Daily Bible Reading Comments/Feedback/Thoughts

February 13th

2012-02-13T16:54:00.001-08:00

In today's reading we see the second census taken after the 40 years of dessert wandering that God inflicted upon the people due to their disobedience and lack of faith. From this census each tribe is given their inheritance in the land. What I find interesting is should the division of the land occurred prior to this second census the results would have been very difference. The lack of obedience on the part of some influenced the division of the inheritance for all.

Judah remained the largest tribe. They had the smallest increase (1900) but they were able to maintain the numbers and because of this they received the largest portion. Manasseh is an amazing story of the underdog. They were the smallest tribe prior to the wandering but they had a whopping increase of 20,500 and became the 6^th largest tribe. To have such a great increase shows that most of them must have gotten the point God was trying to make and lived their 40 years with little rebellion and as much obedience as they could muster. Because of this they greatly increased their portion in the inheritance. Simeon on the other hand was a sad showing of falling from grace. They began as the 3^rd largest tribe in the whole nation but by the time God was ready to bring them into the land their numbers had decreased by 37,100 and they became the smallest tribe in the nation. They would have had a great share in the land but their tremendous show of disobedience, negative influence and pride caused them to become the least and loose what could have been an even bigger blessing.

Not only did the disobedience of many affect how the inheritance was divided, it caused a decrease in the number of God's children. His nation had decreased. Those able to fight on the Lords behalf had been reduced by 1,820. I don't think God desires to loose any from his nation.

Did you know that we too are getting ready to receive an inheritance and our portion will be greatly affected by a different kind of census?

Matthew 25:34 "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world."

If you read the story that occurs before this passage in Matthew you will be reading the parable of the talents. Where the Master entrust his own money to 3 of his servants to use to bring about additional gains to his household. He gives each according to the obedience they have shown in the past with handling that which the Master deems valuable to him. Upon his return when he is ready to settle his accounts only 2 of the 3 servants have an increase. They knew their Master desired to have them use these treasures to bring about greater treasure for him. Because of this they received a larger reward. They were trusted with so much more. But to the one who did nothing, who wasted the Master's time and treasure, what they would have had was taken from them and given to another.

Like the tribes we read about in today's reading and the servants in the parable in Matthew, God has entrusted each of us with treasures. He has given each of us spiritual gifts that he wants us to use to bring about an increase in His kingdom. He desire to have His kingdom grow and he is trusting you and I to be obedient in whatever he calls us to so that we can use what he has given to us to bring about Kingdom growth.

Remember what we have learned the past 2 Monday??? You are a part of they royal priesthood, you are a holy nation. Daily we must cleans our hearts of any impurities that have attached to our hearts in the past 24 hours so that we can serve him with a right heart. Then where he is moving you are to follow and to bring with you his word and the gifts that he has given to you. You are to do this out of obedience so that we can be a part of the work of increasing his kingdom for all of eternity.

What is amazing is that God says I will reward you for all that you do. Now, let me get one thing straight here, we don't do anything to earn our salvation (Eph 2:8-9). The Israelites didn't do anything to earn their way into the promise land; it was a gift from God promised to their forefathers. But, their obedience and faithful service to God did determine what their portion would be. The same is true with our portion in the Kingdom of heaven. We are guaranteed salvation but a different kind of census will be taken of what we have done to show if there has been an increase or decrease in God's Kingdom due to our service and obedience (or lack there of) and we will be rewarded accordingly…

Matthew 16:27 "For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done. " (Also see Romans 2:6 and 1 Corinthians3:8).

We are the servants in the parable of the talents. Our Master is coming back and he will want an account of what we did with the gifts that were entrusted to us. How did we bless others and therefore increase his kingdom? Our service, our obedience will not go unnoticed and God will reward us accordingly.

If you read Matthew 25:35-40 you will see that God is not asking you to do things that are grandiose and flashy but to just be obedient to where he leads you. It can be as simple as seeing the needs of those around us and doing whatever we can to meet those needs. To show hospitality and to give of our time as well. He just wants you to be ready and willing to go where it is he leads you and to use that which he has given you, equipped you with. In this way you will bring about an increase to his Kingdom.

