not righteous people and quotes an old testament verse that talks about how God wants mercy rather then sacrifice. The Pharisees were good at giving up stuff but not at being merciful.
Often when we are very rule oriented in our faith= Grace is hard to deal with or to deal out.
Jesus Questioned About Fasting
So this feast they are having is on the same day that the Pharisees and Johns disciples are fasting. Fasting was done for both times of sorrow and times of repentance. John was thrown into prison. Johns disciples question why they (Jesus' disciples) are not fasting often like they (John's disciples) are.
15-17 Jesus answers with three parables. One talks about a bridegroom and the idea of their being a time to celebrate and a time for sorrow. Jesus coming was a time of celebration while his Crucifixion will be a time of sorrow.
The other two talk about mixing things that are old and new. He used examples of things they were very familiar with: wine and clothing. He talked about how you ruin the new when sticking the old on it and vice versa. That you can't mix the two. What did that have to do with the whole fasting deal and the time for mourning parable?
The Pharisees didn't recognize this was a new era. They wanted the rules applied right here with Jesus there, for the fasting and mourning to be put on during a time it did not make sense to do that. Jesus had come and you could not simply take your old ways and rules and try and put them on this time of the new covenant God was making through Jesus. Many in the new testament try and keep the old testament laws and are rebuked for trying to mix the two. It's not the way God is working- because it doesn't work.
Psalm 10:16-18
God will last. People wont.
Yet God encourages them, hears their cry and the desires of their hearts and defends the vulnerable, even though they are mortals.
Proverbs 3:9-10
Put God first, no left overs- live out your faith and he will bless you beyond what you can imagine.
Yesterday we ended in Genesis after Isaac had imitated his dad in a bad way by lying about his wife. We see God grace override again, and now we will start with Isaac moving on in Chapter 26.
Verses 17-22 Isaac physically moves, and goes back to settle where his dad had been (Gerar). Only instead of following in his dads footsteps in the mistakes his dad made, now he reopens the wells that had been stopped up after Abraham had died and gives the wells the same names their dad gave them. There is a remembering of the faith his dad has had and the good in the life his father lived as well as Gods promises to Isaac.
They discovered a fresh water well. The herders quarreled for it and instead of fighting wih them Isaac takes the route of a peacemaker and he givs it up to them. He gives over what belongs to him in order to make peace. The second time around, same thing happened with a different well. Then at the third well he found no one bothered him for it so he saw it as God giving him room to flourish.
23-33 He moved on. God appeared to him and told him not to be afraid. Reminded him that the blessing to his father is to him as well. Isaac called on Gods name there and he dug a well. Although this reminds me of shades of his dad (in a good way this time) there are even more similarities. Abimelek comes to him asking for a peace treaty - just as they did with Abraham after seeing how God is with him. Isaac agrees.
After this peace treaty Isaac's servants dig a well and find water.
There is a lot of well digging in this chapter. A well would be a source of life wherever they went. An empty well is useless but a well with water would be a reminder of Gods provision. They have two wells that the initially let the Philistines have. The third one - nobody bothers them for so they stay there. But Isaac digs one more well, and a third dug well leads to water. He ends up back with two wells with water, and possibly a third- Even though he gave up two for peace. Neat. Do we give up stuff in the name of peace knowing that God will provide above what we give?
34-35 Esau marries a Hittite, who- along with her family, is a source of grief to Isaac and Rebekah.
Genesis 27
1-20 Issac can't see anymore so he calls over Esau to bless him but asks him to go hunt some of his favorite food and bring it before him.
Rebekah is listening and wants to beat Esau to the chase by preparing him food and using it to get Jacob the blessing instead. They need to trick him with a disguise though because Esau is more hairy. Jacob is worried but Rebekah is willing to take a curse in the place of her son if he does get caught.
Jacob says he is Esau and Isaac asks how he got the food so quickly:
“The LORD your God gave me success". Is his next lie.
21-29 Isaac has his doubts- especially recognizing Jacobs voice, so he touches him but their disguise causes enough confusion in the dad that he asks a second time if it is really Esau and Jacob lies again.
Then the dad eats the food and asks to kiss his son. He catches the smell of Esau's clothing (that Jacob is wearing) and that fully convinces him. So he blesses him. So he went to him and kissed him. When Isaac caught the smell of his clothing he blessed him with the richness of the earth and his brothers serving and bowing to him.
30-40 Esau walks in with his food and when Isaac realises he has been deceived he trembles violently. Esau weeps begging his dad for a blessing but Isaac says that his blessing to Jacob cannot be revoked and wonders how he could possibly bless him. Eventually he does think of a blessing for him but the only good part seems to be that at the end of his life he will throw of Jacobs yoke from around his neck.
41-45
Esau's grudge harboring towards his bro leads to a murderous heart. He plans to kill Jacob once Isaac dies. Rebekah tells her son Jacob to go away to his brothers house till Esau forgets and calms down because she doesn't want to lose both her children.
46 Rebekah thinks life will not be worth living if Jacob marries a Hittite woman and expresses this to Isaac before Jacob leaves.
Interesting things from this chapter: Isaac tried to reverse Gods prophecy. It didn't work. Jacob and Rebekah thought God needed their help through trickery instead of trusting. They lose each other in the process- when they could have had it all. God still blesses Jacob but it comes with a cost for his sin. Even when we use the devils tactics to accomplish Gods work - God still is faithful to what he has promised us- even though we do not deserve it. Trying to short cut Gods plan will inconvenience you in the end and give you consequences, but God does not abandon those who blow it by their sins. His grace is bigger then our failures and stupidity, even if we could have had better still! It is Gods grace that we don't get an idea of what we could have had if we showed more faith and obedience.
-----------
Matthew 9:1-17
1-8
When a paralyzed man is brought to Jesus, the teachers of the law get upset because Jesus tells him "your sins are forgiven". They understood well, that only God could forgive sins. Jesus knew their thoughts and said they were evil. Jesus points out that it is easier to claim to forgive sins then to heal a man who is paralyzed. He tells them he will show them He has the power to forgive sins - and tells the paralyzed man to get up and go home. When he does, the crowds are in awe and praise God over what Jesus is able to do.
9-13 Jesus sees Matthew a tax collector and tells him to follow him. Matthew does.
Jesus goes to Matthews home to eat with him and his shady friends which bothers the pharisees who question the disciples about it. Jesus point to the fact that the healthy do not need a doctor but the sick do. He says he has come to call sinners, not righteous people and quotes an old testament verse that talks about how God wants mercy rather then sacrifice. The Pharisees were good at giving up stuff but not at being merciful.
Often when we are very rule oriented in our faith= Grace is hard to deal with or to deal out.
Jesus Questioned About Fasting
So this feast they are having is on the same day that the Pharisees and Johns disciples are fasting. Fasting was done for both times of sorrow and times of repentance. John was thrown into prison. Johns disciples question why they (Jesus' disciples) are not fasting often like they (John's disciples) are.
15-17 Jesus answers with three parables. One talks about a bridegroom and the idea of their being a time to celebrate and a time for sorrow. Jesus coming was a time of celebration while his Crucifixion will be a time of sorrow.
The other two talk about mixing things that are old and new. He used examples of things they were very familiar with: wine and clothing. He talked about how you ruin the new when sticking the old on it and vice versa. That you can't mix the two. What did that have to do with the whole fasting deal and the time for mourning parable?
The Pharisees didn't recognize this was a new era. They wanted the rules applied right here with Jesus there, for the fasting and mourning to be put on during a time it did not make sense to do that. Jesus had come and you could not simply take your old ways and rules and try and put them on this time of the new covenant God was making through Jesus. Many in the new testament try and keep the old testament laws and are rebuked for trying to mix the two. It's not the way God is working- because it doesn't work.
Psalm 10:16-18
God will last. People wont.
Yet God encourages them, hears their cry and the desires of their hearts and defends the vulnerable, even though they are mortals.
Proverbs 3:9-10
Put God first, no left overs- live out your faith and he will bless you beyond what you can imagine.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
January 11th: Genesis 24:52-26:16; Matthew 8:18-34; Psalm 10:1-15; Proverbs 3:7-8
Today's reading is from Genesis 24:52-26:16; Matthew 8:18-34; Psalm 10:1-15; Proverbs 3:7-8
Genesis 24:52-26:16
52-61 Abraham's servant bows to God again, this time when he hears their response. Then gives to the entire family including Rebekah. He receives great hospitality from the family as well. The next day the servant wanted to leave but the brother wanted her to stay for 10 days. When the servant insisted he inquired about what Rebekah wanted. She said she was good to go. So she left with her nurse along with the blessing of her family.
62-67 Isaac was meditating when Rebekah arrived. She covered her face with a veil when sh realized who he was. They were married in the tent of their parents. Isaac loved Rebekah and was comforted after his moms death.
Genesis 25
1-11 Abraham got remarried after Sarah had passed away. Her name is Keturah and they had 6 kids together. We learn about two of their sons: Jokshan's line and Midian's. We learn that Abraham leaves everything he owns to Isaac but gave gifts to all his other sons before sending them away- east of Isaac before he dies, which happens at 175 yrs old. They bury him with Sarah (See link from yesterdays blog). Gods blessing stays with Isaac after Abraham is dead.
Verses 12-18 is the family line of Ishmael. He has 12 sons who become tribal rulers of their camps. He died at 137. His descendants settled near the eastern border of Egypt and lived in hostility towards everyone related to them.
Jacob and Esau
19-26 Isaac prays to God when they are not having kids, and God answered with twins who, from the womb "jostled" in her. When she asked God about it, He told her that their were two distinct peoples/nations that will be separated from each other. One stronger then the other, and the oldest serving the youngest. Esau came out hairy and red. His brother Jacob came out grasping at his heel.
27-28 Esau was a hunter & daddy's boy. Jacob was a homeboy and a mommas boy.
29-34 Jacob was making food one day and a hungry Esau was desperate for some. He let his hunger control him and Jacob took full advantage by bribing him with is birthright. Not only did he let his hunger control him but it says he "despised" his birthright. He didn't place much value on it.
I wonder what gifts we are given that we "despise" by neglecting or not placing enough value on them. Do we treasure our ability to pray to God or to read his word? Or do we take certain things for granted?
Genesis 26
1-11 Isaac gets to meet Abimelek too. It's not clear if this is the same Abimelek but Isaac sure pulls a card from his daddy's handbook. He pretends Rebekah is his sister out the same fear Abraham pulled his stunt. Abimelek catches him in his lie and calls him on it and then lectures him about it but also issues a warning to the people not to touch Rebekah. We see that patterns set by parents are often repeated by kids- good ones and bad ones!
12-16 Isaac becomes so blessed by God that the Philistines where he is now living (because of the famine) become envious so they fill up his wells with dirt. Also some similar struggles to what Abraham had to deal with- only Abraham had his well taken from him.
Abimelek asks him to move away because he has become too powerful. I guess he doesn't want a war started between his people and Isaac.
Matthew 8:18-34
18-22
The Cost of Following Jesus is high. There is no luxury that goes with it but a unsettled feeling of not being at home and you must be ready to follow him without having other things that take priority that may be important to your family members or yourself.
23-27
Jesus Calms the Storm when it starts to sweep waves over the boat. The disciples had gotten scared, but Jesus asks them why they are afraid and says their faith is small. They are amazed at the power he has over nature.
28-34
Jesus Restores Two Demon-Possessed Men who are so violent everyone is afraid of them. They recognize who Jesus is and are very afraid. They beg to be driven out into the pigs. He does, and the herd drowns themselves in a lake. The herders of these pigs go telling people in the town- who react to the herders by all come out to meet Jesus. The reaction of everyone in the town is to ask Jesus to leave.
He is not thanked, wanted or appreciated. How much good does God do for people today who respond by not wanting him involved in their lives either?
Psalm 10:1-15
Sometimes it seems like wicked men win. Sometimes it seems like those who mock God and have no room for God, these men that harm others sometimes seem to prosper and it seems like God is not there. He leaves the innocent crushed and a trail of innocent victims in his destruction as he figures God wont notice. He does not see evil punished so David begs God to come to their defense and call them into account because he does see their pain and cares for their sadness enough to intervene.
David knows that God does intervene to help the oppressed and the vulnerable and hold accountable the wicked who abuse them.
Proverbs 3:7-8
A healthy way of living is not to think you know what is best but rather to fear the LORD and reject what is bad.
Genesis 24:52-26:16
52-61 Abraham's servant bows to God again, this time when he hears their response. Then gives to the entire family including Rebekah. He receives great hospitality from the family as well. The next day the servant wanted to leave but the brother wanted her to stay for 10 days. When the servant insisted he inquired about what Rebekah wanted. She said she was good to go. So she left with her nurse along with the blessing of her family.
62-67 Isaac was meditating when Rebekah arrived. She covered her face with a veil when sh realized who he was. They were married in the tent of their parents. Isaac loved Rebekah and was comforted after his moms death.
Genesis 25
1-11 Abraham got remarried after Sarah had passed away. Her name is Keturah and they had 6 kids together. We learn about two of their sons: Jokshan's line and Midian's. We learn that Abraham leaves everything he owns to Isaac but gave gifts to all his other sons before sending them away- east of Isaac before he dies, which happens at 175 yrs old. They bury him with Sarah (See link from yesterdays blog). Gods blessing stays with Isaac after Abraham is dead.
Verses 12-18 is the family line of Ishmael. He has 12 sons who become tribal rulers of their camps. He died at 137. His descendants settled near the eastern border of Egypt and lived in hostility towards everyone related to them.
Jacob and Esau
19-26 Isaac prays to God when they are not having kids, and God answered with twins who, from the womb "jostled" in her. When she asked God about it, He told her that their were two distinct peoples/nations that will be separated from each other. One stronger then the other, and the oldest serving the youngest. Esau came out hairy and red. His brother Jacob came out grasping at his heel.
27-28 Esau was a hunter & daddy's boy. Jacob was a homeboy and a mommas boy.
29-34 Jacob was making food one day and a hungry Esau was desperate for some. He let his hunger control him and Jacob took full advantage by bribing him with is birthright. Not only did he let his hunger control him but it says he "despised" his birthright. He didn't place much value on it.
I wonder what gifts we are given that we "despise" by neglecting or not placing enough value on them. Do we treasure our ability to pray to God or to read his word? Or do we take certain things for granted?
Genesis 26
1-11 Isaac gets to meet Abimelek too. It's not clear if this is the same Abimelek but Isaac sure pulls a card from his daddy's handbook. He pretends Rebekah is his sister out the same fear Abraham pulled his stunt. Abimelek catches him in his lie and calls him on it and then lectures him about it but also issues a warning to the people not to touch Rebekah. We see that patterns set by parents are often repeated by kids- good ones and bad ones!
12-16 Isaac becomes so blessed by God that the Philistines where he is now living (because of the famine) become envious so they fill up his wells with dirt. Also some similar struggles to what Abraham had to deal with- only Abraham had his well taken from him.
Abimelek asks him to move away because he has become too powerful. I guess he doesn't want a war started between his people and Isaac.
Matthew 8:18-34
18-22
The Cost of Following Jesus is high. There is no luxury that goes with it but a unsettled feeling of not being at home and you must be ready to follow him without having other things that take priority that may be important to your family members or yourself.
23-27
Jesus Calms the Storm when it starts to sweep waves over the boat. The disciples had gotten scared, but Jesus asks them why they are afraid and says their faith is small. They are amazed at the power he has over nature.
28-34
Jesus Restores Two Demon-Possessed Men who are so violent everyone is afraid of them. They recognize who Jesus is and are very afraid. They beg to be driven out into the pigs. He does, and the herd drowns themselves in a lake. The herders of these pigs go telling people in the town- who react to the herders by all come out to meet Jesus. The reaction of everyone in the town is to ask Jesus to leave.
He is not thanked, wanted or appreciated. How much good does God do for people today who respond by not wanting him involved in their lives either?
Psalm 10:1-15
Sometimes it seems like wicked men win. Sometimes it seems like those who mock God and have no room for God, these men that harm others sometimes seem to prosper and it seems like God is not there. He leaves the innocent crushed and a trail of innocent victims in his destruction as he figures God wont notice. He does not see evil punished so David begs God to come to their defense and call them into account because he does see their pain and cares for their sadness enough to intervene.
David knows that God does intervene to help the oppressed and the vulnerable and hold accountable the wicked who abuse them.
Proverbs 3:7-8
A healthy way of living is not to think you know what is best but rather to fear the LORD and reject what is bad.
Monday, January 10, 2011
January 10th: Genesis 23-24:51; Matthew 8:1-17; Psalm 9:13-20; Proverbs 3:1-6
Day 10!
Today we are reading from: Genesis 23-24:51; Matthew 8:1-17; Psalm 9:13-20; Proverbs 3:1-6
Genesis 23
This chapter focuses on the death of Sarah and Abraham wanting to pay for her burial site in a very specific place. He is offered it for free but He wants to own it because he is a foreigner in the land (something that is symbolic of how we believers are all living on earth) and he wants to be able to pass this site down to his children. This burial site is 3KM's from the great trees of Mamre at Hebron, mentioned as the place where Abraham first pitches his tent in Caanan (the promised land). This is the place he has built an altar to the Lord, and the place where God comes to visit Him. This is where he buys the grave/cave. He is later buried there along with his son Isaac & his wife Rebekah, and their son Jacob with his wife Leah.
For more info on these places today check out: http://www.welcometohosanna.com/LIFE_OF_JESUS/009_FlightToEgypt-2.htm
Genesis 24
1-9
Imagine if you could say when you are very old that God blessed you in every way?
