Sunday, January 31, 2010

January 31: Exodus 32 to 34

Today's passage marks the first in the ongoing struggle between the nation of Israel and the Lord. While God had selected this people to emerge from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as His very own, their hearts often strayed from God's intentions. Their negligence to follow the covenant God had set before them (most clearly through the Ten Commandments of Exodus 20) ultimately leads to their wandering in the desert for 40 years, leaving the generation who had departed from Egypt unable to enter the Promised Land.

Several highlights from today's packed reading include:

1) The people's quickness to pursue idolatrous behavior. We have a tendency to worship what we can see, trusting in it, instead of what is unseen. God's promises are all true in Christ, but we often struggle to grasp them, internalize them, and center our lives around them. Just after Moses had left to seek God on Mount Sinai, the people called to Aaron and sought a visible god to bring them comfort. Their fashioning of this god flew in the face of the first Commandment and stoked the righteous jealousy of the Living God. The Israelites' national inability to place God first in everything will play out over many centuries, leading them to great defeat and ultimately exile.

The Israelites' actions and attitudes have infiltrated culture for centuries. A. W. Tozer begins his _Knowledge of the Holy_ with the following words:

"What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.... The history of mankind will probably show that no people has ever risen above its religion, and man’s spiritual history will positively demonstrate that no religion has ever been greater than its idea of God. Worship is pure or base as the worshiper entertains high or low thoughts of God."


2) Aaron's poor leadership. While the burdens of any leadership are heavy, the burdens of spiritual leadership are palpably weighty. As priests and prophets, Moses and Aaron had the responsibility to guide the people away from their hearts' desires to seek after the Living God. Yet, in his moment of weakness in Exodus 32, Aaron gives into the clamoring people, offering to build them an idol from their gold jewelry. His actions indicated that he was more concerned about his position in front of the people and their short-term, sinful needs than in what God had declared. Later, with Moses, he did not speak truthfully about his involvement in the sin. Indeed, he sounds much like Adam did upon God's encountering him in the Garden. We must not choose to enable others in sin, as the consequences are so great.


3) Holy anger from God and Moses. Upon discovering the Israelites' sin, both God and Moses display holy or righteous anger. Typically, we become angry because of another person's inability to meet our needs; this anger may lead to bitterness or resentment and leads us away from God. If we become angry over injustice or the breaking of God's law, we do not sin and instead prevent others from sin. Sin is much more costly than we wish to acknowledge. As you may realize from a casual scan of the media, our culture laughs at sin.

Without recognition of the value and honor of God's presence, God and Moses's reactions may appear harsh. Yet, the Israelites had become bound under the covenant and had betrayed the God Who had given them life and brought them out of slavery. Only upon Moses's pleading on behalf of the people did God relent from his planned destruction. Still, Moses calls forth the Levites, who then kill those who had besmirched the covenant.


4) Renewing of the covenant. God initially threatened to remove His Presence from the Israelites, leaving them to their own devices to seek the Promised Land. Moses's seeking after God brought about a renewing of the covenant, which centered around God's Presence returning to the Israelites' camp. The Israelites could clearly see God's Presence with Moses in the "tent of meeting" and on the mountain, and Moses even entreated God to show him His glory. Moses spoke to God as a friend, yet he needed to veil his face in order to show the fleeting glory (2 Corinthians 3:13). Just like Moses, we may approach God as a friend: "Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."

Saturday, January 30, 2010

January 30

Read Exodus 29-31 The most segregated hour of the week is Sunday morning at 11:00.

Exodus 30:15 The rich are not to give more than a half shekel and the poor are not to give less when you make the offering to the Lord to atone for your lives.

Is this a bribe to God to atone for our sins? You put the money in the offering plate and you can get a free “Out of Hell” card? What is going on?

From the Life Application Bible: The atonement money was like a census tax. It continued the principle that all the people belonged to God and therefore needed to be redeemed by a sacrifice. Whenever a census took place, everyone, both rich and poor, was required to pay a ransom. God does not discriminate between people (see Acts 10:34; Galatians 3:28). All of us need mercy and forgiveness because of our sinful thoughts and actions. There is no way the rich person can buy off God, and no way the poor can avoid paying. God’s demand is that all of us come humbly before him to be forgiven and brought into his family.

We will see in future readings that when it comes to sacrifices and offerings God does have a sliding scale for rich and poor. Yet on this tax, the ground is equal among all peoples.

We live in days of class and race envy. The idea of segregating people according to certain characteristics is against the law but it is still very evident in our culture. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said in the 60’s that Sunday morning at 11:00 is still the most segregated hour of the week. It is now 40 years later and tomorrow only 8% of the churches in the USA will be blended.

If God regards each and every person as equal, how can we make class, race or social distinctions? There is no place for prejudice or discrimination in the family of God.

Friday, January 29, 2010

January 29

Accountability day: send me a quick email informing me of where you are in the journey. This is a great time to make sure you are up to date. The next month will be filled with a lot of details about Jewish law and ceremony. This is usually the time that people fall behind. It is going to be a freezing cold weekend so it will be a great time to catch up.

Read Exodus 25-28 God’s Home

We all need a home to live in. In a special way God has a home in heaven and he wanted an exact copy of that built on earth. There are differing views if there is a temple in heaven ... Rev 11:19 seems to indicate that there is. But what is agreed on is that everything in this plan for the earthly temple has a purpose. Everything in the temple would point to the sacrifice that Messiah would make 1400 years later. That is why we have the words ... “according to the pattern I showed you on the mountain.”

The amazing truth about this home for God is that it is to be built on real estate on earth. God wanted to move to the hood. He wants to be close to his people.

Here is the problem I have as I read these verses... I am not a detail person. I do not do wallpaper anymore, I detestation 1000 piece puzzles, and I dislike reading instructions yet God has given highly detailed blueprints for his house. How many times does God tell Moses to build his sanctuary exactly as instructed? There is no independent contracting on this job.

Syncretism is not allowed in this relationship with God. Syncretism is the combination or fusion of differing beliefs. We can’t say to God, I want to have this part of the temple, but I also want a video room or a game parlor for my entertainment. They had to follow God’s precise detail in this construction of this home. The same is true today .... believe in the God who is revealed not in the God you feel.

If you would like a quick tour of what the tabernacle looked like, here is a 3D animated view of it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fs5QtNwtr7o&NR=1

Thursday, January 28, 2010

January 28

Read Exodus 19-24 The Law

The purpose of the Law is to Provide and Protect. It provides us with a glimpse of the nature of God. We cannot know the heart of God unless he reveals it to us. We see his holiness, his character and his will. The law shows us what sin is and that we can never be holy enough to make it to heaven on our good works. It teaches us that we need a Savior. It is like a medical thermometer, it shows us that we are sick and in need of a doctor.

The laws provides the best life possible. When we live by the principles of the law we will find that life makes sense. Did you see the phrase... I will give you a full life span. The 10 commandments give us the best possible life in a fallen world.

The law protects us from the dead ends of life. If you want to ship wreck your life, disobey the law of God. I can fill Boyle stadium in Stamford, with people who have crashed their lives by disobeying the 10 Commandments but I have never, ever heard someone say, “I lived by the 10 Commandments and God has ruined my life.”

An illustration from the Book The Country of the Pointed Firs.
Sara Jewett describes a woman writer on the pathway leading to the home of a retired sea captain named Elijah Tilley. On the way, the woman notes a number of wooden stakes randomly scattered about the property, with no discernible order. Each is painted white and trimmed in yellow, like the captains house. Curious, she asks Captain Tilley what they mean. When he first plowed the ground, he says, his plow snagged on many large rocks just beneath the surface. So he set out the stakes where the rocks lay in order to avoid them in the future. In a sense, this is what God has done with the 10 commandments. He said “These are the trouble spots in life. Avoid them and you won’t snag your plow.”