It is just as easy for us to ignore the work God has equipped us for. Laziness, pride, selfishness, self-centeredness, judgmental attitudes, self- righteousness, etc…. are all things that can interfere and cause a decrease in the kingdom work. They are all in opposition to God and would be considered disobedience.

What kind of servant are you?
Have you been obedient to the Lord's leading today? This week? This year?
Have you been like one of the tribes that are seeing an increase or a decrease in God's kingdom due to your actions and attitudes towards others?
Are you using the gifts, skills, and abilities that God has blessed you with to bring about Kingdom growth or have you been judgmental, self-guiding, and stubborn?
Do you covet your time or make sure that you leave enough of it available for the Lord to use in ways he desires?
What are some ways you can become a Kingdom increaser and help be a part of the work God is calling you to?

Feb 11

2012-02-11T13:07:00.001-08:00

February 11, 2012

The story of Balaam is certainly one of the most unique narratives in the entire Bible. What is going through Balaam's mind in this story? It is clear that Balaam isn't the sharpest tack in the room.

There is no doubt in his mind when the first offer arrives from Balak. "The Lord has refused to let me go with you" sounds like a pretty clear "no." Yet when Balak sends the official White House cabinet members with a Swiss bank account number, then Balaam thinks to himself, "Maybe I didn't get the message correctly from the Lord. One can't say no too quickly to offers like this; you know, they only come but once in a lifetime." Testing God's word is not a smart thing to do, in fact, it can lead to an early retirement from the prophet business.

So what are our take-aways from this story?

1. When God clearly reveals his will to us we shouldn't doubt it. There are so many times when as Christ followers, we compromise the clear guidance God has given us.

Did God really say we shouldn't be unequally yoked with unbelievers?

Did God really mean we should be completely honest?

Did God really intend for us to say no to every temptation?

Did God really command us to give a tithe of our income?

Did God really order us to forgive all our enemies?

2. There is always hope when God is involved. Even when we mess up, God is not limited. If God can speak through a donkey and a goofy prophet, he can certainly speak through us. When we witness, it isn't the giftedness of the speaker, it is the power of God.

3. We find the gospel even in a moment of failure. Even this goofy prophet is used by God to share the gospel with the entire world. Balaam speaks of a star that will come out of Jacob, "a scepter will rise out of Israel." This is a prophecy of the star of Bethlehem that will announce Messiah's birth a millennium later. The DVD "The Star of Bethlehem" presents evidence that unique planetary alignment events did occur at the birth of Jesus. When these were linked with this prophecy of Balaam, they created a WOW moment for the astronomers (Magi) of Persia.

So here is a thought for the day: If I am looking for some loophole in the Bible to give me an excuse for sinning, I am an accident waiting to happen. Don't be goofy today.

February 10, 2012 - Numbers 20, 21, 33

2012-02-10T19:51:00.001-08:00

Friday, February 10, 2012
Numbers 20, 21, 33

The Israelites are in their final year of the forty years they
spent wandering in the desert. Once again, we encounter the all too
familiar scene of ungrateful, faithless, grumbling Israelites. I can
relate. Their greatest complaint is lack of drinking water. God of
course provides. He commands Moses and Aaron to call water forth
through a rock in front of the people. When the people are gathered,
Moses says, "Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this
rock?" We? Rather than give glory to God, Moses and Aaron take credit
for drawing water from the rock. The consequence of their pride is
banishment from the Promise Land. God even said, "Because you did not
trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites,
you will not bring this community into the land I give them."

I admit, at first I thought God was being a little harsh on the
people He chose to bring His nation out of slavery with, give His laws
through, and establish His priesthood with. Then I realized that
everything God did for the Israelites had to do with Himself. God
chose the Israelites to glorify Himself. God chose the Israelites to
demonstrate His power to the world because He wanted His creation to
know who He was and give Him praise. Any mere human that takes credit
for God's work diminishes God's glory, which goes against God's plan
to be known and praised. The Israelites might have worshiped Moses and
not known God if Moses had been allowed to be proud and call glory to
himself. God performs the miracles therefore He deserves the praise.