This is what Abraham was able to say!
Abraham sends out his trusted senior servant on a mission to get a wife for his son Isaac. This is important to him before he dies that Isaac's wife be one of his people and not one of the Caananites. He makes him promise an oath that he will do this but also that he will not bring Isaac with him. He does not want Isaac returning to his homeland. Even though they are foreigners in Caanan, it is the promised land and there is no turning back. They are to stay there.
The servant is told that he is released from the oath if the women from his family that he visits do not want to return with him to Caanan.
I like how Abraham understands the importance of who a person marries.
Even in our culture people are so bent on marrying for the sake of being with someone and not being alone that they do not have a long term view of who they choose in regards to what are their life plans?
10-51 He takes supplies and gifts with him. He gets to the town where Abrahams brother and relatives live by the evening and goes out to the well when the women are coming out to the town to draw water and he prays to God for a specific sign. It is interesting that the sign he prays about is specific to what would make a good wife- helpful and thoughtful, hospitable and caring. He thinks of an exact phrase that could demonstrate that:
"when I say to a young woman, ‘Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink, and I’ll water your camels too’—let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master.”
Before he is even done praying she does exactly that in a very timely manner. He asks her what family she is from. When he finds out it is Nahors granddaughter he worships God.
He gives her jewelery and asks if there is any room for him to stay at her families home. She says yes. He meets her brother and the family and before he can even eat a meal they offer him he explains the entire situation to them, including how God led him to Rebekah. He anxiously awaits their answer which is: “This is from the LORD; we can say nothing to you one way or the other. Here is Rebekah; take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master’s son, as the LORD has directed.”
This is a good reminder of how God guides us when we pray to Him.
Matthew 8:1-17
Jesus Heals a Man With Leprosy
1-4
Large crowds come follow Jesus, but one man with leprosy kneels down in front of Jesus. He doesn't just ask for healing but states with confidence that he knows Jesus can heal him. Jesus does heal him but tells him not to let anyone know except the priests. He wants this man to be a testimony to the priests.
The Faith of the Centurion
5-10 & 13 He goes to Capernaum, Where a Centurion impresses Jesus with his faith. It says Jesus is amazed by his faith! The Centurion asks for healing for his servant and when Jesus is willing to do it he tells him that he is not worthy to have Jesus under his roof. Here is a man who recognizes how Holy Jesus is. But on top of that he says that he knows Jesus just has to say "be healed" from wherever He is and Jesus will be able to do it. Often times we wish we could have Jesus in the flesh beside us to help us with the believing part. But this Centurion did not doubt God's ability or power from near or far. His faith was bigger then anyone in Israel.
So Jesus heals the man at that moment.
11-12 While Jesus points to this Roman as being "in" the Kingdom. He points to those who think they are in and tell them they are out. They don't have faith like this man does. They think they will get to God based on their heritage or religious prestige but Jesus sets them straight.
Jesus Heals Many
14-15 I like how when Jesus heals Peters mom the first thing she does is she starts to wait on Jesus. I wonder how we respond to the fact we have been spiritually, emotionally and even physically healed? Do we then go to attend to Jesus?
16-17 Healing all the sick and the demon possessed even at night time. Doing it with ONE word. Fulfilling the prophesies about healing and taking our infirmities.
Psalm 9:13-20
13-14 He wants to be rescued from enemies and to proclaim God, sing his praises, thank God for his salvation.
15-17 People forget God and dig their own grave. God is fair.
18 But God doesn't forget those in need or those who are afflicted.
19-20 David wants God to strike the nations that are wicked with terror so they realize they are only mortal. That God alone is God. People can get so self reliant or prideful in what they can accomplish that they forget their rightful place.
Proverbs 3:1-6
1-4 Gods teaching, love and faithfulness need to be deeply ingrained in our hearts. They give prosperity and peace with God & man.
5-6 Trust God totally. Don't think you will be able to figure it all out.
Give it over to God and He will lead you.
Today we are reading from: Genesis 23-24:51; Matthew 8:1-17; Psalm 9:13-20; Proverbs 3:1-6
Genesis 23
This chapter focuses on the death of Sarah and Abraham wanting to pay for her burial site in a very specific place. He is offered it for free but He wants to own it because he is a foreigner in the land (something that is symbolic of how we believers are all living on earth) and he wants to be able to pass this site down to his children. This burial site is 3KM's from the great trees of Mamre at Hebron, mentioned as the place where Abraham first pitches his tent in Caanan (the promised land). This is the place he has built an altar to the Lord, and the place where God comes to visit Him. This is where he buys the grave/cave. He is later buried there along with his son Isaac & his wife Rebekah, and their son Jacob with his wife Leah.
For more info on these places today check out: http://www.welcometohosanna.com/LIFE_OF_JESUS/009_FlightToEgypt-2.htm
Genesis 24
1-9
Imagine if you could say when you are very old that God blessed you in every way?
This is what Abraham was able to say!
Abraham sends out his trusted senior servant on a mission to get a wife for his son Isaac. This is important to him before he dies that Isaac's wife be one of his people and not one of the Caananites. He makes him promise an oath that he will do this but also that he will not bring Isaac with him. He does not want Isaac returning to his homeland. Even though they are foreigners in Caanan, it is the promised land and there is no turning back. They are to stay there.
The servant is told that he is released from the oath if the women from his family that he visits do not want to return with him to Caanan.
I like how Abraham understands the importance of who a person marries.
Even in our culture people are so bent on marrying for the sake of being with someone and not being alone that they do not have a long term view of who they choose in regards to what are their life plans?
10-51 He takes supplies and gifts with him. He gets to the town where Abrahams brother and relatives live by the evening and goes out to the well when the women are coming out to the town to draw water and he prays to God for a specific sign. It is interesting that the sign he prays about is specific to what would make a good wife- helpful and thoughtful, hospitable and caring. He thinks of an exact phrase that could demonstrate that:
"when I say to a young woman, ‘Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink, and I’ll water your camels too’—let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master.”
Before he is even done praying she does exactly that in a very timely manner. He asks her what family she is from. When he finds out it is Nahors granddaughter he worships God.
He gives her jewelery and asks if there is any room for him to stay at her families home. She says yes. He meets her brother and the family and before he can even eat a meal they offer him he explains the entire situation to them, including how God led him to Rebekah. He anxiously awaits their answer which is: “This is from the LORD; we can say nothing to you one way or the other. Here is Rebekah; take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master’s son, as the LORD has directed.”
This is a good reminder of how God guides us when we pray to Him.
Matthew 8:1-17
Jesus Heals a Man With Leprosy
1-4
Large crowds come follow Jesus, but one man with leprosy kneels down in front of Jesus. He doesn't just ask for healing but states with confidence that he knows Jesus can heal him. Jesus does heal him but tells him not to let anyone know except the priests. He wants this man to be a testimony to the priests.
The Faith of the Centurion
5-10 & 13 He goes to Capernaum, Where a Centurion impresses Jesus with his faith. It says Jesus is amazed by his faith! The Centurion asks for healing for his servant and when Jesus is willing to do it he tells him that he is not worthy to have Jesus under his roof. Here is a man who recognizes how Holy Jesus is. But on top of that he says that he knows Jesus just has to say "be healed" from wherever He is and Jesus will be able to do it. Often times we wish we could have Jesus in the flesh beside us to help us with the believing part. But this Centurion did not doubt God's ability or power from near or far. His faith was bigger then anyone in Israel.
So Jesus heals the man at that moment.
11-12 While Jesus points to this Roman as being "in" the Kingdom. He points to those who think they are in and tell them they are out. They don't have faith like this man does. They think they will get to God based on their heritage or religious prestige but Jesus sets them straight.
Jesus Heals Many
14-15 I like how when Jesus heals Peters mom the first thing she does is she starts to wait on Jesus. I wonder how we respond to the fact we have been spiritually, emotionally and even physically healed? Do we then go to attend to Jesus?
16-17 Healing all the sick and the demon possessed even at night time. Doing it with ONE word. Fulfilling the prophesies about healing and taking our infirmities.
Psalm 9:13-20
13-14 He wants to be rescued from enemies and to proclaim God, sing his praises, thank God for his salvation.
15-17 People forget God and dig their own grave. God is fair.
18 But God doesn't forget those in need or those who are afflicted.
19-20 David wants God to strike the nations that are wicked with terror so they realize they are only mortal. That God alone is God. People can get so self reliant or prideful in what they can accomplish that they forget their rightful place.
Proverbs 3:1-6
1-4 Gods teaching, love and faithfulness need to be deeply ingrained in our hearts. They give prosperity and peace with God & man.
5-6 Trust God totally. Don't think you will be able to figure it all out.
Give it over to God and He will lead you.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
January 9th: Genesis 20-22:24; Matthew 7:15-29; Psalm 9:1-12; Proverbs 2:16-22
Today's text is from Genesis 20-22:24; Matthew 7:15-29; Psalm 9:1-12; Proverbs 2:16-22
Genesis 20
Abraham and Abimelek
1-6 Abraham moves on from where he was. You would think this could be a fresh start after the whole Lot fiasco- a moving forward with the promise renewed and all. However, it reminds me of that expression: "Wherever you go- there you are."
A fresh start doesn't change who you are.
Abraham is in a new location yet he is repeating his past mistakes and telling the new king where he moves that Sarah is his sister.
What a complex this would give me if I was Sarah. Maybe she needs to install a filter in her mind that translates "She is my sister" into "My wife is so hot that I am afraid everywhere I go that guys will take her!"
I guess it wouldn't be that helpful since his behavior of pretending they are not married is about sparing himself and not really Sarah. It only puts other guys in the situation of thinking she is available and having her forced to marry them.
grr.... This makes mistakes my husband has made look small.
But it's hard to feel bad for Sarah or view her as a victim of her husbands actions, when it says she goes along with it pretending Abraham is also her brother. In verse 13 we learn that Abraham has told Sarah that this is a way that she could express her love to him wherever they go... and she does a good job at taking his bad advice, so I don't want to point the blame in one direction as they both make the decision to handle this the wrong way - yet again!
God comes to their rescue yet again too! He warns Abimelek in a dream that He is as good as dead, but Abimelek pleads his case that they had both lied to him and he did this with a clean conscience. God responds that it is for that very reason he spared him from sinning against Him by sleeping with her! He tells Bimmy to return Sarah to her husband.
7-8 A very akward situation happens next. God tells Abimelek that Abraham is a prophet and will have to pray for him so that he will live. Imagine how this would make Abraham feel to know he messed up yet he's praying for God to save the life of Abimelek when he is the one who had put his life in danger to begin with. Praying God would give grace to the one you wronged rather then the other way around. I think it would be really difficult for a lot of people to do and make them feel very guilty and humbled.
9-10
Abimelek wants an answer. He knows what Abraham did wasn't right.
11-18
Abraham blames it on being afraid he will be killed because he thinks it is a corrupt place. He also explains it was really a "white lie" or a half truth since technically Sarah was his half sister (his dads daughter from a different mom). Abimelek returns Sarah to Abraham with many gifts and tells him that he can live anywhere he likes in the land. God is good to Abraham through this King even though Abraham is unworthy of it through his actions. God's goodness doesn't depend on us. We don't really deserve anything He gives us. Abimelek tells Sarah he has made restitution for his offense to Abraham. Then Abraham prays to God for Abimelek so that the punishment they had already received (no women in Abimeleks household could conceive) would be removed. Another thing that this passage shows is God is the one who is in control of conception.
Genesis 21
The Birth of Isaac
1-9 God does what he said he would do. Isaac is born. Abraham does what he said he would do and circumcises his son. Sarah is filled with laughter- but this time it is not mocking laughter but joyful laughter. However Ishmael does mock with his laughter when they throw a party over Isaac on the day he is weaned. Sarah had made a comment about how breastfeeding at her age was a little unbelievable. Obviously this 14 or 15 year old half brother didn't like the feast in honor of the other son who would get the inheritance and he knew where to strike a nerve to mock Sarah & the baby.
10-14
Sarah wants Ishmael gone! Abraham is distressed about it because he cares about his son, but God tells him to go with Sarah on this one since Isaac is the son he needs to focus on right now- the child of the promise. "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned." A reminder of Jesus who would come through Isaac's line. He also reminds Abraham that he will do good to Ishmael and make him into a great nation because he is his son, so not to worry. So Abraham sends them off with some water and food, and off into the desert they go.
Verses 15-21 Talk about how God looks out for both Hagar and Ishmael. Hagar gets to a point where she feels really discouraged. She crys. She feels like all hope is gone. Her food runs out and water too. They need it for survival in the desert. She even separates herself from her son because she doesn't want to watch him die. He also is crying and it says that "God heard the boy crying". An angel comes to Hagar to tell her not to be afraid, and to let her know God will make her son into a great nation. God also opens her eyes so that she sees a well of water. I wonder if the well was always there but if her discouragement blinded her to it or if God did something miraculous by making a well of water in the desert. Both options would teach us something neat. God is powerful, and He does need to pull us out of our own funks sometimes that get us down and blind us and discourage us to the point where we close our eyes to see what God is doing. We shut off our own hope sometimes when we shouldn't. God cares for Hagar and Ishmael even though he is not the child of the promise. She is a slave woman yet what a better thing could she ask for then knowing:
"God was with the boy as he grew up." (as verse 20 says)! I couldn't ask for anything better for my son as well! He even made the most of living in a desert an became an archer. His mother hand picked a wife for him too.
22-34
A treaty is made and issue is put to rest in this next section. Abimelek sees how God has blessed Abraham in everything he does, and perhaps had thought of the lies Abraham told him last time. He wants truth to be between them, and their offspring. He doesn't want any war between them, but kindness returned for kindness.
Abraham agrees but then goes into an issue where there conflict because he feels he is being mistreated by Abimeleks servants who have taken one of his wells. Abimelek tells Abraham he didn't know about it because Abraham just brang it to his attention now. Abraham makes the treaty and agreement, and emphasis with 7 lambs he sets apart as witnesses that he is being honest about the well situation.
I'm not sure what the significance of the 7 lambs is all about but it peeks Abimeleks curiosity and I suppose they resolve the well situation. After they leave Abraham plants a tree after the treaty, and calls on the name of the Lord the "eternal God". It also tells us that he stayed in their land "of the Philistines for a long time."
Genesis 22
1-10
Abraham is tested. He is told to take his "only son, whom you love" and sacrifice him as a burnt offering. (This test is also a sign of what God did do with His son Jesus.)
Abraham tells the servants who go with him that Isaac & him will "worship and then we will come back to you.” I've heard suggestions that one reason Abraham was willing to do this is because he believed God would bring Isaac back from the dead since he was the child of the promise. His comment about them coming back would support that theory. In either case Abraham had faith in God and was obedient.
When his son asks where the calf is for the burnt offering he answers that “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering”
And God did through Jesus provide the lamb. Revelation 5:12
“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”
Abraham put his son on the altar, on top of the wood and took the knife in his hand getting ready to kill his son. You just know father and son camping trips will never look the same after this one!
11-12 God stops him in time telling him not to do it, and letting him know it was a test. His wording speaks of Abraham but also of Himself with regard to Jesus "you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.” God acknowledges Abraham's fear of God.
13-18 Then we see a ram caught by it's horns in a bush is provided as the offering instead. A substitution to save a life (again signs of Jesus). Gods provision is emphasized.
God then talks to Abraham stressing his obedience to Him and also the fact that he does not withhold anything from God.
The question to us is what do we withhold from God?
19-24 When Abraham returns we learn he has some new nephews through his brother Nahor. The first two are named Uz and Buz. :) He has a total of 8 boys. The youngest becomes the father of Rebekah which will become the wife of Isaac which is why this whole line is probably mentioned. However even the four sons he has with a concubine is mentioned. The bible does not include things for no reason! I find it interesting because they don't play a role later on that we hear about. However a concubine is a woman who is usually of lower social status then the man she is with so she is not given the title of "wife", and is often a slave and sometimes used just for producing offspring. I think it is a good reminder that God remembers forever those who society forgets or thinks low of.
------------------------
Matthew 7
15-20 We start off being warned about false prophets. We are told to "watch out" for them, and told that they disguise themselves innocently even though on the inside they are dangerous. "By their fruit you will recognize them." This is emphasized twice with the point made that you produce what you are- good or bad.
Does someone produce division? Do they draw a crowd to themselves or to Jesus? What are you producing?
21-23 A lot of people who call on Gods name wont be in heaven because they are not doing Gods will. They may have used Gods name as they did some pretty spectacular looking things... more of the charismatic type - prophesying, miracle working and driving out demons. Stuff that looks spiritual and impressive. But God says they are actually evil doers! He casts them away.
It's interesting that their fruit wasn't merely the spectacular they are seen doing, but it is actually how they really are all the time.
The words "I never knew you" - this phrase is a contrast to how when we are Gods children and not merely using his name- we are "known" by God. In the bible when two people had sex the phrase "And they knew each other" was sometimes used to demonstrate that deep connection. The oneness they shared. God knows everyone, but this reflects the idea of belonging to God. To personally hear Gods heart through the Holy Spirit, is something special. God also listens attentively to those who belong to Him. So God knows us in a different and more intimate fashion which is neat.
The Wise and Foolish Builders
24-27
Putting Gods words into practice or not is the difference between building a life that is secure or one that may look nicer on a shallow level but actually will come to ruin if a storm hits.
28-29
Crowds were amazed by Jesus because he was different then their regular teachers of the law. He actually spoke with authority.