Let me make it very clear.. people were never saved by keeping the 620 laws in the OT. God will never say, “Wow, you really tried hard to live a good life and keep my commandments, so when you die I will invite you into heaven.” Because God is holy we have to be perfect to make it to heaven. There cannot be any sin in heaven, so if you are banking on “The Good Life” plan to make it to heaven, it’s time to abandon that plan. Our only hope is in the grace, mercy and forgiveness found in Jesus. Jesus is the Lamb of God slain to provide us with a ticket to heaven.

Is the Law still in effect today? There are three levels to the Law: Moral law, Civil law and Ceremonial law.

1. Moral Law
10 Commandments
Still in effect today but the day of rest has been changed to Sunday for the church because of Jesus’ resurrection.


2. Civil Law
Not in effect today. These laws were part of the Theocracy. A Theocracy is a government in which God is the head. We live in a democracy where people argue their position and the voters decide. The principles of the civil law have been the foundation of 2000 years of the development of Western civilization

3. Ceremonial Law
Not in effect today. God told Peter he was changing the rules of the game in the New Testament for the church. You can eat shrimp scampi and pork tonight for dinner.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

January 27

The power of prayer Exodus 16-18

In the battle against the Amalekites we are taught some very important lessons. These lessons mean the difference between living a victorious life, or living a defeated one. Exodus 17 records a battle in which Joshua is fighting in the valley below and Moses is praying on the mountain above. Which is more important for the victory? Both are necessary but without the prayer there will be no victory.

This battle started with the people of God being attacked. “The Amalekites came and attacked.” The attacks in life will occur daily when we desire to walk out of slavery into freedom. Satan doesn’t need to attack someone in slavery. We will see in our reading this year, that we are locked into a fierce cosmic spiritual battle. The question isn’t, “will you be attacked?” The question is, “when you are attacked, what will you do?”

One lesson here is to both fight and pray. We need to be Joshua fighting in the valley at times. But even as we are locked in the valley fight, our ultimate weapon is prayer on the mountain tops. Whenever Moses’ hands were lowered they started losing the battle in the valley. If we want to experience a victory in the valley it will take prayer on the mountain top. There are no exceptions to this rule.

Notice the importance of having a prayer partner. When Moses hands were lowered the battle turned against them. So Aaron and Hur held his hands up. This lesson points out the critical nature of having a prayer team surrounding you. For my first years of ministry I had the support of several prayer warriors. One of them was Grammy Taylor. She was my Moses in the mountain praying for me. Over the years various senior citizens have been part of my prayer team.

The final lesson is the impossible odds that the Israelites faced in this battle. If this battle were to be on the Las Vegas points spread, the Amalekites would have had a 10 touchdown advantage over the Israelites. On paper they had years, decades and even centuries of fight experience. The Israelites were slaves who still had the scars of the shackles on them. Plus the top quality of the Israelites was their complaining. They were experts at complaining, which makes for a terrible army. The Amalekites had weapons while the Israelites had garden tools. Everyone knew the outcome of this battle even before it started. But nothing is impossible with God, especially when you have mountain top prayer. And in the end the Israelites routed their enemies.

3 Lessons from this reading:
1. Pray at the start, pray in the middle and pray at the end of every battle.
2. Have a prayer teammates supporting you. Ask two people to be part of your prayer team.
3. There are no hopeless situations in life. There are only people who have become hopeless because they don’t believe in the promises of God. With our God ... all things are possible.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

January 26

Exodus 13:17-15:21

Parting the Red Sea

This event is so famous that even people who have never read the Bible or stepped foot into a church know about it. God parts the Red Sea, allowing the Israelites to safely escape the Egyptians. I have heard and/or read this story more times than I can count. When I was reading it today, one thought stuck out in my mind:

People are incredibly forgetful and God is incredibly faithful.

The Israelites saw God's mighty power in Egypt, demonstrated by the plagues. With the Lord's help, Moses summoned plagues that could not be replicated or explained by Pharaoh's most skilled magicians. They witnessed Pharaoh's hard heart break down until he willingly let them all go. After they left, they were blessed enough to see the Lord in the form of a cloud by day and fire at night to guide their every move. It was abundantly obvious that a powerful, loving God was with them at all times.

But as I said before, people are forgetful.

The first sign of trouble was the approaching Egyptian army. The Israelites were trapped and frightened. Forgetting all that God had already done for them, they fell into despair and were convinced they were going to die. They told Moses it would have been better to stay in Egypt as slaves than to die in the desert.

Despite how forgetful people are, God never stops being faithful. God's faithfulness does not depend on our ability to remember. He delivered his people from their enemies in a way that only He could accomplish. No one else could have separated the waters of the Red Sea, making a path of dry ground between two enormous walls of water.

This is good news because here we are, thousands of years later and still just as forgetful as ever. We witness countless times where God delivers us from danger, and we still worry and fret when the first sign of trouble comes along. It would save all of us a whole lot of stress and worry if we focused on who God is: loving, powerful, and faithful. Pray that the next time you are struggling, that God will remind you of who is His and all He can accomplish. God is bigger than anything the world can throw at us and He loves us more than we could ever comprehend. Remembering this will enable us to stop worrying and start trusting in our faithful God, turning our doubt and despair into peace and joy!

Monday, January 25, 2010

January 25: Exodus 12-13:16

God gives some detailed instructions to the Israelites what are they to do on the night of the final and worst of the plagues so that their firstborn would be spared death. God also gives instruction of how the Passover holiday and the Feast of the Unleavened Bread are to be celebrated going forward by the Israelites. Why was God into these details? He established the Passover traditions so that the people would remember. So that they would remember the great scheme of things: that their God delivered them from bondage in Egypt: “On that day tell your son, 'I do this because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt.' This observance will be for you like a sign on your hand and a reminder on your forehead that the law of the LORD is to be on your lips. For the LORD brought you out of Egypt with his mighty hand. You must keep this ordinance at the appointed time year after year.” (Exodus 13:8-10)

But we could also see in the Passover event a message which is prophetic in nature. God is teaching people about His deliverance according to His grace through a sacrifice. God saved every firstborn of the Hebrews that night because of His grace, and as a price he requested a symbolic sacrifice of a slain lamb from the Hebrews. Fast forward in history, Jesus himself would become the ultimate sacrifice for salvation according to God’s grace: this salvation is offered to all people and is salvation from all sin. Every sin had to be paid so that God and human could be reconciled. A price is giving something of value to you, something you hold dear. God paid the price for us. What more valuable to God than His Son, and what other price could be enough for every sin of every human being? Because He was sacrificed, Christ is being called the Lamb of God: "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29)

When the Israelites marked their doors with the blood of the Passover lamb, it was an expression of their faith showing that they believe in God’s promise that He would deliver them from Egypt, which God did do. Today, when we accept the sacrifice of Christ on the cross and believe in His resurrection, we also act in faith and receive salvation according to God’s grace from our every sin and we become reconciled with God.

Like the Israelites we too should express our faith and trust in God: through the way we respond to Him, the way we live and the way we love.

What is God speaking to you today?

Sunday, January 24, 2010

January 24: Exodus 9 to 11

Today's passage continues the 10 plagues that God sent upon the Egyptians. Through each one, we witness a hardening of Pharaoh's heart and his blinding to the fate of his people.