Moses and Aaron understood God's just consequences for their
actions too, which I find significant. In Hebrews 12:9-11, the apostle
Paul said, "Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us
and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the
Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a
little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our
good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant
at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of
righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." Moses
and Aaron respected their Father God's disciplining. They knew God was
creating in them an even stronger desire for righteousness, which
specifically in this case, was humility. They knew that the peace they
had in God and their eventual life in heaven far outweighed their
present pain.

We are all children of God. Like a great parent, God loves us
first and foremost and would rather not discipline us. But when He's
forced to discipline us, it's for our own good. Let's allow the
disciplining in our lives to produce a harvest of righteousness. Let's
allow the pain in our lives to be reason to draw closer to God. For in
Him there is healing and peace and life.

God Bless,
Anthony

February 9: Numbers 16-18

2012-02-09T07:09:00.000-08:00

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2012

Numbers 16– 18

Today’s reading recounts part of the Israelites’ ongoing challenges to Moses and Aaron’s kingly and priestly leadership. While the people direct their complaints towards Moses and Aaron, we may clearly sense an underlying frustration with God’s plan for the nation. Despite having patently obvious evidence of God’s presence with Moses and Aaron – both on Mount Sinai and in the Tent of Meeting – the Israelites had rejected God’s authority over them, as administered through Moses and Aaron.

In the case of Korah’s rebellion, Moses foretells and then witnesses: “… If the LORD brings about something totally new, and the earth opens it mouth and swallows them, with everything that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the grave, then you will know that these men have treated the Lord with contempt.” (Numbers 16:30) In his humility, Moses stands to protect the honor of the One Who sent him. Yet, the Israelites contemptuously retort that Moses had “killed the Lord’s people.” (Numbers 16:41) In the resulting plague, another example of God’s well-warranted judgment, Moses and Aaron faithfully interceded on behalf of the people, and God showed both His righteous justice and abundant mercy.

We may draw three lessons from the text, in which God turns Korah and the people’s rebellion into an opportunity to establish the Levites’ service and “inheritance”:

1) The Israelites’ pridefulness had caused these leadership problems. Korah’s rebellion and the people’s indignant attitude towards Moses and Aaron point immediately to the inherent pridefulness of each person. Korah had incited even “well-known community leaders who had been appointed members of the council.”

We ultimately desire to carry out our self-will over and above others’ guidance. In the U.S., we view the rights to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” as justification for individualism and self-interest. While Jesus condemns a leadership style that “lords over” others, He advocates for a servant-first approach: “Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave – just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:24–28) God has called us to submit to spiritual authorities and to facilitate their efforts: “Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.” (Hebrews 13:17)

The Scriptures often describe people as “sheep.” Sheep may produce wool, but they require guidance to find proper food and to stay out of danger. At points, sheep may become so top-heavy with wool that a simple slip could cause them to flip over. From that position, sheep may not be able to recover. Within two to three days, the flipped sheep would likely die. Jesus Himself welled up with compassion at seeing His people, the first-century Jews, “harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” (Matthew 9:36)

God has instituted that both sheep and people would find loving, firm shepherds to guide and protect us. Romans 13:1,2 explains that God has authority over the world’s governments, and we should accordingly give due respect: “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.”

What about less-than-godly leadership, however? We will later read about Daniel, a servant to Nebuchadnezzar, who strikes the proper balance. Daniel and his three friends faithfully follow Nebuchadnezzar’s leadership when it does not conflict with his overriding commitment to following God. When Nebuchadnezzar creates an image for them to worship, they refuse and explain to this earthly king: “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” (Daniel 3:16–18) In short, we must have a firm grasp of the Scriptures so that we may properly evaluate whether a questionable matter forces us to refuse compliance in deference to God’s call on our life.