Psalm 9:1-12
Some psalms David wrote went to the tune of another known song of the day. This one goes to the tune of a song called “The Death of the Son.” (I wonder if that should make us think of Jesus?)
1-2 & 11 David Thanks God whole heartily and tells people what God has done. Being glad, rejoicing, singing praise to, are all responses that fit the "Most High".
3-8 Enemies wont stand or be remembered. David is upheld by God who is fair and good. God is just and reigns forever. God rules!
9-10 & 12 God will take care of those who are mistreated or in hardship and will not ignore them!
Knowing and trusting God are key. My favorite part talks about how God has "never forsaken those who seek you."
Do you & I seek God?
--------
Proverbs 2:16-22
Verses 16-19 Talk about an adulterous woman. Seductive words she has, but she leads to a very bad path- death rather then life is her path. She has left her spouse that she married when she was young and has ignored the covenant she made before God.
20-22 Good actions and living lead to blessing, and bad to destruction and being cut off from God.
Genesis 20
Abraham and Abimelek
1-6 Abraham moves on from where he was. You would think this could be a fresh start after the whole Lot fiasco- a moving forward with the promise renewed and all. However, it reminds me of that expression: "Wherever you go- there you are."
A fresh start doesn't change who you are.
Abraham is in a new location yet he is repeating his past mistakes and telling the new king where he moves that Sarah is his sister.
What a complex this would give me if I was Sarah. Maybe she needs to install a filter in her mind that translates "She is my sister" into "My wife is so hot that I am afraid everywhere I go that guys will take her!"
I guess it wouldn't be that helpful since his behavior of pretending they are not married is about sparing himself and not really Sarah. It only puts other guys in the situation of thinking she is available and having her forced to marry them.
grr.... This makes mistakes my husband has made look small.
But it's hard to feel bad for Sarah or view her as a victim of her husbands actions, when it says she goes along with it pretending Abraham is also her brother. In verse 13 we learn that Abraham has told Sarah that this is a way that she could express her love to him wherever they go... and she does a good job at taking his bad advice, so I don't want to point the blame in one direction as they both make the decision to handle this the wrong way - yet again!
God comes to their rescue yet again too! He warns Abimelek in a dream that He is as good as dead, but Abimelek pleads his case that they had both lied to him and he did this with a clean conscience. God responds that it is for that very reason he spared him from sinning against Him by sleeping with her! He tells Bimmy to return Sarah to her husband.
7-8 A very akward situation happens next. God tells Abimelek that Abraham is a prophet and will have to pray for him so that he will live. Imagine how this would make Abraham feel to know he messed up yet he's praying for God to save the life of Abimelek when he is the one who had put his life in danger to begin with. Praying God would give grace to the one you wronged rather then the other way around. I think it would be really difficult for a lot of people to do and make them feel very guilty and humbled.
9-10
Abimelek wants an answer. He knows what Abraham did wasn't right.
11-18
Abraham blames it on being afraid he will be killed because he thinks it is a corrupt place. He also explains it was really a "white lie" or a half truth since technically Sarah was his half sister (his dads daughter from a different mom). Abimelek returns Sarah to Abraham with many gifts and tells him that he can live anywhere he likes in the land. God is good to Abraham through this King even though Abraham is unworthy of it through his actions. God's goodness doesn't depend on us. We don't really deserve anything He gives us. Abimelek tells Sarah he has made restitution for his offense to Abraham. Then Abraham prays to God for Abimelek so that the punishment they had already received (no women in Abimeleks household could conceive) would be removed. Another thing that this passage shows is God is the one who is in control of conception.
Genesis 21
The Birth of Isaac
1-9 God does what he said he would do. Isaac is born. Abraham does what he said he would do and circumcises his son. Sarah is filled with laughter- but this time it is not mocking laughter but joyful laughter. However Ishmael does mock with his laughter when they throw a party over Isaac on the day he is weaned. Sarah had made a comment about how breastfeeding at her age was a little unbelievable. Obviously this 14 or 15 year old half brother didn't like the feast in honor of the other son who would get the inheritance and he knew where to strike a nerve to mock Sarah & the baby.
10-14
Sarah wants Ishmael gone! Abraham is distressed about it because he cares about his son, but God tells him to go with Sarah on this one since Isaac is the son he needs to focus on right now- the child of the promise. "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned." A reminder of Jesus who would come through Isaac's line. He also reminds Abraham that he will do good to Ishmael and make him into a great nation because he is his son, so not to worry. So Abraham sends them off with some water and food, and off into the desert they go.
Verses 15-21 Talk about how God looks out for both Hagar and Ishmael. Hagar gets to a point where she feels really discouraged. She crys. She feels like all hope is gone. Her food runs out and water too. They need it for survival in the desert. She even separates herself from her son because she doesn't want to watch him die. He also is crying and it says that "God heard the boy crying". An angel comes to Hagar to tell her not to be afraid, and to let her know God will make her son into a great nation. God also opens her eyes so that she sees a well of water. I wonder if the well was always there but if her discouragement blinded her to it or if God did something miraculous by making a well of water in the desert. Both options would teach us something neat. God is powerful, and He does need to pull us out of our own funks sometimes that get us down and blind us and discourage us to the point where we close our eyes to see what God is doing. We shut off our own hope sometimes when we shouldn't. God cares for Hagar and Ishmael even though he is not the child of the promise. She is a slave woman yet what a better thing could she ask for then knowing:
"God was with the boy as he grew up." (as verse 20 says)! I couldn't ask for anything better for my son as well! He even made the most of living in a desert an became an archer. His mother hand picked a wife for him too.
22-34
A treaty is made and issue is put to rest in this next section. Abimelek sees how God has blessed Abraham in everything he does, and perhaps had thought of the lies Abraham told him last time. He wants truth to be between them, and their offspring. He doesn't want any war between them, but kindness returned for kindness.
Abraham agrees but then goes into an issue where there conflict because he feels he is being mistreated by Abimeleks servants who have taken one of his wells. Abimelek tells Abraham he didn't know about it because Abraham just brang it to his attention now. Abraham makes the treaty and agreement, and emphasis with 7 lambs he sets apart as witnesses that he is being honest about the well situation.
I'm not sure what the significance of the 7 lambs is all about but it peeks Abimeleks curiosity and I suppose they resolve the well situation. After they leave Abraham plants a tree after the treaty, and calls on the name of the Lord the "eternal God". It also tells us that he stayed in their land "of the Philistines for a long time."
Genesis 22
1-10
Abraham is tested. He is told to take his "only son, whom you love" and sacrifice him as a burnt offering. (This test is also a sign of what God did do with His son Jesus.)
Abraham tells the servants who go with him that Isaac & him will "worship and then we will come back to you.” I've heard suggestions that one reason Abraham was willing to do this is because he believed God would bring Isaac back from the dead since he was the child of the promise. His comment about them coming back would support that theory. In either case Abraham had faith in God and was obedient.
When his son asks where the calf is for the burnt offering he answers that “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering”
And God did through Jesus provide the lamb. Revelation 5:12
“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”
Abraham put his son on the altar, on top of the wood and took the knife in his hand getting ready to kill his son. You just know father and son camping trips will never look the same after this one!
11-12 God stops him in time telling him not to do it, and letting him know it was a test. His wording speaks of Abraham but also of Himself with regard to Jesus "you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.” God acknowledges Abraham's fear of God.
13-18 Then we see a ram caught by it's horns in a bush is provided as the offering instead. A substitution to save a life (again signs of Jesus). Gods provision is emphasized.
God then talks to Abraham stressing his obedience to Him and also the fact that he does not withhold anything from God.
The question to us is what do we withhold from God?
19-24 When Abraham returns we learn he has some new nephews through his brother Nahor. The first two are named Uz and Buz. :) He has a total of 8 boys. The youngest becomes the father of Rebekah which will become the wife of Isaac which is why this whole line is probably mentioned. However even the four sons he has with a concubine is mentioned. The bible does not include things for no reason! I find it interesting because they don't play a role later on that we hear about. However a concubine is a woman who is usually of lower social status then the man she is with so she is not given the title of "wife", and is often a slave and sometimes used just for producing offspring. I think it is a good reminder that God remembers forever those who society forgets or thinks low of.
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Matthew 7
15-20 We start off being warned about false prophets. We are told to "watch out" for them, and told that they disguise themselves innocently even though on the inside they are dangerous. "By their fruit you will recognize them." This is emphasized twice with the point made that you produce what you are- good or bad.
Does someone produce division? Do they draw a crowd to themselves or to Jesus? What are you producing?
21-23 A lot of people who call on Gods name wont be in heaven because they are not doing Gods will. They may have used Gods name as they did some pretty spectacular looking things... more of the charismatic type - prophesying, miracle working and driving out demons. Stuff that looks spiritual and impressive. But God says they are actually evil doers! He casts them away.
It's interesting that their fruit wasn't merely the spectacular they are seen doing, but it is actually how they really are all the time.
The words "I never knew you" - this phrase is a contrast to how when we are Gods children and not merely using his name- we are "known" by God. In the bible when two people had sex the phrase "And they knew each other" was sometimes used to demonstrate that deep connection. The oneness they shared. God knows everyone, but this reflects the idea of belonging to God. To personally hear Gods heart through the Holy Spirit, is something special. God also listens attentively to those who belong to Him. So God knows us in a different and more intimate fashion which is neat.
The Wise and Foolish Builders
24-27
Putting Gods words into practice or not is the difference between building a life that is secure or one that may look nicer on a shallow level but actually will come to ruin if a storm hits.
28-29
Crowds were amazed by Jesus because he was different then their regular teachers of the law. He actually spoke with authority.
Psalm 9:1-12
Some psalms David wrote went to the tune of another known song of the day. This one goes to the tune of a song called “The Death of the Son.” (I wonder if that should make us think of Jesus?)
1-2 & 11 David Thanks God whole heartily and tells people what God has done. Being glad, rejoicing, singing praise to, are all responses that fit the "Most High".
3-8 Enemies wont stand or be remembered. David is upheld by God who is fair and good. God is just and reigns forever. God rules!
9-10 & 12 God will take care of those who are mistreated or in hardship and will not ignore them!
Knowing and trusting God are key. My favorite part talks about how God has "never forsaken those who seek you."
Do you & I seek God?
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Proverbs 2:16-22
Verses 16-19 Talk about an adulterous woman. Seductive words she has, but she leads to a very bad path- death rather then life is her path. She has left her spouse that she married when she was young and has ignored the covenant she made before God.
20-22 Good actions and living lead to blessing, and bad to destruction and being cut off from God.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
January 8th: Genesis 18:16-19:38; Matthew 6:25-7:14; Psalm 8:1-9; Proverbs 2:6-15
Day 8.
We are reading: Genesis 18:16-19:38; Matthew 6:25-7:14; Psalm 8:1-9; Proverbs 2:6-15
Genesis 18:16-19:38
Abraham Pleads for Sodom
16-18
When the men (aka Gods representatives or God Himself) go to leave they look towards Sodom and talk about how they are not going to hide their plans from Abraham because they've chosen him. He is going to have a big role in nations after him.
I find it neat to think about how this applies to us.
John 15:14-15
"You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you."
1 Corinthians 6:3 "Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life!"
It's hard to imagine it but as Gods children we have been given great responsibility like Abraham. We have also been given great privileges to go with it. We are let in on Gods plans.
Verse 19 says "For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just”
The great commission- given to the disciples but also to all believers:
Matthew 28:19-20
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
:) It's a good thing that along with great responsibility comes great privileges!
It's also neat that in the great commission we are told God is with us always- the difference the death of Jesus has made for us... contrasted against Genesis 18 where it says in verse 33 that when God is done talking to Abraham He leaves.
Yet another great privilege we have!
Speaking of God being with us contrasted to Abraham... Verse 20-22 stood out to me in this regard! I know I've been taking note in the last few blogs of the times where it says God "went down" to look at what the men of the city were doing with the tower of Babel... or how when God is done talking with Abraham he "goes up".
There is a distinction from the garden where God walks among men, we see a separation in the way Gods presence is talked about... but now we see a verse where God says he will "go down" to Sodom and see if the actions of the people match up with "the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know.”
It's a strange verse because we know God is everywhere. To imagine Him not knowing something or having to check in doesn't sound right (which is why it is important to use scripture to interpret scripture).
The scripture that comes to my mind on this:
Psalm 33:18
"But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love"
Psalm 34:15
"The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry;"
and finally ~Proverbs 15:3
"The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good."
I think, with that in mind, the most logical way to look at this verse is that the prayers of people reach him before anything else! What do you think? I find it pretty encouraging to look at it that way.
Another thought is that this was said in front of Abraham. I wonder if it was said FOR Abraham's sake. Was this was meant to provoke him or get him thinking?! He has family there! LOT! He knew the realities of Sodom, he knows what God will find! And we see that he does respond:
“Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?" And Abraham starts off with talking about how God would not kill righteous people--- and what if 50 of them were in Sodom? He says that he knows God wouldn't treat "the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?”
God says He will spare Sodom for 50 people. I wonder if God is prepping Abraham to be the father of nations and teaching his children & household in "the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just."
It almost seems like practice or a chance for Abraham to get his feet wet in this matter.
In verse 27 he knows he is being BOLD to be talking to God about how to do things. He wasn't commanding God but he also knows God doesn't need any teaching. After all- Abraham recognizes who he is in comparison to his creator:
"I am nothing but dust and ashes"
In verses 28-32 Abraham keeps pleading for God to save the city if a certain number of people are found. He does a countdown of sorts at 50, then 45, 40, 30, 20, 10. God responses that “For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it.”
It gets you thinking that Abraham had some serious doubts about how many righteous people were in Sodom if he shrinks it down to 10.
Genesis 19
1-3
The scene shifts to Lot. When Lot sees two Angels he bows his face to the ground. This comment makes people suspect that the three men that visited Abraham were really Jesus and two angels. Also verse 22 of Chapter 18 talks about how the men leave towards Sodom yet Abraham remains before the LORD. We see that Lot does have the respect towards God and his messengers that Abraham has. Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. This is usually a sign of political importance or clout.
Lot wants to give them hospitality just like Abraham did with them. He tells them to come to his house and he wants to wash their feet too! (Like Abraham!)
The Angels say they will stay there in the city and I wonder if Lot is afraid of them seeing what goes on there. He insists "strongly" that they come with him to his house. Just like with Abraham, Lot prepares them a meal and even making them bread is mentioned. Abraham used the finest flour and we see Lot makes them bread "without yeast". Yeast in the bible - especially in the Old Testament, represented SIN which was why there were rules when it came to the passover rituals and how they were to make sure their was "no yeast" in the bread. Jesus uses bread to symbolize his body, yet He did not sin.
4-5 It seems that even his home is no shelter for the Angels because the exact same night every single man in town, both young and old come to the house wanting to have a giant orgy and have sex with them. No wonder Lot insisted strongly that they didn't stay at the city.
6-8 Lot trys to protect the Angels. He closes the door behind him. He tells them that their actions would be wicked, but we see that Lot himself is far too mixed with a really corrupt town. Not only does he call them "friends" but he offers his two virgin daughters to be violated sexually and raped or whatever they want to do with them. This is the extreme he is willing to go to keep the angels under his protection. He obviously has a lot of regard for the Angels. I wonder if he thought the Angels could protect his daughters? Or if he thought the men were so corrupt he had to use an extreme offer just to show the men just how important it was that they didn't touch the visiting Angels. Since his daughters were both virgins in a town that was so corrupt - Lot probably went to great lengths to teach them some restraint. Undoubtedly the people of the town would find it so counter cultural that Lots daughters were virgins, and if he went to great lengths to keep them pure, why would he all of a sudden give them up to these very aroused and twisted guys. Maybe this was a question he wanted them to think about!
But in verse 9 we see that they are not thinking straight! And which guys who are bent on evil and turned on will think through things? They tell him to get out of the way and even take a knock at him for not being one of them. All of his years and "status" that he may have had in the city don't change the fact that he is not really respected and his differences don't impress the people but annoy them. They accuse Lot of trying to "Judge" them. Ever heard that expression "don't judge me?" They use that card as well as threatening Lot that they are going to do worse to Him then they do to Lots visitors. WOW.
It also says "They kept bringing pressure on Lot and moved forward to break down the door."
10-13 The angels intervene and pull Lot into the house, shut the door and then strike all the men outside with blindness so they can't find the door. The angels tell Lot they are going to destroy the city because of the outcry to God against the city, and tells Lot to get all his family out!
14-22 Lot trys to get his future sons in laws out (they are engaged to his daughters) but they think it is a joke. Time has almost run out and the angels tell Lot to just take his wife and daughters out right away. Lot hesitates, but the angels grab them all by the hands and lead them out safely "for the LORD was merciful to them." Lot is told to flee to the mountains and that they shouldn't look back or stop till they get their, but Lot doesn't want to go to the mountains, he finds it too hard to lose the whole city and wants to go to a small town near by. I'm not sure if he doesn't want to go to the mountain because he is not used to country living or it is too unfamiliar or he just thinks he wont be able to get there in time. The angels agree with his suggestion and let him go to the town instead.
23-29 In the morning (when Lot arrived in the small town safely) God rains down burning sulfur destroying everything. It then says that Lots wife didn't obey the command not to look back so she turned to a pillar of salt. Abraham takes note of the catastrophe and realize God has saved him and Lot and Lots family.