I would like to focus attention on the purposes of these plagues. From an outside perspective, it might appear that God is acting vindictively. As we reflect, however, we can see several key outcomes of these plagues:

1. Demonstrating God's power and glory. The Egyptians could not replicate what God had accomplished through Moses and Aaron, pointing to the divine source. All spiritual authority ultimately comes from God, and, when we seek it based on who we are rather than in God Himself, we miss finding true authority.

a. "Then the LORD said to Moses, 'Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his officials so that I may perform these miraculous signs of mine among them that you may tell your children and grandchildren how I dealt harshly with the Egyptians and how I performed my signs among them, and that you may know that I am the LORD.'" (Exodus 10:1,2)

b. "Then the LORD said to Moses, 'Pharaoh will refuse to listen to you--so that my wonders may be multiplied in Egypt.'" (Exodus 11:9)

The battle between the Lord and Pharaoh offers striking similarity between the ongoing cosmic battle between God's Kingdom and the Evil One's principality. We know the ultimate outcome in both cases, but the intrigue of the battle offers insights into God's character.

2. Impressing the Egyptians with His power. Even the Egyptians come to respect the Israelites because of what God had done. In Exodus 11:3, we read: "The LORD made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people, and Moses himself was highly regarded in Egypt by Pharaoh's officials and by the people."

3. Using a professedly weak Moses and Aaron. Because God worked through humble servants, it points to God's power and not man's.

4. Pointing to the certainty of their hope and to build a reminder of God's goodness among the Israelites. By carrying out such a variety of plagues and bringing freedom to His people, God gave testimony to the hope that the Israelites might have in any other of God's promises. We may trust in God's faithfulness too, as we reflect on all that He has done in our life, in the lives of others, and in the testimony of Scripture.
 

QUESTIONS

1. What works of God bring you hope at this point? How can you better remember and reflect on these?

2. What was a time in which you were unable to tackle something on your own, but God arrived to strengthen you?

Saturday, January 23, 2010

January 23

Today is accountability day. Send me a quick email letting me know what chapter you are on.

Read Exodus 5-8 Will you let God be God?

Here we have a classic struggle between man and God. There is something in the human heart that just doesn’t want to yield to God. Our hearts no more want to find God than a robber wants to find a cop. Pharaoh is a picture of every one of our hearts. The last thing we want to do is to give up control of them to God. Because of pride we are convinced we know how to run our lives better than God. A great insight is found in the introductory notes, “Pharaoh will try to avoid God through procrastination, compromise, and insincere repentance. With each attempt at resisting God, Pharaoh’s heart gets harder, until he is unmoved by even the threat of death to his people.”

Religion in ancient Egypt was characterized by a complex polytheism system. They had thousands of gods and many of these gods were associated with agriculture. The 10 plagues were direct challenge to the worship of the Egyptian deities who were thought to protect life and property. In many ways this was the “Show Down” at OK Corral. Who is going to win? God or these Egyptian gods?

The Power of Satan is really behind this show-down 7:11 Pharaoh then summoned wise men and sorcerers, and the Egyptian magicians also did the same things by their secret arts.

God is not trying to be a bully and force people to follow him. God is trying to win our hearts. He knows that there is an eternal destiny apart from him for all that rejects his free offer of salvation. There is also a life of misery, despair and bondage for all who do not obey the manual he has given to us on life (The Bible.)

There is only one way to find peace and satisfaction in life. It is found in an old hymn we sing, “Trust and obey for there is no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.”

Fight God from being God in your life and you will lose in this life and the life to come.

Friday, January 22, 2010

January 22

Exodus 1-4 These chapters contain at least a dozen life shaping, monumental truths. Let me point out just a few of them.

1. Obey God above your government. The government said killing babies was the law. The Hebrew mid-wives were committing civil disobedience because of the unjust laws. We must do the same. When government officials tell us to kill babies and use their bodies in experiments, we must say this is wrong. Today is the 37th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. The total number of abortions since 1973 is 50,794,089 which is eight times greater than the Holocaust in Hitler’s Germany. The great tragedy in that number is that most of the women having abortions are Christians: 37.4% are Protestants, 31.3% are Catholics and 18% are born again evangelicals. If we were able to just convince Christians that God is pro-life, we would save millions of lives. By the way, there is also forgiveness for the millions of women dealing with post-abortion syndrome. God is merciful and gracious to those who turn to him for healing.
2. God uses every experience of life to prepare us for our mission. Moses was placed in a palace to learn how to be a leader. Nothing is happening in your life by accident. God is at work in all situations.
3. The anger of man never accomplishes the will of God. Nothing good comes out of acting in anger. There is a place for righteous indignation but not human anger. Know the difference between those two.
4. We all have excuses for not fulfilling our mission. Which ones are you using? Moses had some great excuses, but in the end they were all inadequate.
5. Finally, a sticky issue in these chapters. Exodus 4:24-26 At a lodging place on the way, the Lord met Moses and was about to kill him. But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son's foreskin and touched Moses' feet with it. "Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me," she said. So the Lord let him alone. (At that time she said "bridegroom of blood," referring to circumcision.)
Why was God about to kill Moses? The answer to this might just be a disagreement between Moses and his wife Zipporah. God had clearly told all Jews to circumcise children on the eight day. (Gen 17:12) Failure to do this would mean the boy would be cut off from a relationship with God. Zipporah from the Midianite culture, did this act at puberty rather than child birth. These are called Family of Origin issues. When you marry, be sure to discuss your family of origin issues. Since Moses was appointed leader of the people of Israel; he had to set the pace and show obedience to God. He was backing down from what God had clearly shown him to keep peace in his marriage. Knowing this would upset his wife, Moses decided to be disobedient to God. So God struck him with an illness. God could easily have killed him, but the illness is so severe that his wife had to do the surgery. She knows that God is behind this illness. She was so upset that she threw the results at Moses’ feet. She is angry with Moses’ God more than him.
At this point it is most likely that Zipporah and their sons go through a marriage separation and head back to Midian while Moses goes alone to Egypt. There is no mention of them until after the Exodus.
In the end, for one small area of neglect, apparently out of deference for his wife’s wishes, or perhaps to keep peace in the home, Moses almost forfeited his opportunity to serve God and waste 80 years of preparation. We must be careful to do all that God asks of us.

Thursday, January 21, 2010

January 21

Genesis 48-50

The Pathway of Forgiveness

Someone is going to hurt you this week. They will unintentionally or deliberately pull back their verbal bow and shoot an arrow right into your heart. Joseph knows about these arrows. He had many of them shot into his heart. Betrayed by his brothers, sold into slavery by his own flesh and blood, he knows about relational pain. He also knows about the pathway of forgiveness.

A quick list of dead ends that are cheap imitations of forgiveness:
a. Forgetting. People who try to forget find they can't. People think that time heals all wounds. This is not true, and if relying on forgetting will only lead to a dead end.
b. Tolerating. Pretend you are a doormat and allow people to wipe their feet all over you. Becoming passive is not forgiveness.
c. Pretending and thinking of your favorite things. Singing the song of Mary Poppins will not bring you to the pathway of forgiveness.

Joseph shows us the only pathway through his life.
a. Feeling the pain. Some of you have been terribly hurt by mean spirited people. Parents, siblings, family members have done unspeakable things to you. Your pain might even exceed Joseph's. Feeling this pain is the first step towards healing, because this pain will become the fuel that drives you to Jesus.
b. Experience God’s vertical forgiveness. Because each of us has sinned we have a million dollar debt with God. The vertical problem if left unresolved will mean we will live eternally separated from God. But God in his mercy has sent his son to take the death penalty we deserved. Now God requires us to forgive the 100 dollar horizontal debts with people because of the million dollar vertical forgiveness we have experienced.
c. Assume the cost of the injury. Forgiveness is agreeing to live with the consequences of another person's sin. Forgiveness is costly. You pay the price of the evil you forgive. You're going to live with those consequences whether you want to or not; your only choice is whether you will do so in the bitterness of unforgiveness or the freedom of forgiveness. Remember Jesus' love for us caused him to assume our cost.
d. Make the courageous choice. Forgiveness is a choice, a crisis of the will. Since God requires us to forgive, it is something we can do. Don't wait to forgive until you feel like forgiving, you might never get there. Feelings take time to heal. We need to make the choice to forgive. What will be gained is freedom, not a feeling.
e. Finally releasing all Bitterness. Choose to release all bitterness and anger and ask God to heal your damaged emotions. This is the pathway Joseph traveled down....