2) We find rest in becoming content with what God has given us: Himself. The people’s rebellion arises largely from their frustrations: Why had Moses and Aaron led them to a point that seemed worse than Egypt? Did God really not care for his people? (Ironically, the people today declare Egypt as a “land of milk and honey,” yet they rejected – by siding with the cowardly spies – the true “land of milk and honey” that God had ordained for them.)

Ecclesiastes 3:10 instructs us that God “has also set eternity in the hearts of men.” This reality means that we will seek after something greater than ourselves, longing for eternity. To me, it also suggests that each person has a longing for perfection. Both these yearnings should draw us towards the living God. In our worldly attitudes, however, we may instead express these desires through complaining. Most of our discontentedness arises when reality presents itself as different from our expectations. Psychologists explain that we typically judge ourselves vs. our peers, who cause us to set expectations for our own lot in life. If you reflect on yesterday, your attitude towards the day’s goodness will likely stem from whether it met, exceeded, or fell short of your expectations.

Paul writes in Philippians 4:11–13 that he had learned contentment, despite his imprisonment: “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” He had come to expect and long for only God’s presence and faithfulness, viewing “everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” (Philippians 3:8)

3) God provides for His workers. God institutes the Levites’ authority over the sanctuary, charging them to be “responsible for the care of the sanctuary and the altar, so that wrath will not fall on the Israelites again.” (Numbers 18:5) They would receive “the service of the priesthood as a gift” (Numbers 18:7). Their inheritance would not come in the form of land; instead, God declares that “I am your share and your inheritance among the Israelites.” (Numbers 18:20) The Levite priests would receive the firstfruits of the land through tithes and offerings and would thus receive nourishment and blessing. Yet, even with these offerings, God directed that “you must present as the Lord’s portion the best and holiest part of everything given to you.” (Numbers 18:29)

In a similar fashion, as “strangers on earth” (Hebrews 11:13) and citizens of heaven (Philippians 3:20), we are called both to be responsible for making disciples and enjoying God’s presence and His blessings – but continuing to offer the firstfruits as signs of thanksgiving and dependence.

QUESTIONS

How may you show greater respect to those in authority and facilitate their service?
How may you grow in contentment and your overall enjoyment of God’s blessings?

________________________________________
1) Blog: http://bit.ly/rV1Cw1

2) Facebook: http://on.fb.me/tc6jkS

Numbers 12-14

2012-02-08T18:50:00.000-08:00

Such heaviness today. My heart is heavy to read tragedy of those with little faith. My heart is sad for Moses. A man with so much faith and obedience... He will never see the Promise Land. Shaking my head (like I usually do) at the Israelites. Such little faith!!!!!!!! They were sitting on the front steps of a land flowing with milk and honey (koop-aid and marshmallows as I used to tell my first graders :) that God told them they could HAVE!! Here you go Israel, take it! It's yours! Just believe that I am with you! But they didn't believe. They doubted the God that lead them out of Egypt. Parted the Red Sea. Appeared and guided them in clouds and fire. Sent food from Heaven, water out of rocks. Only Joshua and Caleb believed they could take huge land. We see God... He punishes those with little faith.
We also see God...the God of mercy. Mercy. He could have (and really thought about it) totally destroyed these Israelites with no faith. He was angry, amazed they still didn't believe they could do ALL things through Him. He did no destroy them, but let them live. Punished and in judgement, but they lived. In His mercy he declared Joshua (Hebrew name for "the Lord is salvation") and Caleb would be the only ones who would enter the land. I admire Moses and his courage but also intimacy he had with God. Wow.
There is much more to say and go over in this text.... Sermons. I'm reminded of Psalm 145 (I think his was read at church on Sunday). Mediate on God's mercies in our life. We have little faith. We have been lead out of Egypt (slaves to sin) and we have been lead by the light and heat of His fire and clouds. He has parted seas and settled storms in our lives. Be a Joshua. A Caleb. A Moses. Be courageous and have X-Faith.
Psalm 145:8. "The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and great in mercy. The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works."