Lot and His Daughters
30-38 We see Lot who has lost his wife because of her attachment to the city worried about staying in that town. The angels asked him to go the mountains knowing it would be hard for them to detach and probably wanting to spare Lots wife knowing she would turn around. So now Lot takes his daughters to the mountains. He doesn't want to be in the town anymore. He finally decides he wants separation. Too bad his daughters are already affected.
He had not set a very good example for his daughters when he was willing to let the men of the town rape them and now his daughters don't see how awful it is to get their dad drunk and sleep with him when he is drunk and out of it- so out of it that he doesn't remember sleeping with either of them. They are worried about being alone. They go from city life to living in a cave with no men around but their dad. They care about the customs of the world. They were engaged, now their men are gone, and the idea of dying alone is looked at as a cancer or disease by the daughters, probably an idea they got from their city. So they get pregnant by their dad. Each of their offspring lead towards more of Israels enemies: The Ammonites from one daughter and the Moabites from the other.
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As we move onto Matthew I am looking at it through what has just happened to Lot and Abraham. God did show so much love and protection to Lot and his family. Taking them by the hands. Keeping them safe. Blinding the men of the city. Even Abraham looking down at Sodom, seeing the smoke rise and knowing that He and Lot and their families are taken care of.
Matthew 6:25-7:14
25-32
Tells us not to worry about life. Not food or clothes. He points to the animals and how their food is provided for. Also, he points to the plants and how even the most glorious kings can't compare with the colors of the plants God makes.
He talks about how we are more valuable to Him then the animals and plants and how worrying does nothing productive at all... so STOP IT! Don't be of little faith. God knows your needs. Don't chase down what the world that doesn't know God chases after.
Take care of God's things and He will take care of you. Do what is right and you will get so much more!
Life has enough trouble, so do your best to let go of the stress.
Matthew 7
1-5 Judge the right way. Focus on fixing your own issues before you try and help someone else with theirs. Make sure you are consistent with the standards you expect others to uphold and the ones you make yourself uphold. You can't help others if you are a mess.
6 Be careful how you invest your time and resources. Not everyone will appreciate or benefit from your help.
7-11 Be willing to ask for help from God and seek His help. Things wont come to you if you are not willing to come to God and ask. You have to make an effort to find what you are looking for. You need to take a risk if you expect doors to open for you. God gives good gifts to His kids.
12 A summary of everything written in the law & with the prophets: treat others the way you want to be treated.
13 Gods path is not the obvious one that everyone takes. Most people are headed for destruction. It's hard to find the truth and the right way in this life.
This makes me think of C.S. Lewis who painted a picture of a road with a ditch on each side... Evil often comes in sets of two. The narrow road is between the two extremes that distort truth. If God says "self control" then one ditch will be marked "Prohibition" and the other "over indulgence".
If God says "be careful with what you eat" one ditch will say "anorexia" and one will say "gluttony".
If God says "sex is good in marriage" one ditch will say "sex is evil" and the other will say "sex doesn't need rules, do it whenever, with whoever, no restraints!"
Psalm 8:1-9
1-2 Gods name is amazing to those of us on earth.
But glorious in heaven also.
God uses the praises of children and infants to defeat His enemies.
3-4 looking at all of his creation can make us feel small. Yet He does care for man.
5-8 Made lower the angels are people. Yet we will be judging them. God has put us in charge of all the works of his hands.
9 God is majestic indeed!
Proverbs 2:6-15
6 Wisdom, knowledge and understanding come right from God.
7-8 Success is from him. He protects those who do what is right and are faithful to him.
9-15 Through God and obeying him, we get discernment, wisdom, knowledge, understanding and discretion. Which will be good to us, directing us and keeping us in the right frame of mind. Unlike the wicked who have not stayed on the narrow road.
We are reading: Genesis 18:16-19:38; Matthew 6:25-7:14; Psalm 8:1-9; Proverbs 2:6-15
Genesis 18:16-19:38
Abraham Pleads for Sodom
16-18
When the men (aka Gods representatives or God Himself) go to leave they look towards Sodom and talk about how they are not going to hide their plans from Abraham because they've chosen him. He is going to have a big role in nations after him.
I find it neat to think about how this applies to us.
John 15:14-15
"You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you."
1 Corinthians 6:3 "Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life!"
It's hard to imagine it but as Gods children we have been given great responsibility like Abraham. We have also been given great privileges to go with it. We are let in on Gods plans.
Verse 19 says "For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just”
The great commission- given to the disciples but also to all believers:
Matthew 28:19-20
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
:) It's a good thing that along with great responsibility comes great privileges!
It's also neat that in the great commission we are told God is with us always- the difference the death of Jesus has made for us... contrasted against Genesis 18 where it says in verse 33 that when God is done talking to Abraham He leaves.
Yet another great privilege we have!
Speaking of God being with us contrasted to Abraham... Verse 20-22 stood out to me in this regard! I know I've been taking note in the last few blogs of the times where it says God "went down" to look at what the men of the city were doing with the tower of Babel... or how when God is done talking with Abraham he "goes up".
There is a distinction from the garden where God walks among men, we see a separation in the way Gods presence is talked about... but now we see a verse where God says he will "go down" to Sodom and see if the actions of the people match up with "the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know.”
It's a strange verse because we know God is everywhere. To imagine Him not knowing something or having to check in doesn't sound right (which is why it is important to use scripture to interpret scripture).
The scripture that comes to my mind on this:
Psalm 33:18
"But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love"
Psalm 34:15
"The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry;"
and finally ~Proverbs 15:3
"The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good."
I think, with that in mind, the most logical way to look at this verse is that the prayers of people reach him before anything else! What do you think? I find it pretty encouraging to look at it that way.
Another thought is that this was said in front of Abraham. I wonder if it was said FOR Abraham's sake. Was this was meant to provoke him or get him thinking?! He has family there! LOT! He knew the realities of Sodom, he knows what God will find! And we see that he does respond:
“Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?" And Abraham starts off with talking about how God would not kill righteous people--- and what if 50 of them were in Sodom? He says that he knows God wouldn't treat "the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?”
God says He will spare Sodom for 50 people. I wonder if God is prepping Abraham to be the father of nations and teaching his children & household in "the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just."
It almost seems like practice or a chance for Abraham to get his feet wet in this matter.
In verse 27 he knows he is being BOLD to be talking to God about how to do things. He wasn't commanding God but he also knows God doesn't need any teaching. After all- Abraham recognizes who he is in comparison to his creator:
"I am nothing but dust and ashes"
In verses 28-32 Abraham keeps pleading for God to save the city if a certain number of people are found. He does a countdown of sorts at 50, then 45, 40, 30, 20, 10. God responses that “For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it.”
It gets you thinking that Abraham had some serious doubts about how many righteous people were in Sodom if he shrinks it down to 10.
Genesis 19
1-3
The scene shifts to Lot. When Lot sees two Angels he bows his face to the ground. This comment makes people suspect that the three men that visited Abraham were really Jesus and two angels. Also verse 22 of Chapter 18 talks about how the men leave towards Sodom yet Abraham remains before the LORD. We see that Lot does have the respect towards God and his messengers that Abraham has. Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. This is usually a sign of political importance or clout.
Lot wants to give them hospitality just like Abraham did with them. He tells them to come to his house and he wants to wash their feet too! (Like Abraham!)
The Angels say they will stay there in the city and I wonder if Lot is afraid of them seeing what goes on there. He insists "strongly" that they come with him to his house. Just like with Abraham, Lot prepares them a meal and even making them bread is mentioned. Abraham used the finest flour and we see Lot makes them bread "without yeast". Yeast in the bible - especially in the Old Testament, represented SIN which was why there were rules when it came to the passover rituals and how they were to make sure their was "no yeast" in the bread. Jesus uses bread to symbolize his body, yet He did not sin.
4-5 It seems that even his home is no shelter for the Angels because the exact same night every single man in town, both young and old come to the house wanting to have a giant orgy and have sex with them. No wonder Lot insisted strongly that they didn't stay at the city.
6-8 Lot trys to protect the Angels. He closes the door behind him. He tells them that their actions would be wicked, but we see that Lot himself is far too mixed with a really corrupt town. Not only does he call them "friends" but he offers his two virgin daughters to be violated sexually and raped or whatever they want to do with them. This is the extreme he is willing to go to keep the angels under his protection. He obviously has a lot of regard for the Angels. I wonder if he thought the Angels could protect his daughters? Or if he thought the men were so corrupt he had to use an extreme offer just to show the men just how important it was that they didn't touch the visiting Angels. Since his daughters were both virgins in a town that was so corrupt - Lot probably went to great lengths to teach them some restraint. Undoubtedly the people of the town would find it so counter cultural that Lots daughters were virgins, and if he went to great lengths to keep them pure, why would he all of a sudden give them up to these very aroused and twisted guys. Maybe this was a question he wanted them to think about!
But in verse 9 we see that they are not thinking straight! And which guys who are bent on evil and turned on will think through things? They tell him to get out of the way and even take a knock at him for not being one of them. All of his years and "status" that he may have had in the city don't change the fact that he is not really respected and his differences don't impress the people but annoy them. They accuse Lot of trying to "Judge" them. Ever heard that expression "don't judge me?" They use that card as well as threatening Lot that they are going to do worse to Him then they do to Lots visitors. WOW.
It also says "They kept bringing pressure on Lot and moved forward to break down the door."
10-13 The angels intervene and pull Lot into the house, shut the door and then strike all the men outside with blindness so they can't find the door. The angels tell Lot they are going to destroy the city because of the outcry to God against the city, and tells Lot to get all his family out!
14-22 Lot trys to get his future sons in laws out (they are engaged to his daughters) but they think it is a joke. Time has almost run out and the angels tell Lot to just take his wife and daughters out right away. Lot hesitates, but the angels grab them all by the hands and lead them out safely "for the LORD was merciful to them." Lot is told to flee to the mountains and that they shouldn't look back or stop till they get their, but Lot doesn't want to go to the mountains, he finds it too hard to lose the whole city and wants to go to a small town near by. I'm not sure if he doesn't want to go to the mountain because he is not used to country living or it is too unfamiliar or he just thinks he wont be able to get there in time. The angels agree with his suggestion and let him go to the town instead.
23-29 In the morning (when Lot arrived in the small town safely) God rains down burning sulfur destroying everything. It then says that Lots wife didn't obey the command not to look back so she turned to a pillar of salt. Abraham takes note of the catastrophe and realize God has saved him and Lot and Lots family.
Lot and His Daughters
30-38 We see Lot who has lost his wife because of her attachment to the city worried about staying in that town. The angels asked him to go the mountains knowing it would be hard for them to detach and probably wanting to spare Lots wife knowing she would turn around. So now Lot takes his daughters to the mountains. He doesn't want to be in the town anymore. He finally decides he wants separation. Too bad his daughters are already affected.
He had not set a very good example for his daughters when he was willing to let the men of the town rape them and now his daughters don't see how awful it is to get their dad drunk and sleep with him when he is drunk and out of it- so out of it that he doesn't remember sleeping with either of them. They are worried about being alone. They go from city life to living in a cave with no men around but their dad. They care about the customs of the world. They were engaged, now their men are gone, and the idea of dying alone is looked at as a cancer or disease by the daughters, probably an idea they got from their city. So they get pregnant by their dad. Each of their offspring lead towards more of Israels enemies: The Ammonites from one daughter and the Moabites from the other.
---------
As we move onto Matthew I am looking at it through what has just happened to Lot and Abraham. God did show so much love and protection to Lot and his family. Taking them by the hands. Keeping them safe. Blinding the men of the city. Even Abraham looking down at Sodom, seeing the smoke rise and knowing that He and Lot and their families are taken care of.
Matthew 6:25-7:14
25-32
Tells us not to worry about life. Not food or clothes. He points to the animals and how their food is provided for. Also, he points to the plants and how even the most glorious kings can't compare with the colors of the plants God makes.
He talks about how we are more valuable to Him then the animals and plants and how worrying does nothing productive at all... so STOP IT! Don't be of little faith. God knows your needs. Don't chase down what the world that doesn't know God chases after.
Take care of God's things and He will take care of you. Do what is right and you will get so much more!
Life has enough trouble, so do your best to let go of the stress.
Matthew 7
1-5 Judge the right way. Focus on fixing your own issues before you try and help someone else with theirs. Make sure you are consistent with the standards you expect others to uphold and the ones you make yourself uphold. You can't help others if you are a mess.
6 Be careful how you invest your time and resources. Not everyone will appreciate or benefit from your help.
7-11 Be willing to ask for help from God and seek His help. Things wont come to you if you are not willing to come to God and ask. You have to make an effort to find what you are looking for. You need to take a risk if you expect doors to open for you. God gives good gifts to His kids.
12 A summary of everything written in the law & with the prophets: treat others the way you want to be treated.
13 Gods path is not the obvious one that everyone takes. Most people are headed for destruction. It's hard to find the truth and the right way in this life.
This makes me think of C.S. Lewis who painted a picture of a road with a ditch on each side... Evil often comes in sets of two. The narrow road is between the two extremes that distort truth. If God says "self control" then one ditch will be marked "Prohibition" and the other "over indulgence".
If God says "be careful with what you eat" one ditch will say "anorexia" and one will say "gluttony".
If God says "sex is good in marriage" one ditch will say "sex is evil" and the other will say "sex doesn't need rules, do it whenever, with whoever, no restraints!"
Psalm 8:1-9
1-2 Gods name is amazing to those of us on earth.
But glorious in heaven also.
God uses the praises of children and infants to defeat His enemies.
3-4 looking at all of his creation can make us feel small. Yet He does care for man.
5-8 Made lower the angels are people. Yet we will be judging them. God has put us in charge of all the works of his hands.
9 God is majestic indeed!
Proverbs 2:6-15
6 Wisdom, knowledge and understanding come right from God.
7-8 Success is from him. He protects those who do what is right and are faithful to him.
9-15 Through God and obeying him, we get discernment, wisdom, knowledge, understanding and discretion. Which will be good to us, directing us and keeping us in the right frame of mind. Unlike the wicked who have not stayed on the narrow road.
Friday, January 7, 2011
January 7th: Genesis 16-18:15; Matthew 6:1-24; Psalm 7:1-17; Proverbs 2:1-5
It's the end of our first week of reading through the bible.
Today we are reading: Genesis 16-18:15; Matthew 6:1-24; Psalm 7:1-17; Proverbs 2:1-5
Genesis 16-18:15
Hagar and Ishmael
1-5 Sarah gets impatient about the promise. She starts to doubt Gods power, and doubt Gods ability to use her. Sometimes we can be very critical of ourselves in a situation where we think God should be doing more- and we can focus on our own inadequacies rather then Gods power. The point is that we need to stop looking to ourselves and look to God. Sarah comes up with a damaging suggestion to her husband out of her doubts- have Abraham marry and sleep with their Egyptian slave named Hagar; to help God along in the process. A good lesson for us: God doesn't need our help. The best stuff we can do for Him is pray through what He would have us do, because if His Spirit is not behind us and our plans are not from Him, we will just make a mess with our "help".
Abraham agrees to what Sarah says. Here would have been a good time to say "NO". But either for the sake of harmony in his marriage (kind of dumb to think sleeping with someone else will bring harmony to your relationship) or because he had the same doubts as Sarah- he goes along with it. Hagar does get pregnant and resents Sarah who then gets angry at Abraham and blames it all on him.
6 Abraham tries to appease his wife by giving her the decision to make again. Sarah mistreats Hagar and she flees.
7-11 God talks to Hagar through an angel "where have you come from, and where are you going?”
Good question to ask ourselves in life. Are we running away like Hagar answers?
God wants her to go back and face her situation and trust Him. He says He will bless her with so many offspring that they will be too numerous to count.
God affirms that he sees her misery. Sometimes we feel alone and feel that we just need someone to talk to - or we don't want to talk to anyone because we feel so alone that we don't want to let anyone else in or hear anyones take or have help.
In either case God does see what we are going through and cares.
In verse 12 I have an initial adverse reaction to the idea that God gives her a son that will be against everyone and everyone against him and him living in hostility towards all his brothers. That would be a big discouragement to me. I'm wondering though if Hagar was comforted at the thought of having a strong willed son. She was a slave who felt marginalized. Maybe she felt weak inside. She flees when she is mistreated. We do not see her as a fighter but the opposite. Her son will have a spitfire personality. We see that she is actually comforted by those words and responds “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” (vs 13) She is happy that she sees God and He sees her.
Perhaps it is a grace God also gave her to prepare her for what she would have to deal with in terms of her son, that she was given warning before he was born. I'm wondering if some moms who end up with difficult children would be encouraged rather then discouraged if they knew in advance that this is how they will be. Perhaps it will help her not to blame herself (as moms tend to do about their children when they turn out a way that makes the moms sad).
Genesis 17:1-8 seems like a starting over of sorts. They botched things, now God is appearing to him when Ishmael is 13 (viewed as manhood in Jewish custom). Abraham is given a new name.
God says “I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless. Then I will make my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.”
Abram falls facedown before God. God makes some promises to Him that he has already given him:
1) Father of many nations 2) very fruitful 3) Kings will come before you.
4) His covenant will be everlasting, between him and then generations after him.
5) The promise of the land of Canaan as an everlasting possession.
6) He will be their God
9-14
The sign of the covenant that they are to keep is circumcision. Not a fun procedure and doesn't seem like something I would think of as a symbol of the covenant~ but God is different and does things we don't expect. God makes a point of saying it is a sign of the covenant, that it is "in your flesh" and that it is to be taken very seriously, right down to slaves or people they buy. "Anyone who has not been circumcised in the flesh, will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.”