Genesis 50:17-20 ‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.' Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father." When their message came to him, Joseph wept.
His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. "We are your slaves," they said.
But Joseph said to them, "Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

This is God’s pathway towards freedom. Walk on his pathway today.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

January 20

Psalm 46-47

Thoughts for a time of affliction.

Joseph was able to see the hand of God behind the hand of affliction. When we go through times of suffering it is easy to focus on the hand of affliction. The hand of affliction leads to these questions,
“Where are you God?”
“Why aren’t you answering my prayers?”
“Why me?”
“Why this?”
“Why now?”
Joseph was able to get beyond those questions and see that God had a purpose in all of this. This is truly an amazing level of faith in his life.
The things that happen in our lives either make us better or they make us bitter. It all depends on our relationship with God. If I pray “Your will be done,” then I am able to trust God and will see more than afflictions. I will see the purposes of God.

Here is the prayer that should be on our lips in times of affliction: “Lord, give me faith to see behind the afflictions to see your grand purpose in all things.”

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

January 19

Genesis 42:6-45:15

In today's passage, Joseph sees his family for the first time since he was sold into slavery. He recognizes them at once, but they do not recognize him. Only ten of his brothers were there, so he devises a plan to have them bring Benjamin to Egypt as well. In the end, there is joyful reunion when Joseph reveals who he is. He tells his brothers to move their families (including their elderly father Jacob) to Egypt so they can have all they need during the famine.

I have to believe that the temptation to get revenge would have been tremendous for Joseph. He was taken from his home, separated from his father, accused of a crime he didn't commit, and spent several years in jail all because of his brothers' jealousy. Now, he was in a position of great power. He was second in command of a powerful nation that had more than enough provisions during a time of famine. He could have refused to sell them food, he could have had them all arrested, he could have had them killed. I think any of us would have felt tempted to get even if we were in the same position.

Fortunately, Joseph did none of those things. He recognized that what his brothers intended for evil, God used for good. If Joseph had never been a slave and a prisoner, he would have never had the opportunity to save his family from the famine. His hardships were all a part of God's bigger plan that Joseph and his brothers could have never dreamed of. He forgave them and experienced the joy of a reconciled family, while they had everything they needed.

It's important to remember how Joseph responded to hardships. We need to remember that God has a bigger plan that we may not be able to see until we have past through difficulties. One of my favorite songs is Lead of Love by Caedmon's Call. The message of the song is a great reminder, through hard times: its important to keep in mind where God is leading us and that He is with us every step of the way.

Lead of Love
Caedmon's Call

Looking back at the road so far
The journey's left its share of scars
Mostly from leaving the narrow and straight

Looking back it is clear to me
That a man is more than the sum of his deeds
And how You've made good of this mess I've made
Is a profound mystery

Looking back You know You had to bring me through
All that I was so afraid of
Though I questioned the sky, now I see why
Had to walk the rocks to see the mountain view
Looking back I see the lead of love

Looking back I can finally see (I'd rather have wisdom)
How failures bring humility (than be)
Brings me to my knees (a comfortable fool)
Helps me see my need for Thee

Looking back You know You had to bring me through
All that I was so afraid of
Though I questioned the sky, now I see why
Had to walk the rocks to see the mountain view
Looking back I see the lead of love

Monday, January 18, 2010

January 18: Genesis 39-42:5

"Do not interpretations belong to God?" -Genesis 40:8

We continue Joseph’s inspiring story. He did nothing to deserve the injustices he suffered. His own brothers betrayed him and sold him to slavery. His master's wife out her own spite made up a lie against him.

Where is God in Joseph’s life? With him, all the way. We read: The Lord was with Joseph and he prospered (Gen 39:2); But while Joseph was there in the prison, the Lord was with him (Gen 39:21). Even though he had become a slave, God helps Joseph prosper. What motivation would you have to serve faithfully and effectively when your own family has just betrayed you and you become a slave in a foreign nation? Yet, Joseph serves faithfully and Godly. His faith in God perseveres and he does what is right: “How can I then do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” (Gen 39:9)

Still, he is betrayed by Potiphar’s wife and ends up in prison. I wonder if I was in his shoes would that have killed my faith. When our situation just doesn't seem fair, do we still trust God with all we have? Joseph did. Yes, God was with him and helped him, but Joseph had to respond and accept God’s help by keeping his faith and serving God, even in the dungeon. Joseph had only God in Egypt. He did suffer. Although later he was made a practical ruler over all of Egypt, he still was the Hebrew slave, far from his own people and his beloved father Jacob. Yet he managed to accept God’s joy of a new life even in his suffering: “It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering” (Gen 41:52)

When God blessed Joseph, we can easily see that he did not grew proud but kept his faith firm. He knew that it all depended on God. When he was asked to interpret Pharaoh’s dream he said: "Do not interpretations belong to God?" It’s amazing how much faith he had. Whatever he did, he gave credit to God. I think he was asking here the Egyptians: why do you ask man or Joseph for interpretation? Only God has this power. He is all knowing and He is in control.

These days we live through difficulty experiencing tragedy in the world. But let’s pray that like Joseph we learn to depend on God and serve Him no matter what and know that He is in control of our lives, even in the most difficult of times!

Happy Martin Luther King day!

Sunday, January 17, 2010

January 17: Genesis 37-38

In today's passage, we see how God has worked through many characters through history, often in spite of their weakness. God will raise up Joseph to become a key figure in preserving both Egypt and the Israelites and ultimately to establish the conditions for the coming Exodus and the deliverance to the Promised Land.

Born of Rachel, Joseph had won a special place in Jacob's heart. Yet, his dreams and the messages contained within them seemed to point to a superiority complex within him. His brothers grew jealous, and even his father rebuked him for his apparent arrogance. While his tone might have come off as self-assured, his words would ultimately become completely fulfilled. The brothers then seize an opportunity to remove Joseph from their midst, and, in so doing, they live out the trickery and deception that had marked their great-grandfather Abraham, their grandfather Isaac, and their father Jacob. Yet, God would ultimate use it for His glory.

The chief themes of Joseph's biblical account appear to be God's sovereignty and Joseph's consistency in his stewardship. The irony is that the brothers' mistreatment of Joseph would ultimately lead to the blessing of Jacob (Israel)'s entire family -- and to the Egyptian people as well. Joseph is gifted with abilities for administration, and he rises to take a prominent role in running three different franchises: Potiphar's house (as a slave); the Egyptian jail (as a prisoner); and all of Egypt (as Pharaoh's second-in-command). In each case, Joseph takes no credit for himself but instead points to God's sovereignty and his ultimate servanthood to God, not men.