February 8

2012-02-07T14:56:00.000-08:00

Numbers 11:23

The LORD answered Moses, "Is the LORD's arm too short? Now you will see whether or not what I say will come true for you."

I'm sure there were a lot of times where Moses felt overwhelmed, stretched thin, and pulled in many different directions. He was the leader of a nation of over 3 million people. Needless to say, this job came with a lot of responsibilities. On top of all the tasks and people he was in charge of, he had to deal with complaining as well. There was no end to the grumbling: How are we going to get water? How are we going to get food? We don't like this food. Where are we going? When will we get there? Why did we have to leave Egypt? Is God going to leave us to die out here in the desert?

In Numbers 11, the people were tired of eating manna and complained about wanting something different to eat. They wanted meat and started reminiscing about the "good times" in Egypt when they supposedly had all the variety of food they wanted (and apparently forgot that they were slaves as well!) Moses had enough and cried out to God. "Why have you brought this trouble on your servant? What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me?" The Lord then promised He would provide the people with the meat they asked for. Moses then asked how that would be possible since there were so many of them. Then God sent quail from the sea, more than enough meat for the people to eat.

I certainly can relate to Moses. Moses was so overwhelmed with his present situation that he lost sight of how big God is. He made his problems bigger than the Lord and he lost hope. Like the Israelites, he began complaining. Then when God promised to provide meat, he questioned God on how He would do it. Now, think about that. Moses asked God, the Creator of the universe and the One who rescued an entire nation of over 3 million from slavery, how He would provide them with enough meat. Moses was still making his problems bigger than His God.

I must admit that last week I was very much like Moses. I made my present situation and problems bigger than my God and I suffered for it. I felt hopeless and I felt sorry for myself and I couldn't possibly see how anything could get better. Then God revealed the answer to me: I was making Him too small. My focus was all wrong. As soon as I confessed that God was bigger than any situation I was in and that He needed to be the center of all things I do, I could feel a tremendous weigh lifted off my shoulders. When God is bigger than our problems, then with Him, we can make it through anything.

I guarantee that all of us can relate to Moses. I want encourage you if you are feeling overwhelmed to change your focus from your big problems to your even bigger God. He is infinitely powerful and He loves us more than we could possibly imagine. He wants to help us through the difficult times in our lives. I encourage you to let Him.

February 6th

2012-02-06T06:19:00.001-08:00

Hello citizens of the Holy Nation, members of the Royal Priesthood, possessions of God. How did you do this past week declaring the praises of Him who brought you out of darkness into His wonderful light? (1 Peter 2:9)

This week's passage is a reminder of what you; members of the Royal priesthood have been called to be a part of. We read in today's passage what the tribe of Levi was assigned to do, what the royal priesthood's tasks were to be. They were in charge of the care and maintenance of the temple as well as the spiritual needs of the nation according to God's word. We are still called to this same task today:

Ephesians 4:7 & 11-13

But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

We are charged with the task of caring for, maintaining, and building up the Church, which is the body of Christ. We are to encourage, support, and prepare each other for works of service. That is what we see in this passage: the Levite clans being prepared for works of service so that the Temple will be maintained and the people of Israel will be ready for the services that God is calling them to.

Now you may read this passage and say, "But the Levite's were in charge of the Holy things of the temple, in moving the temple and building it up wherever God lead them. We don't have the Holy things and the church is firmly founded on Courtland Ave. How am I to follow these task?" Well, we do have the holy things in our possession. We hold the covenant truths, the law, the word that was written with the finger of God in hands. You held it; you transported it when you read your reading today. It's God's word. We are not to treat it with mindless actions. We are not to look at it as a coffee table book. We are to treat it with the same mental attitude, with the same high regard and respect that the Levite's were commanded to treat the temple articles with. As far as being in charge of the moving of the temple to wherever God leads, this one is easy to see. This is a task that we are charged with every single day. So wherever God would have you go each day you are in charge of bringing the temple treasure, the Holy of Holies with you (the word of God). It might be your home, work, school, a neighbors house, in traffic on the highway, at a restaurant, maybe another state or country on a mission trip, the possibilities are endless. But wherever God moves you to each day you are called to continue your service in carrying the treasures, the word of God with you so that the church may be built up and ready for further acts of service. You are to do this while declaring the praises of Him who brought you out of darkness into His wonderful light.