The flesh part makes me think of Jesus. He made his covenant have to do with the flesh. God came in the flesh in the form of Jesus.
15-16 God blesses Sarah too and gives her a new name. I've been using the names Abraham and Sarah the whole way but it is only at this point in chapter 17 that Abram and Sarai become Abraham and Sarah. Sarah is told she will have the promised child and that kings will come from her.
17-22 Abraham does something here that Sarah also does later on - He laughed at Gods promise. It says he fell facedown saying “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?” Now it is hard to know if his laugh was one of joy or disbelief or maybe a combo of both, but he does mention his 13 year old, wanting him to live under Gods blessing. God reassures him that he will bless Ishmael and make him into a great nation, but that he is making his covenant with Isaac not Ishmael. Sarah is given a due date.... by the same time next year she will have her child.
When God is done talking it says "God went up from him." Reminding me of God coming "down" to look at the tower of babel scenario. Again, a reminder that although he is everywhere- sin has changed that relationship since the garden of Eden after the fall. He used to walk among them, now he "comes down" or "goes up".... yet when Jesus comes He is named "Immanuel" which means "God with us". We see even here, that there is hope through Sarah with the King of Kings coming through her line, and all nations of the earth blessed through them.
23-27 Abraham doesn't wait. Not a fun job but the best times to act on what God tells you is right after He tells you. It's hard to take courage into your own hands, but when you come from talking with God you are in the best frame of mind to do what He is asking you to do.
Genesis 18
It's interesting that God appears to Abraham in a significant place, beside the tree we see him at when he first gets to the land and settles- even before his detour into Egypt. God comes to Him as three men. Angels? Symbolic of the Trinity?
His response is to bow to the ground, which Abraham does last time God spoke to Him.
3-5 He wants these three men to stay while He tends to their needs. They came at noonday in the heat. He wants to get them water, wash their feet (more symbolicness?) and refresh them with something to eat while they rest under the tree.
They accept the offer.
6-8 He gets everyone in his household to help him out in putting together a decent meal. He selects the best calf (symbolic?), and finest flour to bake bread with. They hurry to prepare it and Abraham is doing a fair amount of running around he is not just bossing around the household but he is engaged in making this meal great. He sets it before his guests and they eat while he stands nearby.
9-15 These men ask about Sarah and she listens in as she is in a nearby tent and they reiterate the promise that she will be with child when they return at that time next year.
God had already passed on this message to Abraham, but it seems God is giving Sarah a chance to hear it for herself instead of simply through her husband.
This is where Sarah laughs, but this time it says the LORD (Capitals ~ it is God speaking) who confronts Sarah about her laugh, asking why she did it and saying "Is anything too hard for the LORD?" God says He will do as He promised.
Sarah gets afraid and denies laughing - but lying to God is pointless. He responds back “Yes, you did laugh.”
I like how God knows Sarahs thoughts and her heart and he hears everything she says and knows what each laugh she does means. He knows us each so well... Every subtlety. A laugh can have so many different meanings from: "I don't believe you!", to "that is funny!" to "that is absurd!" He addresses her doubt in Gods power.
We see that Sarah does struggle with fears and even tries to cover them up. She gets embarrassed. We also see that God makes promises and uses people who are very much human with warts & all. They make mistakes and try and cover them up. God reminds me of a firm parent calling Sarah out when she says she didn't laugh "Yes, you did."
I like that when God confronts us there is really no way of escaping His truth. We may at first try and justify or figure a way to rationalize, but God is firm and responds to our attempts to deny reality.
Matthew 6:1-24
1-4 Be a secretive "do-gooder". Be sincere and let God reward you, don't seek attention from people. Give without your name attached.
Prayer
5-8 Don't pray for show either. Do it alone without people seeing it. It is between you and God. Also- it's not about being long winded. It's about being real.
16-18 Fast also with this same principal in mind. Keep it private, not for show.
9-13 Jesus shows us how to pray.
Recognize God for who He is. Start with that.
Recognize what He is doing here and now.
Realize He has His way over everything.
Ask Him for what you need.
Ask for forgiveness- keeping in mind the way you forgive others as how God will forgive you.
Ask God for help in areas of temptation, and ask for deliverance.
14-15 God does not give grace to the graceless. He wants us to be forgiving if we expect forgiveness.
Treasures in Heaven
19-21
Where you sow your seed is where your heart will be. Where you invest your time and money is what you love. Is your energy and resources spent for God and eternal purposes, or will all your work and time be wasted and die when you die? Have a Kingdom perspective!
22-23 What you look at matters. We often put emphasis on what we "DO"... but not what we look at. God says what our eyes see matters. Not just not seeing bad things like watching bad tv shows, full of violence and sex- but also do we look at things that are great or that show us the needs of others? Do we take time to see the hurts of others?
24 You need to make a choice between God and money. God may give you money but in order to serve God you need to make sure you are good without running after the dollars. Do you trust Him to provide for your needs?
Psalm 7:1-17
I'm not sure what a shiggaion is, but David sings it to God about Cush, a Benjamite.
1-2 He is realizing how much danger he is in without God.
3-5 He wants to be held accountable if he has harmed anyone and take responsibility for his own actions.
6-9 He is waiting on God to judge. He is looking forward to God dealing with things justly. He has confidence because he knows he is doing what he is supposed to - so God judging things is a comfort. He knows the God he serves is a "righteous God
who probes minds and hearts."
10-13 God is powerful, relentless, deadly and the protector of David. As scary as His enemies can seem- God is a much greater force to reckon with.
14-16 When you do wrong you will reap what you sow.
17 He gives thanks to & praises God for his righteousness and being MOST High.
Proverbs 2:1-5
Accept, store up, turn to, apply, call & cry out for and look for wisdom.
They are found in His commands & and His Word which are understanding and insight.
4-5 We are told that when it comes to Gods wisdom, if we "search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God."
Fearing God and the Knowledge of God comes from digging deep and searching - YEARNING - for Gods word.
If you are reading this blog, that applies to you! :)
Today we are reading: Genesis 16-18:15; Matthew 6:1-24; Psalm 7:1-17; Proverbs 2:1-5
Genesis 16-18:15
Hagar and Ishmael
1-5 Sarah gets impatient about the promise. She starts to doubt Gods power, and doubt Gods ability to use her. Sometimes we can be very critical of ourselves in a situation where we think God should be doing more- and we can focus on our own inadequacies rather then Gods power. The point is that we need to stop looking to ourselves and look to God. Sarah comes up with a damaging suggestion to her husband out of her doubts- have Abraham marry and sleep with their Egyptian slave named Hagar; to help God along in the process. A good lesson for us: God doesn't need our help. The best stuff we can do for Him is pray through what He would have us do, because if His Spirit is not behind us and our plans are not from Him, we will just make a mess with our "help".
Abraham agrees to what Sarah says. Here would have been a good time to say "NO". But either for the sake of harmony in his marriage (kind of dumb to think sleeping with someone else will bring harmony to your relationship) or because he had the same doubts as Sarah- he goes along with it. Hagar does get pregnant and resents Sarah who then gets angry at Abraham and blames it all on him.
6 Abraham tries to appease his wife by giving her the decision to make again. Sarah mistreats Hagar and she flees.
7-11 God talks to Hagar through an angel "where have you come from, and where are you going?”
Good question to ask ourselves in life. Are we running away like Hagar answers?
God wants her to go back and face her situation and trust Him. He says He will bless her with so many offspring that they will be too numerous to count.
God affirms that he sees her misery. Sometimes we feel alone and feel that we just need someone to talk to - or we don't want to talk to anyone because we feel so alone that we don't want to let anyone else in or hear anyones take or have help.
In either case God does see what we are going through and cares.
In verse 12 I have an initial adverse reaction to the idea that God gives her a son that will be against everyone and everyone against him and him living in hostility towards all his brothers. That would be a big discouragement to me. I'm wondering though if Hagar was comforted at the thought of having a strong willed son. She was a slave who felt marginalized. Maybe she felt weak inside. She flees when she is mistreated. We do not see her as a fighter but the opposite. Her son will have a spitfire personality. We see that she is actually comforted by those words and responds “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” (vs 13) She is happy that she sees God and He sees her.
Perhaps it is a grace God also gave her to prepare her for what she would have to deal with in terms of her son, that she was given warning before he was born. I'm wondering if some moms who end up with difficult children would be encouraged rather then discouraged if they knew in advance that this is how they will be. Perhaps it will help her not to blame herself (as moms tend to do about their children when they turn out a way that makes the moms sad).
Genesis 17:1-8 seems like a starting over of sorts. They botched things, now God is appearing to him when Ishmael is 13 (viewed as manhood in Jewish custom). Abraham is given a new name.
God says “I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless. Then I will make my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.”
Abram falls facedown before God. God makes some promises to Him that he has already given him:
1) Father of many nations 2) very fruitful 3) Kings will come before you.
4) His covenant will be everlasting, between him and then generations after him.
5) The promise of the land of Canaan as an everlasting possession.
6) He will be their God
9-14
The sign of the covenant that they are to keep is circumcision. Not a fun procedure and doesn't seem like something I would think of as a symbol of the covenant~ but God is different and does things we don't expect. God makes a point of saying it is a sign of the covenant, that it is "in your flesh" and that it is to be taken very seriously, right down to slaves or people they buy. "Anyone who has not been circumcised in the flesh, will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.”
The flesh part makes me think of Jesus. He made his covenant have to do with the flesh. God came in the flesh in the form of Jesus.
15-16 God blesses Sarah too and gives her a new name. I've been using the names Abraham and Sarah the whole way but it is only at this point in chapter 17 that Abram and Sarai become Abraham and Sarah. Sarah is told she will have the promised child and that kings will come from her.
17-22 Abraham does something here that Sarah also does later on - He laughed at Gods promise. It says he fell facedown saying “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?” Now it is hard to know if his laugh was one of joy or disbelief or maybe a combo of both, but he does mention his 13 year old, wanting him to live under Gods blessing. God reassures him that he will bless Ishmael and make him into a great nation, but that he is making his covenant with Isaac not Ishmael. Sarah is given a due date.... by the same time next year she will have her child.
When God is done talking it says "God went up from him." Reminding me of God coming "down" to look at the tower of babel scenario. Again, a reminder that although he is everywhere- sin has changed that relationship since the garden of Eden after the fall. He used to walk among them, now he "comes down" or "goes up".... yet when Jesus comes He is named "Immanuel" which means "God with us". We see even here, that there is hope through Sarah with the King of Kings coming through her line, and all nations of the earth blessed through them.
23-27 Abraham doesn't wait. Not a fun job but the best times to act on what God tells you is right after He tells you. It's hard to take courage into your own hands, but when you come from talking with God you are in the best frame of mind to do what He is asking you to do.
Genesis 18
It's interesting that God appears to Abraham in a significant place, beside the tree we see him at when he first gets to the land and settles- even before his detour into Egypt. God comes to Him as three men. Angels? Symbolic of the Trinity?
His response is to bow to the ground, which Abraham does last time God spoke to Him.
3-5 He wants these three men to stay while He tends to their needs. They came at noonday in the heat. He wants to get them water, wash their feet (more symbolicness?) and refresh them with something to eat while they rest under the tree.
They accept the offer.
6-8 He gets everyone in his household to help him out in putting together a decent meal. He selects the best calf (symbolic?), and finest flour to bake bread with. They hurry to prepare it and Abraham is doing a fair amount of running around he is not just bossing around the household but he is engaged in making this meal great. He sets it before his guests and they eat while he stands nearby.
9-15 These men ask about Sarah and she listens in as she is in a nearby tent and they reiterate the promise that she will be with child when they return at that time next year.
God had already passed on this message to Abraham, but it seems God is giving Sarah a chance to hear it for herself instead of simply through her husband.
This is where Sarah laughs, but this time it says the LORD (Capitals ~ it is God speaking) who confronts Sarah about her laugh, asking why she did it and saying "Is anything too hard for the LORD?" God says He will do as He promised.
Sarah gets afraid and denies laughing - but lying to God is pointless. He responds back “Yes, you did laugh.”
I like how God knows Sarahs thoughts and her heart and he hears everything she says and knows what each laugh she does means. He knows us each so well... Every subtlety. A laugh can have so many different meanings from: "I don't believe you!", to "that is funny!" to "that is absurd!" He addresses her doubt in Gods power.
We see that Sarah does struggle with fears and even tries to cover them up. She gets embarrassed. We also see that God makes promises and uses people who are very much human with warts & all. They make mistakes and try and cover them up. God reminds me of a firm parent calling Sarah out when she says she didn't laugh "Yes, you did."
I like that when God confronts us there is really no way of escaping His truth. We may at first try and justify or figure a way to rationalize, but God is firm and responds to our attempts to deny reality.
Matthew 6:1-24
1-4 Be a secretive "do-gooder". Be sincere and let God reward you, don't seek attention from people. Give without your name attached.
Prayer
5-8 Don't pray for show either. Do it alone without people seeing it. It is between you and God. Also- it's not about being long winded. It's about being real.
16-18 Fast also with this same principal in mind. Keep it private, not for show.
9-13 Jesus shows us how to pray.
Recognize God for who He is. Start with that.
Recognize what He is doing here and now.
Realize He has His way over everything.
Ask Him for what you need.
Ask for forgiveness- keeping in mind the way you forgive others as how God will forgive you.
Ask God for help in areas of temptation, and ask for deliverance.
14-15 God does not give grace to the graceless. He wants us to be forgiving if we expect forgiveness.
Treasures in Heaven
19-21
Where you sow your seed is where your heart will be. Where you invest your time and money is what you love. Is your energy and resources spent for God and eternal purposes, or will all your work and time be wasted and die when you die? Have a Kingdom perspective!
22-23 What you look at matters. We often put emphasis on what we "DO"... but not what we look at. God says what our eyes see matters. Not just not seeing bad things like watching bad tv shows, full of violence and sex- but also do we look at things that are great or that show us the needs of others? Do we take time to see the hurts of others?
24 You need to make a choice between God and money. God may give you money but in order to serve God you need to make sure you are good without running after the dollars. Do you trust Him to provide for your needs?
Psalm 7:1-17
I'm not sure what a shiggaion is, but David sings it to God about Cush, a Benjamite.
1-2 He is realizing how much danger he is in without God.
3-5 He wants to be held accountable if he has harmed anyone and take responsibility for his own actions.
6-9 He is waiting on God to judge. He is looking forward to God dealing with things justly. He has confidence because he knows he is doing what he is supposed to - so God judging things is a comfort. He knows the God he serves is a "righteous God
who probes minds and hearts."
10-13 God is powerful, relentless, deadly and the protector of David. As scary as His enemies can seem- God is a much greater force to reckon with.
14-16 When you do wrong you will reap what you sow.
17 He gives thanks to & praises God for his righteousness and being MOST High.
Proverbs 2:1-5
Accept, store up, turn to, apply, call & cry out for and look for wisdom.
They are found in His commands & and His Word which are understanding and insight.
4-5 We are told that when it comes to Gods wisdom, if we "search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God."
Fearing God and the Knowledge of God comes from digging deep and searching - YEARNING - for Gods word.
If you are reading this blog, that applies to you! :)
Thursday, January 6, 2011
January 6th: Genesis 13:5-15:21; Matthew 5:27-48; Psalm 6:1-10; Proverbs 1:29-33
Day 6
Today we are reading from Genesis 13:5-15:21; Matthew 5:27-48; Psalm 6:1-10; Proverbs 1:29-33
We ended off yesterday at the beginning of Genesis 13. Abraham moved to where God told him and built an altar, there was a detour into Egypt, a mistake and we ended with Abraham building an altar. Today we have another detour of sorts and we will end with an altar in chapter 13.
We also learned yesterday that Abraham had acquired a lot of possessions!Continuing with verses 5-13.... Abraham isn't the only one who is blessed! Lot also has so much stuff that the two of them start to find things getting crowded with them sticking together. The herdsmen start bickering with each other and Abraham says he doesn't want that since the are brothers. They are actually uncle and nephew but like I said earlier - I suspect Abraham may be closer in age to lot then lots dad- his actual brother who has already died. Lot agrees to part ways and Abraham gives him first choice. Lot does not pray to God about where he should go but rather simply looks out at what looks best at a glance. He ends up picking the land to the east and sets up his tent near the city of Sodom and Gomorrah which (we are told -even though Lot probably has no clue yet) is a wicked city where people are constantly sinning "greatly" against God.
14-18
Right after Abraham parts company with Lot and puts his nephew first and is a peacemaker - God talks to Abraham. He tells him a few promises: 1- to look all around him in each direction. He is told all the land he sees will belong to him & his offspring forever.
2- he is told that his off spring will be as numerous and impossible to count as dust is.
Finally God tells him to walk around and check out the land he will get.
Abraham builds another altar to God.
It makes me wonder about altars. They are places where sacrifices are made. They are also reminders of atonement. Atonement is a reminder of grace. Whether it was an animal sacrifice in the Old Testament or Jesus in the new the altar was a reminder that someone else paid the cost for us. Sacrifices are also a way we respond to God by saying He is worthy of anything we can give. Nothing we can give is really enough for all that He is done, but our we our told that we should offer our bodies as a living sacrifice in the New Testament.
Romans 12:1 "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship."
Each new step of the way Abraham reminded Himself that God was worthy of Abraham giving his life over to God.
We open chapter 14 with an inside view of Sodom & Gommorah and the cities that are near Lot.