Furthermore, in the person of Joseph, we see many Christological symbols:

1. He was called to Egypt, as Jesus was during Herod's reign of terror on the young boys of Bethlehem (Matthew 2:16).
2. Jesus too was rejected by his brothers (Mark 6:4).
3. He spoke to the cupbearer and the baker, promising restoration for the cupbearer. In the same manner, Jesus proclaimed forgiveness for the thief who asked Jesus to remember him when Christ's kingdom had come (Luke 23:43).
4. Both Joseph and Jesus gave glory to God for His work (Genesis 41:16; John 8:28).
5. The Holy Spirit worked powerfully through both to reveal truth to needy people (Genesis 41:38,39; John 14:16,17; John 16:13-15)
 

In Judah and Tamar, we find how Judah's sons' disobedience ultimately led to even further disobedience and brokenness. This trickle-down effect means that we should be extremely cautious to love and serve others and to fully devote ourselves to following God. Otherwise, the pain of disobedience may become compounded over multiple relationships. Even still, however, God's faithfulness through human frailty is amazing. One of the sons born of the clearly inappropriate relationship between Judah and Tamar, Perez, would become a key link in the human genealogical record of Jesus!
 

QUESTIONS

1. How may you communicate good news in such a way that brings honor to God rather than to you?

2. Are there any areas where you are struggling with disobedience? Do you have a friend whom you can trust to help you make good choices?

Saturday, January 16, 2010

January 16

Read Genesis 35-36 Marrying Mr. and Mrs. Wrong.

Singer Roberta Flack said, “Getting married is easy. Staying married is more difficult. Staying happily married for a lifetime should rank among the fine arts.”
Dr. James Peterson, professor of Sociology USC has studied couples for over 20 years. According to his findings only 5% could be classified as being truly happy. Sociologist and marriage Counselor Dr. J.A. Fritz said his findings boost that number up to about 15%. So if we take the higher of the two studies... only about 15% said their marriages were good or excellent. The truth is that many marriages in today fizzle rather than sizzle.

The story of Esau and his Canaanite wives is a reminder that there are no inferior people in marriages just inferior plans. God’s plan has that people of the same passion driving their hearts should marry. For the people of faith, their highest passion is to live to please God. For people without faith there can be many passions that rank high but most of them are self focused. This is a deadly combination when you unite them in marriage.

Marriage can overcome differences in nationality, race, culture, language, political parties, tax brackets and even religion. But of great concern is whether marriage can survive fundamental differences in the area of faith. From my own personal contact with situations like this, it is the person of faith that always loses or compromises after a period of time.

Esau’s marriage to pagan wives lead him to compromise his faith and this in turn affected countless generations. Little wonder that God warns repeatedly against such dangerous marriages.

The crucial question is: What can you do to ensure that the next generation doesn’t make the mistake of thinking that faith differences within a marriage pose no serious risk?

(Credit to F. LaGard Smith for some of these insights)

Friday, January 15, 2010

January 15

Accountability Day!!! Yes, today is the day to send me a quick email telling me what chapter you are on. So don’t procrastinate, just hit the reply button and type in the number. If you have fallen behind watch out. This weekend you will probably catch a cold, sprain your ankle, and have your washing machine engine burn out!!! NOT!! Just a joke. God doesn’t love you because of your performance. God just loves you and he would love spending time with you today. So enjoy God and learn from him.

Today read Genesis 34-35 The Danger of Bravado

When we see something wrong that needs to be corrected, do we wisely consider all the potential strategies or do we quickly bring out the guns and fire. The motto of Simeon and Levi .... Fire, Ready, Aim!!
A great wrong was done to Dinah, she was raped by Hamor. This is a wrong that needs to be addressed. But the killing of the other men in the town of Shechem was not justifiable. Only one guy committed the crime. Choose your battles wisely.
Jacob had the wisdom to know that a small victory here could turn into a disaster for his entire family later on. F. Laguard Smith says of the actions of Simeon and Levi, “Jacob might has also have suspected that his sons acted more out of hot-blooded anger or swashbuckling bravado than any pure sense of justice. Even righteous battles can be tainted by mixed motives.”

It is entire possible that today or sometime this week you will be faced with injustice. At that critical juncture carefully consider your reactions. As the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche said, “Be careful, lest fighting the dragon you become the dragon.”
Anger is one letter short of danger!!

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

January 13

January 13, 2010

Please pray for Haiti. Many of our dear friends at Grace have family living in the earthquake zone. They have not been able to contract their loved ones. It is time to pray!!!

A note of encouragement.... I received more accountability emails last week than any week in 2009. Everyone seems to be off to a great start this year. Beware!!! You will be tempted to skip a day or two very shortly. The difficulty comes in catching up. So stay up to date. Don’t read too far ahead but stay disciplined in the journey. It takes 30 days of practice to create a new habit.

Genesis 29-30 The Original Desperate Housewives.

What a mess!! Rachel and Leah are locked in a cruel contest. In their jealousy and competition they end up using Jacob as a pawn in this game of marital chess. This is not what God designed for marriage. I will buy a night of pleasure with you because I bought you for three Big Mac’s. Come on!!! There is a serious departure from the original plan of God for marriage to be a place of intimacy. These are the words that describe this marriage: Suspicion, jealousy, competition, misery, tears, fighting… where is the LOVE? We can learn from Jacob’s experience that when we don’t follow God’s plan for marriage, we shouldn’t expect happiness. Obedience brings reward and disobedience brings pain… all the time, every time. In our world today… we have most couples living together before marriage… even the non-Christian sociologists will tell you that couples that live together before marriage are five times as likely to have their marriage end in divorce. But people still think they know better than God. Or if marriage seems unbearable right now, the culture tells you … find a new partner, someone who is more compatible with you. What the world doesn’t tell you though is that your new partner won’t be perfect either. Marriage only works when we do it God’s way.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

January 12

Genesis 27-28

Trouble between Jacob and Esau

I think that we can all make the mistake of thinking that people in the Bible were somehow spiritually superhuman. I know I’m guilty of it. God must have chosen Abraham because he did the right thing all the time, right? God must have chosen David to be king of Israel because he never sinned, right? God must have chosen Paul to bring the gospel to the Gentiles because he never struggled with sin, right? WRONG! People in the Bible are just like us: flawed, sinful, stubborn people who God used for His glory and purposes in spite of themselves. This especially includes Isaac and his family.

Isaac, Rebekah, Esau, and Jacob were a typical dysfunctional family. Yesterday, we read that the parents chose favorites among their kids. Esau was Isaac’s favorite, and Jacob was Rebekah’s favorite. In today’s reading, Rebekah and Jacob trick Isaac into giving a blessing to Jacob that was meant for Esau. Esau became so enraged, he threatened to kill his brother. Jacob then ran for his life. These family members manipulated each other, deceived each other, threatened each other… How can they possibly be used by God?

This is one of the many amazing things about God. He can take people who are flawed, selfish, deceitful and use them as part of His perfect plan. This is wonderful news for us today, because we are just as screwed up as Jacob was! This gives up hope, knowing that God will never give up on us. He will always give us the opportunity repent of our sinful, dysfunctional ways and be a part of His story.

Monday, January 11, 2010

January 11 - Genesis 25 - 26

What is it about 'things' we need? ..the 'things' we are after. Whether it’s material things, essential needs, or emotional longings which need to be satisfied. Each of us has something on our hearts which we really want. Certain 'things' we desire in the long term, but then other we need immediately. We can’t stand delay of gratification. It is the idea of 'I want it and I want it now.' It’s quite natural actually for the heart to have desires and longings, but today's reading prompts the question: what are our hearts ultimately made to desire? What is our ultimate inheritance in life?

Esau sold his birthright for one meal which he needed. As the firstborn from the twins born to Isaac, he was to rightfully inherit not only most of the wealth of his father but also the honor of being the next leader in his clan and being part of the inheritance God promised to his grandfather Abraham. But he sold all that. Not only had he sold his privileges, but his father's trust too. We read that Isaac loved Esau. Isaac must have had great hopes for his firstborn son to be the next spiritual leader of the family, to be part of God's covenant with his family. It could be that Esau just didn't care for all that. Or it could be that he just couldn’t see past his present circumstance and his most immediate need. He needed food and he needed it now. Coming back from long and difficult hunting, he was dehydrated and starved; he desperately needed to eat or he thought he would die – he needed the security of a meal at that moment more than the security of the inheritance God gave him. So when his younger twin brother Jacob simply asked him to sell it to him in exchange for some stew, Esau did.

