Blog post Tuesday the 23rd

Written by Chuck Goulart 

As I read through today's verses I was amazed at how the old testament section of Genesis 46:1-47:31 was a great family reunion. I like picking golden nuggets while reading Gods word. Thoughts, insights, aha moments that I can incorporate into my day and my life. In this section of Genesis we see Jacob now Israel gathering his family 70 strong to head for Egypt to be reunited with Joseph. What an awesome meeting that must have been! Then they settled in at Goshen, but Josephs work was not done, since the famine continued. Joseph's wisdom not only preserved Egypt and it's people with God given wisdom. It also looks like the first evidence of property and federal income tax.

*What nuggets I took from this is:*
*1. Be content with your circumstances and your calling.*
*2. At times God can be slow at fulfilling His promises. *
*3. This life we are given here on Earth is just a pilgrimage.*
*4. God is always in control.*

I was even more blown away with the the rest of the reading. I highlighted some verses:

*Matthew 15:17-20*
you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and
then out of the body? 18 But the things that come out of a persons
 mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. 19 For out of the heart come
evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony,
slander. 20 These are what defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands
does not defile them.

In these verses in Matthew, Jesus reminds us that we are surrounded by the
worlds trash and all within it which we consume every day. Some of which is
unavoidable such as the workplace, and in open public places. Then there is
the trash we let in through media, our foolish electronic devices, GOOGLE
and so much more. Yet it is not what goes in, but what we allow to sway our
thoughts and minds then ultimately our hearts. The end result is what comes
out of our mouth is what sheds light on how deeply the world impacts our
relationship with Christ. What comes out of our mouths is what needs to be
closely examined because it reflects whats in our hearts.

*Psalm 19:14 May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my hear, be
pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.*
In this Psalm verse it is so clear. Have you found your whisper spot? To go
and think, ponder, consider what God is saying to you?

Proverbs 4:14-19
*14  Do not set foot on the path of the wicked    or walk in the way of
evildoers.15  Avoid it, do not travel on it;    turn from it and go on your
way.16 For they cannot rest until they do evil;    they are robbed of sleep
till they make someone stumble.17 They eat the bread of wickedness    and
drink the wine of violence.*18 The path of the righteous is like the morning sun,

shining ever brighter till the full light of day. *19 But the way of the wicked is like

deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.*

To wrap up today's reading with this Proverb. Avoid the evils of this
world, do not let it influence your mind, and inflame the sin nature within
you which in the end will result in the old saying "garbage in garbage out"
It is not what goes in to our mouths that makes us unclean, but what comes
out of our hearts and inevitably our mouths which will make or break our
relationship with the Lord, and it can be a negative witness and testimony
for those around us who hear us talk and preach about our devotion to Jesus
but display a different devotion to the world.

Find time today to get alone with the Lord, ask Him to reveal to you those
area's where you may not be acting in a way that is pleasing to the Lord,
or ways you have allowed the worlds influences numb you to what God has
called you to do.