1-16
For 12 years their is unrest, as the people are all ruled by Kedorlaomer king of Elam. They decide to rebel and gather up five kings to fight against Kedorlamoer who has three other kings who come in as his allies. The result is that the cities of Sodom & Gommorah and the others LOSE and so Lot actually gets captured and taken away with all of his possessions.
We learn that one of Lots people escapes and goes to Abraham for help. Abraham has friends and has a trained army of 318 men, ready to fight for him. It makes me think that as believers we are warned that there is a spiritual war going on and that we must be ready to do battle. How are we training others to fight the good fight?
We see that Abraham has done a great job training these men, and probably we see more then anything that God really blesses Abraham because 5 kings could not take down Kedorlaomer (probably each with their own armies) and yet Abraham and 318 men succeed and win!
17-22
These verses are interesting because they talk about two kings coming out to meet with Abraham. Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine, it says "He was priest of God Most High", and then the King of Sodom who wants the people in exchange for the goods.
This could be seen as a battle of good and evil as Melchizedek is a name used to represent a priest of God. Bread and wine are very symbolic in the new testament - they are the body and blood of Jesus. Melchizedek affirms that Abraham is blessed and praises God.
Abraham responds to Melchizedek by giving him a tenth of everything. Later we see a pattern in scripture of giving a tenth of everything to God.
Sodom is used throughout the bible to represent corruption and evil. So the King of Sodom can also be seen as the devils representative.
To the King of Sodom who wants the people in exchange for goods Abraham does not take anything from the King of Sodom for himself. He does not do a business exchange with him. "I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the strap of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, ‘I made Abram rich.’"
It is interesting that when Satan tempts Jesus - as we read the other day, he offers him all of the Kingdoms of the world. Jesus doesn't argue with him that he posses what he offers to give back to Jesus. The devil on this earth does reign until the Lord will return to set up His new Kingdom. The devil is interested in keeping the hearts and minds of people.
Although these verses do not say that this is a battle of good and evil or a representation of God vs. Satan there are enough symbols to guide us in thinking that.
In Chapter 15 we are told that right afterwards God talks to Abraham in a vision.
1-6 He tells him not to be afraid and reminds him that He (GOD) is Abraham's shield and very great reward. Abraham has a conversation with God about how he doesn't have any children and as it stands, his servant will inherit everything God blesses him with. He seems confused about the promise. God clarifies and tells him that he will bless him with a son, and then points to the night sky to tell him his offspring will be like the stars in the sky. Abraham believes God and it is credited to him as righteousness. This line about Abraham believing and God crediting it to Him as righteousness is quoted 5 times in the new testament. In Romans, Galatians and the book of James. Also it talks about his faith in the book of Hebrews in the "Hall of faith" where it mentions how Abraham had faith and tells us "without faith it is impossible to please God." Hebrews 11:6.
By looking up these passages and reading the context we learn a lot about how what Abraham does teaches us about Salvation by Grace through Faith and not by works! Galatians and Romans focus on how it is not by observing the law but by faith that we are saved and credited with Gods righteousness. While James deals with the extreme where people think their actions don't matter. He proves that our actions demonstrate our faith (or lack thereof). However, that doesn't alter the message in Romans about the importance of faith to receive Gods grace rather then by observing commands.
As Romans continues to teach:
It is neat that even the children that are promised to Abraham are more then just physical blood related offspring. They are children of "faith"... that are his "spiritual" offspring.
Romans 4 says in verse 22:
Or as Galatians 3:7 puts it
7-11 God reminds him again also of him taking possession of the land he promised. Abraham asks how he can know?
God asks Abraham to bring a bunch of animals as a sacrifice.... I am wondering if there are meanings that each one represents. We see a ram used in the place of Abraham's son Issac - a prototype of Jesus. The heifer was used in purification sacrifices. In fact, it was unique in that the entire heifer was burned, including the flesh and blood.
Goats are used to represent Christ as well. A live goat over whose head Aaron confessed all the sins of the children of Israel on the Day of Atonement would symbolically bear their sins and then was sent into the wilderness.
He wants each of those animals to be three years old. Jesus did his public ministry for three years before he was crucified. It says that after three days He rose from the dead.
Each of those three animals that have very Christlike representations are to be cut in two. We are also told that when Jesus gave the bread and wine as symbols of remembrance he broke the bread. We are told in Luke 24 that once Jesus was risen He reappeared to his disciples and they did not recognize him till he broke the bread.
We also know that the curtain in the temple was torn in two as a symbol that God has broken the division between us and him so that we could have access into his presence. The temple curtain separated the most holy place from the rest, and access was only permitted by the high priest under very limited restrictions with many rules.
The other animals, the birds are not to be cut up. A dove is a symbol of peace. I'm not sure about the pigeon.
We then learn that predators want to take away the offering Abraham is trying to give to God but that Abraham drives these birds away!
12-21 Abraham falls into a deep dreadful sleep but afterwards God makes his covenant with Abraham on that day to give the land to his descendant. God also tells Abraham the detailed plan. He wants Abraham to "know for certain" all these details.
1) that for four hundred years your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own and that they will be enslaved and mistreated there.
2) the nations that mistreat them will be punished afterwards for their own behavior
3) Abrahams offspring will come out of enslavement with great possessions.
4) Abraham will die at a good old age, in peace.
5) In 4 generations his offspring will come back to the land he is at because "the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure.”
So many neat lessons are through these details. First of all his promise to get all of the land was a process. God promises us things like healing and well being and Shalom in every way, yet we often like quick promises and do not like to wait. God has his own timetables. They could not just walk into a land. People already lived there. Abraham and his own people were not enough to take over everything God wanted to give them. God wanted to use hardship to train Gods people for what he would give them. They come out of enslavement with "great possession". What great possessions do we have as a result of crazy things we have gone through?
We often are given hardship before we are ready for what God has in store for us. God has a logical way of giving us his promises. He must prepare us for it. He will prepare them by waiting four generations and also through their enslavement. They will become more numerous and develop character and the desire for their land.
Also we learn how God deals with the wicked people who may very well be used in each of our lives to grow our own characters. We are shown that God will punish the Amorites, but that He also is patient with them until their sin had "reached it's full measure". God does not immediately strike down our enemies. He promises justice but He is also "slow to anger and abounding in love". He waits and gives many opportunities before he finally disciplines. He is not hasty in giving punishments the way we could be with our children at times.
God accepts Abraham's offering in a weird supernatural way.
----------------
Matthew 5:27-48
27-28 Show us that adultery is not a technical thing but a heart issue. Thus emotional infidelity is a reality. The bible says you can already commit adultery with someone in your heart by objectifying them with your eyes.
29-30 Talks about how seriously we should deal with sin. He uses an extreme metaphor of gouging out eyeballs or losing a limb if it causes you to sin, rather then being thrown into hell. God wants us to treat sin like a serious cancer that needs to be destroyed at the very root of however it gets it's access to us. We need to cut off the access points- and take it that seriously, realizing the damage it can do to our souls.
31-32 Talks about the seriousness of marriage. Nobody should divorce except for in cases of sexual immorality. It also says remarriage after divorce makes the person who is getting married again the "victim of adultery". I'm sure you could google some good commentaries on this one, it's a heavy topic.
Oaths
33-36 Talk about not making oaths and about how people swear by all kinds of things they have no power over. In the end it says just to let our yes mean yes and our no meaning no.
38-42
Starts with talking about how people like getting revenge or compensation for their injuries. God tells us not to "resist an evil person". Now this could be taken out of context to mean that we should let rapists and pedophiles run free, but this would go against all the scripture that explicitly tells us to be just and care about justice. Instead it goes on to give it a context that makes sense: "If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also." A slap on the cheek is not a bullet. A bullet will kill you, a slap will hurt your pride. Often times the things we go after are the things that hurt our pride rather then defending the actual oppressed. It also gives the example of a person wanting to sue you- that you should respond by being generous and doing more then you should rather then fighting them. Again, God is giving us examples of places where we are not in actual danger but it is our personal pride that is at stake. It ends with "If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you."
42-45
Now we get into loving enemies. This section is more difficult then the last ending with verse 48 that says "be perfect as your heavenly father is perfect." As we know in other parts of the bible: (1 John 1:8&10)
"If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. And... If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us."
or as James 3:2 put it: "We all stumble in many ways." or as Isaiah 53:6 says-
"We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all." or as Isaiah 64:6 puts it
"All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away."
So we know that perfection is not a reality, so why does God ask us for it? Because it is something done through Jesus. The verse in between those two verses in 1 John say that "If we confess our sins God is faithful and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness". Our righteousness and forgiveness and "perfection" is not our own, but it's Gods righteousness given over to us.
In other words, on our own we can't be clean or perfect, but with God we can be, and ONLY through God.
In the same way this section on loving our enemies needs to be looked at through that same supernatural lens. We need to pray to God to give us strength to do the impossible.
"Love your enemies" is followed by "pray for those who persecute you". There is a direct correlation there between the ability to love our enemies and a dependence on God through prayer for that love. Verse 45 talks about how things are not always fair. Bad people get good things sometimes and good people get bad at times. This time on earth is not what we should be looking at. We need to keep our eyes on heaven as the verse also points out we are children of "our Father in heaven". We need an eternal perspective so that we don't get discouraged or grow bitter.
Verse 46-47 talks about how we need to be different. Why would we be different then anyone else in the world if we do what they do? Those who do not have Gods love know how to love those who love them. We should be different from those in the world. Loving those who love us makes us like the rest. We need to love even those who do not love us!
I like how it talks about greeting people though! Love is reflected in who we greet and how we greet them as well. It's not a fluffy emotion but an action.
moving on to Psalm 6:1-10
Yay, back to stringed intstruments for David. Love those instuments- especially all together with other instruments too- like Viva la vida by cold play.
Okay I'm getting off track...
1-3
"LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger
or discipline me in your wrath.
Have mercy on me, LORD, for I am faint;
heal me, LORD, for my bones are in agony.
My soul is in deep anguish.
How long, LORD, how long?"
David knows he is not perfect (we were talking about perfection earlier) and he is willing to confess it before God as we are told to do. Two things we read earlier tie in with this as well. David would like grace, and as we learn- God was graceful and long suffering with the Amorites in Genesis. Not disciplining in haste. David is not asking for extra time to go on sinning, but for forgiveness because he would like to turn around and be in Gods favor. He knows he deserves a rebuke or discipline and needs mercy. What David asks for falls in line with how God is so good to us. He is full of grace.
But we also see that even though David is wanting God to come to his rescue, that he still goes through some hard stuff. In Matthew we saw that God allows the rain to fall on the good, and we learned in Genesis that Gods people would have to go through the enslavement before walking out with all those possessions. Bottom line: Life is not always easy. Following God is sometimes very hard and we are not preserved from difficulties in life. Sometimes it does feel like they go on forever. For some of Abraham's ancestors their whole lives were spent in enslavement. The question "How long?" Is a cry we all have at times, and David (along with God) understands our weariness.
6-7 The bible says David is "worn out". That he has literally spent all night bawling his eyes out. The pressures on him feel too much.
4-5 turning to God to deliver you is the way to go when you feel that way (rather then turning to drugs, alcohol, divorce, affairs, or anything else!) because even if life can wear us down God's love is unfailing. We are Gods living testimonies of His goodness- and even the bad times will not change that fact.
8-9 Is a victory cry. Those who hurt you will not have the last word cause God sees your tears, he hears your crys, and he accepts your prayers.
10 Anyone who tries to hold you back will regret it eventually, and they will be put to shame for their actions.
Do you trust God during the most difficult times and react like David? Do you turn to God and realize he will deliver you and hear you?
------
Proverbs 1:29-33
my summary of the first 3 verses is that people reap what they sow. Even without God handing out additional punishments to bad actions their are always natural concequences. Some are immediate and some are not, but God allow us to suffer the concequences of our sin when we don't listen. The last verse says that if we do listen to God we are safe & at ease, and don't need to fear.
On that note, let's continue to listen to God as we not only read his word but follow it. Peace be with you. :)
Today we are reading from Genesis 13:5-15:21; Matthew 5:27-48; Psalm 6:1-10; Proverbs 1:29-33
We ended off yesterday at the beginning of Genesis 13. Abraham moved to where God told him and built an altar, there was a detour into Egypt, a mistake and we ended with Abraham building an altar. Today we have another detour of sorts and we will end with an altar in chapter 13.
We also learned yesterday that Abraham had acquired a lot of possessions!Continuing with verses 5-13.... Abraham isn't the only one who is blessed! Lot also has so much stuff that the two of them start to find things getting crowded with them sticking together. The herdsmen start bickering with each other and Abraham says he doesn't want that since the are brothers. They are actually uncle and nephew but like I said earlier - I suspect Abraham may be closer in age to lot then lots dad- his actual brother who has already died. Lot agrees to part ways and Abraham gives him first choice. Lot does not pray to God about where he should go but rather simply looks out at what looks best at a glance. He ends up picking the land to the east and sets up his tent near the city of Sodom and Gomorrah which (we are told -even though Lot probably has no clue yet) is a wicked city where people are constantly sinning "greatly" against God.
14-18
Right after Abraham parts company with Lot and puts his nephew first and is a peacemaker - God talks to Abraham. He tells him a few promises: 1- to look all around him in each direction. He is told all the land he sees will belong to him & his offspring forever.
2- he is told that his off spring will be as numerous and impossible to count as dust is.
Finally God tells him to walk around and check out the land he will get.
Abraham builds another altar to God.
It makes me wonder about altars. They are places where sacrifices are made. They are also reminders of atonement. Atonement is a reminder of grace. Whether it was an animal sacrifice in the Old Testament or Jesus in the new the altar was a reminder that someone else paid the cost for us. Sacrifices are also a way we respond to God by saying He is worthy of anything we can give. Nothing we can give is really enough for all that He is done, but our we our told that we should offer our bodies as a living sacrifice in the New Testament.
Romans 12:1 "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship."
Each new step of the way Abraham reminded Himself that God was worthy of Abraham giving his life over to God.
We open chapter 14 with an inside view of Sodom & Gommorah and the cities that are near Lot.
1-16
For 12 years their is unrest, as the people are all ruled by Kedorlaomer king of Elam. They decide to rebel and gather up five kings to fight against Kedorlamoer who has three other kings who come in as his allies. The result is that the cities of Sodom & Gommorah and the others LOSE and so Lot actually gets captured and taken away with all of his possessions.
We learn that one of Lots people escapes and goes to Abraham for help. Abraham has friends and has a trained army of 318 men, ready to fight for him. It makes me think that as believers we are warned that there is a spiritual war going on and that we must be ready to do battle. How are we training others to fight the good fight?
We see that Abraham has done a great job training these men, and probably we see more then anything that God really blesses Abraham because 5 kings could not take down Kedorlaomer (probably each with their own armies) and yet Abraham and 318 men succeed and win!
17-22
These verses are interesting because they talk about two kings coming out to meet with Abraham. Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine, it says "He was priest of God Most High", and then the King of Sodom who wants the people in exchange for the goods.
This could be seen as a battle of good and evil as Melchizedek is a name used to represent a priest of God. Bread and wine are very symbolic in the new testament - they are the body and blood of Jesus. Melchizedek affirms that Abraham is blessed and praises God.
Abraham responds to Melchizedek by giving him a tenth of everything. Later we see a pattern in scripture of giving a tenth of everything to God.
Sodom is used throughout the bible to represent corruption and evil. So the King of Sodom can also be seen as the devils representative.
To the King of Sodom who wants the people in exchange for goods Abraham does not take anything from the King of Sodom for himself. He does not do a business exchange with him. "I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the strap of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, ‘I made Abram rich.’"
It is interesting that when Satan tempts Jesus - as we read the other day, he offers him all of the Kingdoms of the world. Jesus doesn't argue with him that he posses what he offers to give back to Jesus. The devil on this earth does reign until the Lord will return to set up His new Kingdom. The devil is interested in keeping the hearts and minds of people.
Although these verses do not say that this is a battle of good and evil or a representation of God vs. Satan there are enough symbols to guide us in thinking that.
In Chapter 15 we are told that right afterwards God talks to Abraham in a vision.
1-6 He tells him not to be afraid and reminds him that He (GOD) is Abraham's shield and very great reward. Abraham has a conversation with God about how he doesn't have any children and as it stands, his servant will inherit everything God blesses him with. He seems confused about the promise. God clarifies and tells him that he will bless him with a son, and then points to the night sky to tell him his offspring will be like the stars in the sky. Abraham believes God and it is credited to him as righteousness. This line about Abraham believing and God crediting it to Him as righteousness is quoted 5 times in the new testament. In Romans, Galatians and the book of James. Also it talks about his faith in the book of Hebrews in the "Hall of faith" where it mentions how Abraham had faith and tells us "without faith it is impossible to please God." Hebrews 11:6.
By looking up these passages and reading the context we learn a lot about how what Abraham does teaches us about Salvation by Grace through Faith and not by works! Galatians and Romans focus on how it is not by observing the law but by faith that we are saved and credited with Gods righteousness. While James deals with the extreme where people think their actions don't matter. He proves that our actions demonstrate our faith (or lack thereof). However, that doesn't alter the message in Romans about the importance of faith to receive Gods grace rather then by observing commands.
As Romans continues to teach:
13 It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. 14 For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless, 15 because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression.
16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. 17 As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not.
It is neat that even the children that are promised to Abraham are more then just physical blood related offspring. They are children of "faith"... that are his "spiritual" offspring.
Romans 4 says in verse 22:
This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.” 23 The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, 24 but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.