What is the inheritance God is promising us? Do our hearts desire something more than just things on this earth? Jesus offers the inheritance we were meant to have: true and eternal life and to be children of God. He said:
“I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. I am the bread of life.” John 6:47-48
"I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full" John 10:10

More, in Galatians 4:6-7 it is said: “Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father." So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir. "

I pray that we all reflect today, in our heart of hearts what is it that we really need? I pray that the birthright which Christ offers us through his sacrifice and love will restore heats.

Sunday, January 10, 2010

January 10: Genesis 24

Today's reading touches upon the faithfulness of Abraham, Eliezer his servant, and God Himself in continuing the fulfillment of the promises to Abraham regarding the emergence of a great nation. While the events in this chapter may appear extraordinary, they offer some helpful lessons for our everyday lives:
 

1) Seek God's best (His will). We do not know Abraham's motivation in urging Eliezer to seek a wife for Isaac from among his own people, but God's sovereignty does lead Eliezer to find Rebekah, a woman who does fear God and honor His call on her life. For Abraham and Isaac, it would have been easier to seek a wife among the local Canaanite people; both individuals might have had more input on the decision. Still, God had, by some means, revealed that Isaac's wife should come from Abraham's ancestral homeland. Echoing the words of Scott's sermon this morning, it is imperative that we guard our hearts: "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." (Proverbs 4:23) Abraham desired to protect Isaac's heart from the competing allegiances of multiple gods. Abraham believed God, and God credited it to him as righteousness.

Choosing to seek God's will rather than the easier path involves short-term sacrifice, but the Bible testifies that God's plan works for our good: "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28)
 

2) Build a faithful character, and lean on the faithfulness of God. The story also teaches us a great deal about faithfulness, both that of people and of God. Eliezer carries out his mission as directed and leans on God to reveal the character and identity of the woman he is to find for Isaac. His prayers demonstrate a sincere commitment both to his master Abraham and the Lord.
As one might expect, there is often a contradiction between what the world esteems and what God esteems. For example, consider what the world finds impressive: it's often a consideration of "What have you done for me lately?" The world wishes to be entertained, impressed, bedazzled, and drawn by some amazing charisma, good looks, or achievement. It makes for great television.

Yet, God has more of a long-term perspective. As Emma offered from 1 Samuel 16:7, God told Samuel (as he was about to anoint the smallish David as king): "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." As you may know, the Lord Jesus arrives riding on a horse in Revelation 19, and His Name is "Faithful and True." We should desire the same names, too.

Faithfulness does not guarantee success, but it does remove regret. If we are fully committed to the Lord and His plan for our lives, we may move forward in confidence, knowing that He will provide His direction for each day. This attitude of submission does not translate into prosperity, but we know that God will provide for us. Human faithfulness is ultimately about trusting in the faithfulness of God Himself. May we all strive to hear: "Well done, good and faithful servant."
 

3) Give testimony of God's faithfulness in your life. Eliezer immediately notes God's hand in the success of his mission. He praises God for His work, and he applauds the character of Rebekah. His words are a great example of how we may remember the works of the Lord and exalt Him by sharing them with others.
 

QUESTIONS

1. How can you become more faithful this week? What one disicipline do you hope to apply in your life?

2. How can you celebrate God's work in your life or in the lives of your friends or family?

Saturday, January 9, 2010

January 9

Read Genesis 22-23

Today is accountability day. Send me an email telling me what chapter of Genesis you are on. This is not to spy on you, but to help you reach your goal. Every week I will ask for a one sentence answer. Thanks... keep up the good kingdom work.

Genesis 22, one of the most dramatic chapters in the Bible. The drama started when Abraham was 75 and God told him to pack-um up, move em out – “I'll let you know when you arrive at the spot I have in mind for you.” So Abraham believed God and moved out of town.
Then when he was 90, God promises a son. Abraham believed a second time.
When Abraham was 99 the promise was reconfirmed. Abraham believed a third time. Isaac is born when Abraham was 100 years old. Isaac’s name means “He laughs” and Abraham knew that God is a promise keeper.

As we pick up story in Chapter 22 it is several years later, perhaps as many as 20 yrs later. So picture in your mind a young man, who can bench press 250 pounds and run the 40 in less than 5 seconds and a father who is 120 years old and barely able to push the remote control buttons. I can only imagine the delight that Isaac was to Abraham and Sarah during those years. After the long wait, the child of promise arrives. And everything he does fills their hearts with joy. But a problem started to develop. This miracle son was slowly invading the center of Abraham's heart. How could a child like this NOT move deeply into his heart? Isaac was starting to take the place where God should be. This would create huge problems if it wasn’t corrected. Not a problem for God but a problem for Abraham. So God stepped in to save both Abraham and Isaac from the consequences of a misguided love. God commands Abraham to sacrifice his son.

This testing is not a testing that is designed to cause someone to fail. It is a testing like that of metal, the purpose is refining and purifying. This testing would remove the imperfections and leave the metal genuine. Just as the metal is heated to molten temperatures, impurities rise to the top and then they are skimmed off, so God uses difficult circumstances to purify our faith. He wants us to be more than fair weather believers. And the only way to toughen us up is to turn on the heat. Abraham did not complain to God. He believed God a fourth time, he knew that God was working all things out for good. He believed that God's plan was to prosper him and not harm him. God's plan would give him hope and a future.

We will all be tested in the coming days. With our country going through tough economic times we will find out what is at the center of our hearts. Is it the dollar or God? What is your greatest treasure? You son, your daughter, your possessions, your financial portfolio, your career ... or is your greatest possession God? Tests are actually opportunities to show what is at the center of our lives. Put Jesus at the center.

Friday, January 8, 2010

January 8

Genesis 20-21

My heroes in life include anyone who can speak two languages. There are many people who are taking this journey with us and reading in their second language. You guys have my highest praise and admiration. If you want help in comprehending the English, you can actually hear the Bible read to you. Simply go to biblegateway.com/ and download the real player software. This is a great tool to use.

From the commentary today, “If there is any encouragement, it is in knowing that while there is bad in the best of mankind, there is also good in the worst.” We see that goodness displayed in Abimelech’s response to the character flaw in Abraham.

By the way, “Who are you in your heart of hearts? Who are you when no one is looking?” That is what is revealed today in Abraham’s life. Here is a guy who has heard the voice of God on several occasions, negotiated with God face to face, seen the judgments of God, and yet, when he gets into a difficult situation, his default mode of operations is lying!!

Abraham had a serious character flaw. He was a liar. In our culture, lying isn’t even seen as a character flaw these days.

One of the famous quotes at Grace Church is from Erik V.... he worked in NYC for years. He said, “To distinguish yourself in the city you only have to do one thing.... tell the truth.”

People lie all the time. Here are some of our most popular lies:
The check is in the mail.
I’ll give you a call
You get this one, I’ll pay next time
No, I’m not angry
No, that doesn’t bother me
I’ll pray for you
My wife doesn’t understand me
Trust me, I’ll take care of everything
Son, I promise we will play ball tomorrow
Of course, I love you
It’s not the money, it’s the principle of the thing
She means nothing to me
I’ve never done this before
Yes, absolutely

It is so easy to lie. It is so dangerous to lie. Tell the truth at all times.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

January 7

Genesis 18-19 Light and Darkness

Scientists tell us there is no such thing as darkness. There is only the absence of light. In our reading today we see what happens when the light disappears from a city and region. That region falls into moral and spiritual confusion. Fathers forget to take care of their daughters. People deliberately violate the natural boundaries of sexuality. Violence takes over. And according to Ezekiel 16:48-49, people forget to take care of the poor and needy.
'Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.

Isn’t it interesting to also see the compassion and mercy of God in these two chapters? In the dialogue with Abraham, God states that he would have spared this whole region if there were only 10 righteous people living there. That shows us the power of the light.

Another interesting question comes to mind after reading Genesis 18, “Can we change the mind of God?” The short answer is no. It is most likely that God changed Abraham’s mind.

Here are some notes from the Life Application Bible:

“Abraham knew that God is just and that he punishes sin, but he may have wondered about God’s mercy. Abraham seemed to be probing God’s mind to see how merciful he really was. He left his conversation with God convinced that God was both kind and fair. Our prayers won’t change God’s mind, but they may change ours just as Abraham’s prayer changed his. Prayer helps us better understand the mind of God.”

So what is our homework as “light” bearers in the midst of the darkness of the state of Connecticut?
First of all, remember the kindness and mercy of God when you are tempted to think otherwise. Don’t ask God for justice, ask for his mercy. God doesn’t owe us anything, we owe God everything.
Second, live your life and clearly shine the light. Do this in a winsome way, but don’t shrink back from declaring the truth. As light bearers we stand for a personal relationship with God, strong families, caring and protective fathers, lifelong intimacy of one man and woman in marriage, helping the poor, sending money to Africa to build wells, leadership development throughout the world. That is the light that will change the world.
Third, be an advocate. Abraham interceded for the lost region of Sodom. Through prayer, we can intercede for the lost throughout the world. We are praying at 10:02 every day for God to raise up workers in the harvest. Join us in this world changing prayer movement.

It’s not what you believe that counts; it’s what you believe enough to do that counts.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

January 6

Read Genesis 15-17 Believing the promises of God.

When Abraham was 100 years old and his wife Sarah was 90, God promised them a son. Abraham believed God, and God counted Abraham's faith as righteousness. The word righteousness means “having a right standing before God.” The words "it was credited to him as righteousness" show us the foundation of salvation throughout the Bible. Many people believe that the Jews were saved by keeping the law. No one can keep the law; we all fall short of God’s standard. To make it into God’s heaven, you have to be perfect because there is no sin in heaven. The bad news is that just one sin will cause you to see a NO VACANCY SIGN when you get there. The Bible makes it clear, right from the start, that we are not saved by being “Good People.” We are saved by believing a “Good God.” The words, “it was credited to him” were not written for him alone, but also for us. When we believe the promises of God, he also credits us with righteousness. Faith simply believes the promises of God.

The nature of the promises of God is revealed in chapter 15. God’s promise is unconditional. His promise is based totally on his faithfulness, not on ours. God obligates Himself in grace to bring about what He has promised. The word “covenant” means to cut. 15:18-21 When a covenant was cut, it was literally cut. Animals were cut in half and placed in a line, and then the parties making a covenant would walk between them. When they did this they were saying.... If I don’t keep this covenant let me become like these hunks of meat. Maybe this was the origin of the phrase... “I’m dead meat” no, that is a joke.

The question is, who passed through the pieces? Only God, this is a unilateral covenant.

The application to our lives in CT in 2010 is.... are you living by the promises of God? How many promises do you know that God has made and are you living by them? There are over 7000 promises given in the Bible. There is a huge difference between people who live by these promises and those who don’t. Be a person who believes God and his promises.

We are using a chronological arrangement of the Bible. The Daily Bible in Chronological Order 365 Daily Reading. Harvest House.

Bibles that are falling apart usually belong to people who aren’t.

Keep turning those pages!!

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Jan 5

Genesis 12-14

God's promise to Abram.

Today's reading is a great example of God's everlasting faithfulness. In chapter 12, God tells Abram to move his family to a different land. He promises to give this land to Abram's descendants:

"I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." (verses 2-3)

Abram shows his faith in God by moving his family and all his possessions to a new land. But Abram soon forgets God's promise. When he arrives in Egypt, he becomes afraid. He thinks that the Egyptians will kill him so they can have his beautiful wife Sarai to themselves. So he lies and tells them that she is his sister. If Abram had remembered God's promise (whoever curses you I will curse) then he would have had nothing to fear. Even if the Egyptians tried to kill him, they would not have succeed, because God would have protected Abram. He could have confidently told the truth.

Despite Abram's lie, God still remains faithful. He delivers them from Egypt safely and He repeats the promise in Genesis 13:14-17:

"Lift up your eyes from where you are and look north and south, east and west. All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever. I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted. Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you."

This is important for us today because it is so easy for us to behave like Abram did. We know God's promises, but we forget so easily and fall into sin and fear. Thankfully, God's faithfulness remains in spite of our unfaithfulness. Even if we forget His promises, it will never mean that He will forget. We can be confident in God's never-failing promises and faithfulness!

Monday, January 4, 2010

Genesis: Chapter 11

Happy New Year to all! Wishing you a great one! I too am excited to embark on this resolution with you of reading through the Bible in a year. New beginnings are great!

In today's reading: the great flood is already in the past and mankind is back and running; it's growing and it's developing. It's building cities. One such city seemed to have caught God's attention: people were building the great city of Babel with the purpose of "making a name for themselves" and not being “scattered over the face of the whole world," which I understood as their desire to become very powerful (Gen 11:3,4) Building a city was not the issue for God, but their motivation for it. God worried about their pride. He said: “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will impossible for them.” (Gen 11:5-7) So God confused their language and scattered them away. This doesn't mean that God was worried of the people’s power growing stronger than His - this is simply not possible. But it means that God is fully aware of the God-given abilities of humans and that they can use those abilities with pride and for doing evil. He also knows we can learn to rely on ourselves alone and ignore a relationship with Him. Who knows how far the people of the Babel would have gone if He hadn't intervened? God protected them from their own self-destructive purpose.

Next, the writer of Genesis gives details of Noah's descendants and the first nations which formed. We can see that the writer’s intention was to present this as a historical account. He begins with the words: "this is the account of". It preserved the history between God and the first families, clans, nations. We too love to create our family trees today- there are even software out there you can buy which help you map out your family tree. In Genesis, we are basically reading the roots of our family tree. Does this give you a sense of belonging and history?

Further however, as pointed in the comments in this chapter, Genesis begins to focus specifically on the descendants leading to the birth of the Hebrew nation, which will be the focus of our readings ahead. The comments said that it is through the Hebrew nation "God will ultimately speak to the whole world." I would have liked that the Bible was even longer than it is and that it included detailed history of the migration of every tribe, the formation of every nation and race, but this doesn’t seem to have been God's purpose. The Bible is His revelation to us of who He is, which continues to be told through the family of Abram.

- Does God interfere with your own plans? How does that make you feel?

- What is your personal history with God? (He has our personal stories written too, on His heart)

Enjoy the start of this year and of our mission of reading and sharing together God's word. Have a great week!

Sunday, January 3, 2010

January 3: Genesis 6 to 9

Happy New Year! It's exciting to dig in to God's Word with you this year. On January 1, I received a couple of quotes that may motivate us in our reading of the Scriptures this year:

(1) Nehemiah 8:2-4: "So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law. Day after day, from the first day to the last, Ezra read from the Book of the Law of God. They celebrated the feast for seven days, and on the eighth day, in accordance with the regulation, there was an assembly."

(2) Martin Luther (1483-1546): "For some years now I have read through the Bible twice every year. If you picture the Bible to be a mighty tree and every word a little branch, I have shaken every one of these branches because I wanted to know what it was and what it meant."