Or as Galatians 3:7 puts it
Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham.
7-11 God reminds him again also of him taking possession of the land he promised. Abraham asks how he can know?
God asks Abraham to bring a bunch of animals as a sacrifice.... I am wondering if there are meanings that each one represents. We see a ram used in the place of Abraham's son Issac - a prototype of Jesus. The heifer was used in purification sacrifices. In fact, it was unique in that the entire heifer was burned, including the flesh and blood.
Goats are used to represent Christ as well. A live goat over whose head Aaron confessed all the sins of the children of Israel on the Day of Atonement would symbolically bear their sins and then was sent into the wilderness.
He wants each of those animals to be three years old. Jesus did his public ministry for three years before he was crucified. It says that after three days He rose from the dead.
Each of those three animals that have very Christlike representations are to be cut in two. We are also told that when Jesus gave the bread and wine as symbols of remembrance he broke the bread. We are told in Luke 24 that once Jesus was risen He reappeared to his disciples and they did not recognize him till he broke the bread.
We also know that the curtain in the temple was torn in two as a symbol that God has broken the division between us and him so that we could have access into his presence. The temple curtain separated the most holy place from the rest, and access was only permitted by the high priest under very limited restrictions with many rules.
The other animals, the birds are not to be cut up. A dove is a symbol of peace. I'm not sure about the pigeon.
We then learn that predators want to take away the offering Abraham is trying to give to God but that Abraham drives these birds away!
12-21 Abraham falls into a deep dreadful sleep but afterwards God makes his covenant with Abraham on that day to give the land to his descendant. God also tells Abraham the detailed plan. He wants Abraham to "know for certain" all these details.
1) that for four hundred years your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own and that they will be enslaved and mistreated there.
2) the nations that mistreat them will be punished afterwards for their own behavior
3) Abrahams offspring will come out of enslavement with great possessions.
4) Abraham will die at a good old age, in peace.
5) In 4 generations his offspring will come back to the land he is at because "the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure.”
So many neat lessons are through these details. First of all his promise to get all of the land was a process. God promises us things like healing and well being and Shalom in every way, yet we often like quick promises and do not like to wait. God has his own timetables. They could not just walk into a land. People already lived there. Abraham and his own people were not enough to take over everything God wanted to give them. God wanted to use hardship to train Gods people for what he would give them. They come out of enslavement with "great possession". What great possessions do we have as a result of crazy things we have gone through?
We often are given hardship before we are ready for what God has in store for us. God has a logical way of giving us his promises. He must prepare us for it. He will prepare them by waiting four generations and also through their enslavement. They will become more numerous and develop character and the desire for their land.
Also we learn how God deals with the wicked people who may very well be used in each of our lives to grow our own characters. We are shown that God will punish the Amorites, but that He also is patient with them until their sin had "reached it's full measure". God does not immediately strike down our enemies. He promises justice but He is also "slow to anger and abounding in love". He waits and gives many opportunities before he finally disciplines. He is not hasty in giving punishments the way we could be with our children at times.
God accepts Abraham's offering in a weird supernatural way.
----------------
Matthew 5:27-48
27-28 Show us that adultery is not a technical thing but a heart issue. Thus emotional infidelity is a reality. The bible says you can already commit adultery with someone in your heart by objectifying them with your eyes.
29-30 Talks about how seriously we should deal with sin. He uses an extreme metaphor of gouging out eyeballs or losing a limb if it causes you to sin, rather then being thrown into hell. God wants us to treat sin like a serious cancer that needs to be destroyed at the very root of however it gets it's access to us. We need to cut off the access points- and take it that seriously, realizing the damage it can do to our souls.
31-32 Talks about the seriousness of marriage. Nobody should divorce except for in cases of sexual immorality. It also says remarriage after divorce makes the person who is getting married again the "victim of adultery". I'm sure you could google some good commentaries on this one, it's a heavy topic.
Oaths
33-36 Talk about not making oaths and about how people swear by all kinds of things they have no power over. In the end it says just to let our yes mean yes and our no meaning no.
38-42
Starts with talking about how people like getting revenge or compensation for their injuries. God tells us not to "resist an evil person". Now this could be taken out of context to mean that we should let rapists and pedophiles run free, but this would go against all the scripture that explicitly tells us to be just and care about justice. Instead it goes on to give it a context that makes sense: "If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also." A slap on the cheek is not a bullet. A bullet will kill you, a slap will hurt your pride. Often times the things we go after are the things that hurt our pride rather then defending the actual oppressed. It also gives the example of a person wanting to sue you- that you should respond by being generous and doing more then you should rather then fighting them. Again, God is giving us examples of places where we are not in actual danger but it is our personal pride that is at stake. It ends with "If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you."
42-45
Now we get into loving enemies. This section is more difficult then the last ending with verse 48 that says "be perfect as your heavenly father is perfect." As we know in other parts of the bible: (1 John 1:8&10)
"If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. And... If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us."
or as James 3:2 put it: "We all stumble in many ways." or as Isaiah 53:6 says-
"We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all." or as Isaiah 64:6 puts it
"All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away."
So we know that perfection is not a reality, so why does God ask us for it? Because it is something done through Jesus. The verse in between those two verses in 1 John say that "If we confess our sins God is faithful and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness". Our righteousness and forgiveness and "perfection" is not our own, but it's Gods righteousness given over to us.
In other words, on our own we can't be clean or perfect, but with God we can be, and ONLY through God.
In the same way this section on loving our enemies needs to be looked at through that same supernatural lens. We need to pray to God to give us strength to do the impossible.
"Love your enemies" is followed by "pray for those who persecute you". There is a direct correlation there between the ability to love our enemies and a dependence on God through prayer for that love. Verse 45 talks about how things are not always fair. Bad people get good things sometimes and good people get bad at times. This time on earth is not what we should be looking at. We need to keep our eyes on heaven as the verse also points out we are children of "our Father in heaven". We need an eternal perspective so that we don't get discouraged or grow bitter.
Verse 46-47 talks about how we need to be different. Why would we be different then anyone else in the world if we do what they do? Those who do not have Gods love know how to love those who love them. We should be different from those in the world. Loving those who love us makes us like the rest. We need to love even those who do not love us!
I like how it talks about greeting people though! Love is reflected in who we greet and how we greet them as well. It's not a fluffy emotion but an action.
moving on to Psalm 6:1-10
Yay, back to stringed intstruments for David. Love those instuments- especially all together with other instruments too- like Viva la vida by cold play.
Okay I'm getting off track...
1-3
"LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger
or discipline me in your wrath.
Have mercy on me, LORD, for I am faint;
heal me, LORD, for my bones are in agony.
My soul is in deep anguish.
How long, LORD, how long?"
David knows he is not perfect (we were talking about perfection earlier) and he is willing to confess it before God as we are told to do. Two things we read earlier tie in with this as well. David would like grace, and as we learn- God was graceful and long suffering with the Amorites in Genesis. Not disciplining in haste. David is not asking for extra time to go on sinning, but for forgiveness because he would like to turn around and be in Gods favor. He knows he deserves a rebuke or discipline and needs mercy. What David asks for falls in line with how God is so good to us. He is full of grace.
But we also see that even though David is wanting God to come to his rescue, that he still goes through some hard stuff. In Matthew we saw that God allows the rain to fall on the good, and we learned in Genesis that Gods people would have to go through the enslavement before walking out with all those possessions. Bottom line: Life is not always easy. Following God is sometimes very hard and we are not preserved from difficulties in life. Sometimes it does feel like they go on forever. For some of Abraham's ancestors their whole lives were spent in enslavement. The question "How long?" Is a cry we all have at times, and David (along with God) understands our weariness.
6-7 The bible says David is "worn out". That he has literally spent all night bawling his eyes out. The pressures on him feel too much.
4-5 turning to God to deliver you is the way to go when you feel that way (rather then turning to drugs, alcohol, divorce, affairs, or anything else!) because even if life can wear us down God's love is unfailing. We are Gods living testimonies of His goodness- and even the bad times will not change that fact.
8-9 Is a victory cry. Those who hurt you will not have the last word cause God sees your tears, he hears your crys, and he accepts your prayers.
10 Anyone who tries to hold you back will regret it eventually, and they will be put to shame for their actions.
Do you trust God during the most difficult times and react like David? Do you turn to God and realize he will deliver you and hear you?
------
Proverbs 1:29-33
my summary of the first 3 verses is that people reap what they sow. Even without God handing out additional punishments to bad actions their are always natural concequences. Some are immediate and some are not, but God allow us to suffer the concequences of our sin when we don't listen. The last verse says that if we do listen to God we are safe & at ease, and don't need to fear.
On that note, let's continue to listen to God as we not only read his word but follow it. Peace be with you. :)
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
January 5th: Genesis 11-13:4; Matthew 5:1-26; Psalm 5:1-12; Proverbs 1:24-28
Day 5
Today's reading is from Genesis 11-13:4; Matthew 5:1-26; Psalm 5:1-12; Proverbs 1:24-28
1-9 We start off in Genesis with the story of the tower of Babel. The people in the whole world speak one language. They were commanded by God to spread out as they populate the earth. Here they come up with a plan that upsets God- they decide a few things 1) they want to make a name for themselves for the purpose of not being scattered 2) they think they will accomplish this through a huge city with a tower that reaches to the heavens.
It's important to understand building the tower was not for the purposes of reaching the heavens as in the place where God is enthroned - but rather to reach the sky "the heavens" can also refer to everything above the earth. Their goal in the tower is not to get to heaven but to build a structure so big that their city makes a name for themselves and they feel unmovable. They wanted a tower that stood out and gave them a reputation.
Accomplishments are not a bad thing in and of themselves but we need to be constantly checking our own motivations: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit but in humility consider others better then yourselves."
God admits their plans are not impossible but rather that all of their plans can work through their one mindedness in this matter.
God is upset by their attitudes. They want to bring glory to themselves and not to Him. They want to secure themselves against having to obey God and they think that their refuge against God and men can be found in their own accomplishments. Their motives are wrong and they are working together for a common bad and feeling very self sufficient about it. We see that they have sophistication. They are not building towers with stones but bricks. They are advanced and skilled in their abilities.
Yet their work together which is "not impossible" because they can accomplish anything together that they had planned out- will all be thwarted. God can intervene when we set our selves up for what looks like unstoppable success if He does not approve and chooses to intervene.
Which is exactly what He does here. It says that He confuses all of their languages to stop them from working together and scatters them all over the earth.
Two other things that stand out here is first off - how it talks about how God came down and looked at the city. We know that God is everywhere and that he is omnipresent but the image is rather a contrast to the God that walked with them all the time in the garden before the fall. Now we see a separation or a "coming down" of God to be with us. This leads to the other interesting point of the power of being united with a common goal and mind. When we believe in Jesus we are given the Holy Spirit who leads us in all truths and helps us have the mind of Christ. We are united in our goal - all believers all over the planet are united and of one mind: To honor the Lord and make Him known (rather then making a name for ourselves).
It is no wonder then that Jesus tells His disciples that once He dies and they receive the Holy Spirit they will go on to do even greater things then He did. That is quite the statement from the creator of the world but we often underplay and do not realize the POWER of Gods Spirit.
-----
10-26 Now we move back into genealogy. When we heard of it last and the lines of his three sons: two of them were covered extensively: ham and Shem. We learned that Ham who was cursed became the great grand daddy to many nations that became corrupt or notable enemies of Gods people. (as a side bar Nineveh is mentioned as defending from hams people and we know God reached out to the Ninahvites even though they were corrupt- showing how God does show grace on all people).
The other son Shem - we are shown, becomes the line through which Abraham comes. Four generations are added on till we get to Abraham's dad.
27-32
Terah- Abrahams dad has 3 sons: Abram, Nahor and Haran.
I'll guess that Haran is the oldest because He dies first, but also because one of his daughters marries one of his brothers. Haran is the dad of Lot (who also is like a brother to Abraham- they stick together for quite a while). Haran also has two more children Milkah and Iskah. Milkah is the one who marries Abraham's 3rd brother named Nahor.
We are told Sarai- Abrahams wife is not able to conceive. Nahor may have died because he is not mentioned as setting out with his dad and going to a place called Harran, along with his nephew and brother.
Abraham is called Abram & Sarah is called Sarai in those times.
------
Chapter 12 starts with Abraham's calling.
He is told to leave his country, his people and dads house to go wherever God tells him.
2-3 He is given a few promises:
1) Great Nation,
2) name great,
3) bless those who bless Abraham and curse those who cures Abraham,
4) all people of the earth will be blessed through him
1) Israelites come from Him.
2) Even Muslims respect the name of Abraham and claim to be his descendants.
3) That is a pretty cool promise
4) Jesus.
4-9
Abraham goes where God tells him to (Caanan for now) along with his wife, his nephew Lot, and all their possessions and people they have accumulated (possibly servants & slaves and workers). He gets there and God tells him that he will give his offspring the land the Canaanite were in. He builds an altar to God there. Then continues on. Gets to the next spot and builds another altar there and calls on God. Then moves on to the next destination.
12:10-13:4 Now we are told Abraham gets side tracked to go to Egypt for a while because of a famine. His wife is beautiful and he does a pretty bad thing to his wife and Pharaoh out of fear. She is pretty and he is worried he will be murdered if they decide they want her as their wife. He is right about them wanting her because Pharaoh does marry her... because Abraham makes her lie and pretend to be his sister. How horrible for Sarah to go through all of that... but God looks out for her and inflicts disease on Pharaoh and makes him find out the truth. Pharaoh is pretty upset about all of this and gives Abraham back his wife and asks them to leave Egypt.
We see how fear makes people do dumb things. I wonder what fears I am holding on to where I need to trust God to take care of me instead of looking for a short cut to stay safe/protected quicker.
They all leave and Abram ends up physically in the place he had been earlier where he built the second altar and called on Gods name. He is now much more wealthy but he calls on Gods name there.
Throughout scripture we are warned about wealth and money corrupting. Abraham is blessed by God and being back here may be a good reminder of his roots. He is in the same place but in a different life situation financially but he has a visual (altar) that reminds him of calling on God.
What do I use to remind myself to call on God's name no matter the situation so that when times change I keep my focus on God and seeking His direction for my life?
I find it encouraging to imagine Abraham calling on God. I wonder what He asks. I imagine Him asking for direction which I can relate to.
------------
Now we move on to Matthew....
This is my husbands favorite passage-- the sermon on the mount.
If we back track... yesterday we learned how he had started preaching and he was healing everyone and had become pretty well known all around and beyond where he was from, and wherever he went, crowds would gather.
So we could picture a big crowd when he gives this famous sermon.
He talks about people who are blessed...
1-12
The poor in Spirit are blessed in the exact same way as those persecuted for doing what is right: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
But what does that mean anyway? I used to get images of a sad person being "poor in Spirit", or someone who is down trodden or just has been dealt a lousy personality, but the beatitude about the one who mourns covers the one who is sad. This poor in Spirit - the Greek word best matches "beggar".
Do we recognize our Spiritual poverty? Do we think that on our own we can be good enough or do we understand that we have nothing to give God and are Spiritually bankrupt with God? This ties well with verse 20 that says "unless your righteousness surpasses the pharisees you will not enter the kingdom of heaven". In others words. You need to realize you don't have what it takes. You cannot make it to God on your own merit. This is KEY to receiving the Kingdom of heaven. You will not go through radiation or cancer treatment if you don't acknowledge that you have cancer. Likewise, unless you see that there is nothing you can do to earn your salvation, you will not receive Gods grace (Grace by definition is undeserved favor!). If you think you are kind of good, or that you can work at being good enough to be accepted by God you are out of luck. You have missed the point that you are POOR (bankrupt) Spiritually. It is only God who is righteous, so you can only have his righteousness because our righteous acts are like "filthy rags". We do not do good to be received by God but rather because love Him and He lives in us with HIS righteousness and not our own - over flowing from us because we belong to Him and have His Spirit in us. Because our Spirit is POOR (dead, garbage!).
Those who mourn- grieving is good. God comforts those who grieve.
Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, they are "filled"... or they will get satisfaction in the end. It is a good encouragement not to give up, because if you hunger and thirst for what is right you may end up seeing a lot of discouraging stuff that puts you in that hungry place- wanting righteousness. But where is your righteousness? If you look to yourself you will not be filled, but if you have trust in Jesus you will be filled with Hope knowing that He has won whatever battle you are fighting and that He will make things right (again, you need to have faith, hope and recognize He already has victory but things on earth may not be fixed immediately in the time table we wish. God is patient and may allow things we don't like to go on longer then we want. Do we continue to trust?)!
Peacemakers, - I like a good fight sometimes, this is a challenge to me because sometimes my attitude is wrong. Sometimes I laugh hard and enjoy watching two people fight with each other. I don't think this is so much are you pro war or a pacifist but that this stretches further, to your attitude with other people. Do you like to argue and be right all the time? Do you sling words that cause tension? Are you the one who likes watching a good fight? Or do you actually want people to get a long and you do your best to bridge gaps people have between each other? That is what Jesus was... a gap Bridger... between us and God, and those who follow in his steps are called children of God.
Those who are persecuted for doing right (we are told later that all followers of Jesus will share in his sufferings and be rejected & persecuted, with garbage made up about us, because we are his followers) the blessing is that we are heaven bound! The Kingdom of heaven is ours!
We are told to rejoice & be glad because our reward in heaven will be great.