As for Genesis 6 to 9, we see the fruit of mankind's sinful inclinations and the first outpouring of God's grace.

(1) Human sinfulness. In Chapter 6, we witness mankind's downward spiral. Even though the first man, Adam, had fellowshipped with the Living God, his descendants move farther and farther away from the ideal environment that God had desired in Eden. In fact, quite quickly, the Nephilim, mighty warriors who came from the intermarriage of the "sons of God" and the beautiful "daughters of men," became celebrated for their strength and wickedness.

How would God respond? In Genesis 6:5-7, we read: "The LORD saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. So the LORD said, 'I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth — men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air — for I am grieved that I have made them.'"

While God had created man in His image and declared the creation "very good," man's free will had caused a separation — a breaking of fellowship — with God. This sinful nature manifests in both from passive indifference to others' best interests and willful disobedience. As Paul explains in Romans 3:23, "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." We cannot bridge the gap between a holy God and sinful man.


(2) God's grace. Yet, amazingly, God does continue His redemptive plan, which He first laid out in Genesis 3, immediately following the Fall. As you may know, through His sovereignty and in His grace, God sustains the very breath we have and every detail here on earth. Based on His holiness, His righteous anger toward sin justified His consideration of removing man from the earth (in the Genesis 6:5-7 passage above). Yet, in some way, "Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD." (Genesis 6:8)

In the account of the flood, we observe two aspects of God's character: His justice and His mercy (grace). In His justice, sin demands punishment, but, in His mercy, He chooses to allow life to continue on earth. Noah's righteous character and worship brought honor to God, and God responds by promising to sustain life on the earth: "Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood." God understands our sinful nature, but His grace also provides a means of escaping this sinful nature.

What is grace? A quick definition is "unmerited favor," earning something that we do not deserve. As we consider the words of Genesis 6:5-7, we may understand that we deserve death and separation from God. Still, God offers us His grace by sustaining life on earth, by giving us many blessings, and by offering a means of salvation through sending His Son as an atoning sacrifice. In this passage, God seals the covenant to Noah and his descendants with a rainbow. As a parallel to our lives, we may often face challenges during life's storms, but God demonstrates His grace through them (symbolized here by the rainbow).
 

QUESTIONS

1. How do you see man's sinful nature in others? In yourself?

2. Why can't you overcome your sinful nature in your own power?

3. What are some ways in which God demonstrated His grace in your life in 2009? Over the past week? Today?

4. How can a recognition of God's work in your life help you to trust Him more?

Saturday, January 2, 2010

January 2

Genesis 4-5 Offerings and Old People

Genesis 4:4-5 But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.

These verses show us the danger of making up rules for game of life. We have two brothers with two different occupations and two offerings. God chooses one and not the other. The first question we need to ask ourselves is why the distinction? Is God down on spinach and broccoli? Isn't God acting a bit like a bully and hurting Cain's feelings? The answer is that God is aware of the “heart” of each worshipper.
It is the Lord himself who inspects the heart attitude of each worshipper. Notice the order here. It is first the man and then his offering. God valued the heart condition of the offerer more than the gift they brought. Hebrews 11:4 says “Abel’s offering was by faith and therefore he was obeying God's rules.”
If Cain had brought a fruit basket and said, "Lord I love you so much. I want to bring a basket of beautiful fruit to honor you." God would have showered him with blessings. But he attempted to have a religion without first loving and honoring God in his heart. He wanted to make up his own rules to the game of life.

This is the beginning of two ways to come to God: Religion and Relationship.

Religion
It's about me and my offering
Follow your own heart
Man centered
Do it your own way

Relationship
Do God’s Will, God’s Way
God makes the rules
God centered
Goal is to please God

We worship not the God we feel but the God who's been revealed. We don't make up the rules when it comes to God; he is the one who determines what is important. And God says the heart of the matter is the matter of the heart. So, what is the condition of your heart today?

How about these Old Guys?
It appears that the effects of the Garden of Eden carried over for many generations even after they were expelled from those ideal conditions. The virtual absence of disease and the effects of global warming could also account for these ideal circumstances. Genesis 2:5-6 for the Lord God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no man to work the ground, 6but streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground.
The earth was probably encased in some protective greenhouse dome that shielded mankind from the harmful rays of the sun. All of these are possible explanations for the longevity of man.

Friday, January 1, 2010

January 1

Genesis 1-3 Happy New Year to each of you!!

As we begin the new journey today we jump right into several of the most important issues in life and theology. A list of just seven of them....

1. God claims to be the sole creator of the universe.
2. He creates everything after its own “kind” which implies the world is hard-wired.
3. All that he creates is “good.” It is a perfect world with the promise of eternal life. The “Tree of Life” would sustain mankind for all eternity. This tree will not be mentioned again until the last book of the New Testament. This shows us the continuity of the Bible.
4. God rested and established a rhythm in the universe of working six days and taking a vacation day on the seventh. What is your day to rest and give to God?
5. The institution of marriage is established. Marriage is one man and one woman for life. This has been the definition of marriage since the dawn of time. A few judges in the USA cannot undo what God has established.
6. Sin is introduced into the world and thus we start the cosmic battle between the lies of Satan and the truth of God. We will see this battle on every page of the Bible. We will also face this battle every day of our lives.
7. A Savior is promised to the world in Genesis 3:15. The only hope for the world is for God to rescue us. And he will; he will send his son to free us from the penalty of the curse.

Let me pick the existence of God as my theme to expand upon today. We no longer live in a day where the existence of God is taken for granted. Since the 18th century era of the Enlightenment and the advent of the age of science, there has been a growing sentiment that those who cling to a belief in God are irrational, scientifically ignorant, narrow-minded fundamentalists.
Many people think because we can't scientifically prove the existence of God, since we can't see him, it would be most logical to be an atheist or agnostic.
The response to the question of God's existence has never been more critical than at this time in history. Atheism and agnostism are widespread in this country particularly on the university campus. Humanism has become remarkably aggressive, with an almost evangelical fervor.
As Christ followers we simply cannot afford to stand by and exhort people to believe in God, without dealing with the problem on a rational level.

Here are some reasons why I believe God did create the heavens and the earth:
1. The Bible tells me so. From the outset, Genesis confronts us with the living, unmistakably personal God. He is simply there. The Bible never attempts to prove the existence of God. The Bible never even considers that the reader would question his existence. The Bible simply assumes God to be self-evident. We start the story with an eternal first cause, an unmoved mover.
2. The design of the universe shouts that he is there. If we see order in the universe we can deduct that there must be an artist behind the picture. If we find a watch in the woods there must be a watchmaker who put it together. The basic building block of all of life, the cell, is more complicated than a Boeing 747 jet airliner. The belief that this 747 came into existence through mere chance requires more faith than what I have.
3. The expanding universe confirms a beginning. In 1913 Vesto Slipher first discovered the galaxies were moving. In 1929 Edwin Hubble added to this discovery with the truth that the universe is expanding in the same direction all at the same time. These truths point to a beginning which is called the “Big Bang” or "The Singularity." My question is this, “who put the bang in the Big Bang?” The conclusion that the universe has a beginning should stagger us and fill us with awe. That means the universe was brought into existence by something that is greater than it and beyond it.

The flickering stars cry out that someone is there.
The spinning of the earth to create day and night says, “designer.”
The tilt of the earth to create the seasons points to a scientist behind the universe.
The existence of the oceans speaks to the world of a creative genius.
The beauty and design found in the smallest flower says there is an artist at work.
The magnetic poles that allow us to navigate indicate a pilot behind it all.
The sugar thermostat in the pancreas that maintains a level of sugar for our energy
points to the fact that there is an eternal doctor in the house.

Our job over this next year is to listen to him and obey his instructions.