Blessed are the meek, (the humble and the gentle who are staying calm and submitting to God while they are keeping their self emotions and heart in check) for they will inherit the earth. The opposite of the meek are the pushy, arrogant, rough, emotionally driven without reigning in your mouth, prideful or passion without wisdom on how to use it gently on others. Some have defined meek as "power under control". I like "emotions under control" better, and think gentle and humble describe it well! Google says it means a disposition to be patient and long suffering.
Blessed are the merciful, (compassion shown toward offenders by the offended, a disposition to be kind and forgiving) for they will be shown the exact same thing!
To be pure or to be "pure in heart" to me are separate things. You could be "pure" by avoiding the impure things, but then find yourself proud or arrogant or impatient with others, or so grieved by impurity that you are full of anger towards others that is listed at the end of this sermon on the mount. So staying pure in heart is not just being pure but keeping the right attitude towards others as you do that. Staying humble and loving towards others, and gentle and full of hope. Those types of people get to SEE God.
13-16 we are called Salt and Light.
We have properties of preserving and bringing out the flavor or who God is... and of bringing clarity and illumination/direction, showing what is hidden to others. We are told not to hide those things or have them die out in us, but to use them or else what use are we? Our qualities are there so that we can point people to God so that he can be glorified because of how we act.
17-19
A new book?
There are always new Prophets that pop up with some "new revelation of God" because they say the old one got corrupted or isn't reliable or good (Mormons, JW's all say that the bible cannot be relied on, so the Mormons have their new book and the JW's have their watch tower to guide them), likewise Muslims believe the bible has been corrupted and that the real truth is in their bible (although all these new books are written later, and the actual bible has so many ancient manuscripts pointing to the preservation of the word of God all through the years).
Jesus talks about how the law stands firm. The regulations are not things to toss aside. He is not here to make them void, but to complete them. He will meet the consequences of the law, thus proving how valid they are- by fulfilling the law. He shows the integrity of God in preserving his law by saying "the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished." He says not even to set aside the least of the commands, or you will be least in heaven, but rather to teach it all, and you will be great. The entire commands of God- the whole bible is important to God.
In Verse 20 He sort of lays down the fact that obeying the law still puts heaven out of reach because he says that unless their righteousness surpasses the Pharisees they wont make the cut for eternal life. This would be discouraging, but Jesus had already pointed to the fact that He had come to fulfill the law. If they were looking to themselves to fulfill it they were missing his point.
21-22 Jesus warns that they used to think that murdering someone put them in Gods bad graces, but that they need to understand that being angry with someone brings them under Gods judgement as well. Anger is at the root of murder, and how they feel murders should be treated, that is how God will handle being angry at a brother.
23-24 If you have a beef with someone around you, God wants you to work that out with the person before coming to God. In other words, don't go to church if you and your spouse are all upset at each other. Don't walk in the doors with your husband or wife upset at you. Being on time is not as important to God as you keeping your relationships with others right!
25-26 Jesus does not seem to be a big fan of the human justice system and our courts. Now he is not telling people not to pursue law making, or upholding human justice, but he talks about being on the side where you could take it to court or work something out- outside of court. He says to try and work things out before they get to that point. He admits that the legal system is a big cash drain for money.
Sorry Lawyers!
Psalm 5
David is directing pipes this time.
1-2 He is lamenting and crying for help and wants God to hear him.
3 He talks about praying at the start of a day and expecting God to answer.
4-6 Just talk about the kind of people who are not welcome and can't stand before God because he will destroy them... the wicked, evil, arrogant, liars, violent people. He hates all of that.
7 But because of Gods great love David talks about how he can reverently come before God.
8 He doesn't want to be tripped up by enemies but wants God to lead him.
9-10 He talks about how bad the evil are and how guilty they are. He wants God to deal with them and justice to take effect because "they have rebelled against you". Often we are upset at evil people who hurt us, but David is upset at those who go against God, not against him.
11-12 He ends with focusing on those who love God- the righteous, who turn to Him for security. He talks about how they are protected and can be glad and filled with joy and that he surrounds them with favor.
Proverbs 1:24-28
24-27 God gets fed up. This last bit of reading is a warning against being stubborn. I think we should all assume his could be us with specific things. Sometimes He really goes all out to get our attention and we ignore and disregard it. He will laugh when we get what is coming to us. He goes as far as to say: “Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me"
He is so patient and warns us and talks to us. We need to be listeners of God. We need to call on Him and listen before He has to take drastic measures. There is a point in time where He will give us the full force of a smack down, and will not rescue us from our own stupidity (when we have repeatedly ignored his rebuke and his words and warnings!)
Today's reading is from Genesis 11-13:4; Matthew 5:1-26; Psalm 5:1-12; Proverbs 1:24-28
1-9 We start off in Genesis with the story of the tower of Babel. The people in the whole world speak one language. They were commanded by God to spread out as they populate the earth. Here they come up with a plan that upsets God- they decide a few things 1) they want to make a name for themselves for the purpose of not being scattered 2) they think they will accomplish this through a huge city with a tower that reaches to the heavens.
It's important to understand building the tower was not for the purposes of reaching the heavens as in the place where God is enthroned - but rather to reach the sky "the heavens" can also refer to everything above the earth. Their goal in the tower is not to get to heaven but to build a structure so big that their city makes a name for themselves and they feel unmovable. They wanted a tower that stood out and gave them a reputation.
Accomplishments are not a bad thing in and of themselves but we need to be constantly checking our own motivations: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit but in humility consider others better then yourselves."
God admits their plans are not impossible but rather that all of their plans can work through their one mindedness in this matter.
God is upset by their attitudes. They want to bring glory to themselves and not to Him. They want to secure themselves against having to obey God and they think that their refuge against God and men can be found in their own accomplishments. Their motives are wrong and they are working together for a common bad and feeling very self sufficient about it. We see that they have sophistication. They are not building towers with stones but bricks. They are advanced and skilled in their abilities.
Yet their work together which is "not impossible" because they can accomplish anything together that they had planned out- will all be thwarted. God can intervene when we set our selves up for what looks like unstoppable success if He does not approve and chooses to intervene.
Which is exactly what He does here. It says that He confuses all of their languages to stop them from working together and scatters them all over the earth.
Two other things that stand out here is first off - how it talks about how God came down and looked at the city. We know that God is everywhere and that he is omnipresent but the image is rather a contrast to the God that walked with them all the time in the garden before the fall. Now we see a separation or a "coming down" of God to be with us. This leads to the other interesting point of the power of being united with a common goal and mind. When we believe in Jesus we are given the Holy Spirit who leads us in all truths and helps us have the mind of Christ. We are united in our goal - all believers all over the planet are united and of one mind: To honor the Lord and make Him known (rather then making a name for ourselves).
It is no wonder then that Jesus tells His disciples that once He dies and they receive the Holy Spirit they will go on to do even greater things then He did. That is quite the statement from the creator of the world but we often underplay and do not realize the POWER of Gods Spirit.
-----
10-26 Now we move back into genealogy. When we heard of it last and the lines of his three sons: two of them were covered extensively: ham and Shem. We learned that Ham who was cursed became the great grand daddy to many nations that became corrupt or notable enemies of Gods people. (as a side bar Nineveh is mentioned as defending from hams people and we know God reached out to the Ninahvites even though they were corrupt- showing how God does show grace on all people).
The other son Shem - we are shown, becomes the line through which Abraham comes. Four generations are added on till we get to Abraham's dad.
27-32
Terah- Abrahams dad has 3 sons: Abram, Nahor and Haran.
I'll guess that Haran is the oldest because He dies first, but also because one of his daughters marries one of his brothers. Haran is the dad of Lot (who also is like a brother to Abraham- they stick together for quite a while). Haran also has two more children Milkah and Iskah. Milkah is the one who marries Abraham's 3rd brother named Nahor.
We are told Sarai- Abrahams wife is not able to conceive. Nahor may have died because he is not mentioned as setting out with his dad and going to a place called Harran, along with his nephew and brother.
Abraham is called Abram & Sarah is called Sarai in those times.
------
Chapter 12 starts with Abraham's calling.
He is told to leave his country, his people and dads house to go wherever God tells him.
2-3 He is given a few promises:
1) Great Nation,
2) name great,
3) bless those who bless Abraham and curse those who cures Abraham,
4) all people of the earth will be blessed through him
1) Israelites come from Him.
2) Even Muslims respect the name of Abraham and claim to be his descendants.
3) That is a pretty cool promise
4) Jesus.
4-9
Abraham goes where God tells him to (Caanan for now) along with his wife, his nephew Lot, and all their possessions and people they have accumulated (possibly servants & slaves and workers). He gets there and God tells him that he will give his offspring the land the Canaanite were in. He builds an altar to God there. Then continues on. Gets to the next spot and builds another altar there and calls on God. Then moves on to the next destination.
12:10-13:4 Now we are told Abraham gets side tracked to go to Egypt for a while because of a famine. His wife is beautiful and he does a pretty bad thing to his wife and Pharaoh out of fear. She is pretty and he is worried he will be murdered if they decide they want her as their wife. He is right about them wanting her because Pharaoh does marry her... because Abraham makes her lie and pretend to be his sister. How horrible for Sarah to go through all of that... but God looks out for her and inflicts disease on Pharaoh and makes him find out the truth. Pharaoh is pretty upset about all of this and gives Abraham back his wife and asks them to leave Egypt.
We see how fear makes people do dumb things. I wonder what fears I am holding on to where I need to trust God to take care of me instead of looking for a short cut to stay safe/protected quicker.
They all leave and Abram ends up physically in the place he had been earlier where he built the second altar and called on Gods name. He is now much more wealthy but he calls on Gods name there.
Throughout scripture we are warned about wealth and money corrupting. Abraham is blessed by God and being back here may be a good reminder of his roots. He is in the same place but in a different life situation financially but he has a visual (altar) that reminds him of calling on God.
What do I use to remind myself to call on God's name no matter the situation so that when times change I keep my focus on God and seeking His direction for my life?
I find it encouraging to imagine Abraham calling on God. I wonder what He asks. I imagine Him asking for direction which I can relate to.
------------
Now we move on to Matthew....
This is my husbands favorite passage-- the sermon on the mount.
If we back track... yesterday we learned how he had started preaching and he was healing everyone and had become pretty well known all around and beyond where he was from, and wherever he went, crowds would gather.
So we could picture a big crowd when he gives this famous sermon.
He talks about people who are blessed...
1-12
The poor in Spirit are blessed in the exact same way as those persecuted for doing what is right: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
But what does that mean anyway? I used to get images of a sad person being "poor in Spirit", or someone who is down trodden or just has been dealt a lousy personality, but the beatitude about the one who mourns covers the one who is sad. This poor in Spirit - the Greek word best matches "beggar".
Do we recognize our Spiritual poverty? Do we think that on our own we can be good enough or do we understand that we have nothing to give God and are Spiritually bankrupt with God? This ties well with verse 20 that says "unless your righteousness surpasses the pharisees you will not enter the kingdom of heaven". In others words. You need to realize you don't have what it takes. You cannot make it to God on your own merit. This is KEY to receiving the Kingdom of heaven. You will not go through radiation or cancer treatment if you don't acknowledge that you have cancer. Likewise, unless you see that there is nothing you can do to earn your salvation, you will not receive Gods grace (Grace by definition is undeserved favor!). If you think you are kind of good, or that you can work at being good enough to be accepted by God you are out of luck. You have missed the point that you are POOR (bankrupt) Spiritually. It is only God who is righteous, so you can only have his righteousness because our righteous acts are like "filthy rags". We do not do good to be received by God but rather because love Him and He lives in us with HIS righteousness and not our own - over flowing from us because we belong to Him and have His Spirit in us. Because our Spirit is POOR (dead, garbage!).
Those who mourn- grieving is good. God comforts those who grieve.
Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, they are "filled"... or they will get satisfaction in the end. It is a good encouragement not to give up, because if you hunger and thirst for what is right you may end up seeing a lot of discouraging stuff that puts you in that hungry place- wanting righteousness. But where is your righteousness? If you look to yourself you will not be filled, but if you have trust in Jesus you will be filled with Hope knowing that He has won whatever battle you are fighting and that He will make things right (again, you need to have faith, hope and recognize He already has victory but things on earth may not be fixed immediately in the time table we wish. God is patient and may allow things we don't like to go on longer then we want. Do we continue to trust?)!
Peacemakers, - I like a good fight sometimes, this is a challenge to me because sometimes my attitude is wrong. Sometimes I laugh hard and enjoy watching two people fight with each other. I don't think this is so much are you pro war or a pacifist but that this stretches further, to your attitude with other people. Do you like to argue and be right all the time? Do you sling words that cause tension? Are you the one who likes watching a good fight? Or do you actually want people to get a long and you do your best to bridge gaps people have between each other? That is what Jesus was... a gap Bridger... between us and God, and those who follow in his steps are called children of God.
Those who are persecuted for doing right (we are told later that all followers of Jesus will share in his sufferings and be rejected & persecuted, with garbage made up about us, because we are his followers) the blessing is that we are heaven bound! The Kingdom of heaven is ours!
We are told to rejoice & be glad because our reward in heaven will be great.
Blessed are the meek, (the humble and the gentle who are staying calm and submitting to God while they are keeping their self emotions and heart in check) for they will inherit the earth. The opposite of the meek are the pushy, arrogant, rough, emotionally driven without reigning in your mouth, prideful or passion without wisdom on how to use it gently on others. Some have defined meek as "power under control". I like "emotions under control" better, and think gentle and humble describe it well! Google says it means a disposition to be patient and long suffering.
Blessed are the merciful, (compassion shown toward offenders by the offended, a disposition to be kind and forgiving) for they will be shown the exact same thing!
To be pure or to be "pure in heart" to me are separate things. You could be "pure" by avoiding the impure things, but then find yourself proud or arrogant or impatient with others, or so grieved by impurity that you are full of anger towards others that is listed at the end of this sermon on the mount. So staying pure in heart is not just being pure but keeping the right attitude towards others as you do that. Staying humble and loving towards others, and gentle and full of hope. Those types of people get to SEE God.
13-16 we are called Salt and Light.
We have properties of preserving and bringing out the flavor or who God is... and of bringing clarity and illumination/direction, showing what is hidden to others. We are told not to hide those things or have them die out in us, but to use them or else what use are we? Our qualities are there so that we can point people to God so that he can be glorified because of how we act.
17-19
A new book?
There are always new Prophets that pop up with some "new revelation of God" because they say the old one got corrupted or isn't reliable or good (Mormons, JW's all say that the bible cannot be relied on, so the Mormons have their new book and the JW's have their watch tower to guide them), likewise Muslims believe the bible has been corrupted and that the real truth is in their bible (although all these new books are written later, and the actual bible has so many ancient manuscripts pointing to the preservation of the word of God all through the years).
Jesus talks about how the law stands firm. The regulations are not things to toss aside. He is not here to make them void, but to complete them. He will meet the consequences of the law, thus proving how valid they are- by fulfilling the law. He shows the integrity of God in preserving his law by saying "the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished." He says not even to set aside the least of the commands, or you will be least in heaven, but rather to teach it all, and you will be great. The entire commands of God- the whole bible is important to God.
In Verse 20 He sort of lays down the fact that obeying the law still puts heaven out of reach because he says that unless their righteousness surpasses the Pharisees they wont make the cut for eternal life. This would be discouraging, but Jesus had already pointed to the fact that He had come to fulfill the law. If they were looking to themselves to fulfill it they were missing his point.
21-22 Jesus warns that they used to think that murdering someone put them in Gods bad graces, but that they need to understand that being angry with someone brings them under Gods judgement as well. Anger is at the root of murder, and how they feel murders should be treated, that is how God will handle being angry at a brother.
23-24 If you have a beef with someone around you, God wants you to work that out with the person before coming to God. In other words, don't go to church if you and your spouse are all upset at each other. Don't walk in the doors with your husband or wife upset at you. Being on time is not as important to God as you keeping your relationships with others right!
25-26 Jesus does not seem to be a big fan of the human justice system and our courts. Now he is not telling people not to pursue law making, or upholding human justice, but he talks about being on the side where you could take it to court or work something out- outside of court. He says to try and work things out before they get to that point. He admits that the legal system is a big cash drain for money.
Sorry Lawyers!
Psalm 5
David is directing pipes this time.
1-2 He is lamenting and crying for help and wants God to hear him.
3 He talks about praying at the start of a day and expecting God to answer.
4-6 Just talk about the kind of people who are not welcome and can't stand before God because he will destroy them... the wicked, evil, arrogant, liars, violent people. He hates all of that.
7 But because of Gods great love David talks about how he can reverently come before God.
8 He doesn't want to be tripped up by enemies but wants God to lead him.
9-10 He talks about how bad the evil are and how guilty they are. He wants God to deal with them and justice to take effect because "they have rebelled against you". Often we are upset at evil people who hurt us, but David is upset at those who go against God, not against him.
11-12 He ends with focusing on those who love God- the righteous, who turn to Him for security. He talks about how they are protected and can be glad and filled with joy and that he surrounds them with favor.
Proverbs 1:24-28
24-27 God gets fed up. This last bit of reading is a warning against being stubborn. I think we should all assume his could be us with specific things. Sometimes He really goes all out to get our attention and we ignore and disregard it. He will laugh when we get what is coming to us. He goes as far as to say: “Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me"
He is so patient and warns us and talks to us. We need to be listeners of God. We need to call on Him and listen before He has to take drastic measures. There is a point in time where He will give us the full force of a smack down, and will not rescue us from our own stupidity (when we have repeatedly ignored his rebuke and his words and warnings!)
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