You are a part of the body of Christ therefore you are a part of His Church (The Temple). As we read in Ephesians 4, we each have been gifted by the grace of God to serve according to His will and the needs He sees. Why? To build His Church. We have a task to do and God leads us to where He sees fit for us to serve according to our giftedness.

So I'll ask you again, how did you do this past week as a member of the Royal Priesthood in carrying the Word of God wherever he called you and in doing so declaring the praises of God most high?

What do you need to do differently or what attitudes/actions do you maybe need to ask God to help you work on so that you can be a better servant of the Holy things you possess and are in charge of carrying with you ever day?

Are you carrying God's word with you wherever He leads you each day or do you pick and choose when and where you will bring it?

Like Moses, God speaks to you (through Christ) face to face as a friend. But those conversations are not meant to be kept a secret between the two of you. You need to go out and carry them to others who haven't yet learned that they too are part of this amazing Royal Priesthood.

God is on the move, are you moving with Him???

February 4

2012-02-04T05:56:00.001-08:00

February 4, 2012

As we read through the Bible this year we will encounter some apparent discrepancies. It's important to dig deeper for possible explanations and not take the short cut that says it is an error. Here's an example from today's reading.

Numbers 4:3 Count all the men from thirty to fifty years of age who come to serve in the work in the Tent of Meeting. (Feb 6^th reading)

Numbers 8:24 This applies to the Levites: Men twenty-five years old or more shall come to take part in the work at the Tent of Meeting. (Feb 4^th reading)

What is the age for the priesthood? Is it 25 or 30? These verses are only 4 chapters away from each other. Either someone has made a tremendous mistake or there is another explanation. Skeptics quickly point out the difference and say the Bible cannot be trusted. But I think there is a good explanation of the age difference. The Jamison commentary suggests: "They entered their work in the 25^th year as pupils and probationers, under the superintendence and direction of their senior brethren; and at 30 they were admitted to the full discharge of their official functions."

In other words, this was a 5-year apprenticeship that preceded the actual service of the Levites. Is that too great a leap of faith? I don't think so.

If the skeptics are right and this is just a man-made book, even an elementary school child would have been able to point out the error in the text and correct it.

Some read the Bible looking for things to be wrong and others read it looking for reasonable explanations.

Another example ... Numbers 8:25 says that at the age of 50 the Levites must retire. That would mean I would be out of work today and spending my days chasing a little white ball around a golf course. But the very next verse says, "They may assist their brothers in performing their duties at the Tent of Meeting, but they themselves must not do the work. This, then, is how you are to assign the responsibilities of the Levites."

F. LaGard Smith says concerning these verses, "Just as there might be other duties after the age of 50, so there might be duties under the age of 30. The point for us is to read the scriptures to get the full picture – looking first for the obvious, then looking again for the not so obvious."

Isn't this a lot of fun!!!

The next 30 days are when most people drop out of the race. Think of these days as a college level course in Jewish culture and history. Do not even think of quitting the race now!!!

Friday, February 3, 2012: Leviticus 8-10

2012-02-03T18:15:00.001-08:00

Friday, February 3, 2012
Leviticus 8-10

God's merciful heart remains beyond my comprehension. From the
beginning of mankind's existence, people have turned away from their
creator. Nonetheless, God remains faithful. God's choice to ordain
Aaron as Israel's first High Priest in today's reading is evidence of
God's mercy and faithfulness. Think about it – at Mount Sinai when
Moses was communicating with the living God on behalf of the
Israelites, Aaron was fashioning a golden calf for the people to
worship. Aaron thought it was okay for the Israelites to worship an
idol over the living God. Now, God is calling Aaron to be a spiritual
leader among his people. Astonishing!

No wonder why God called for so many sacrifices in these chapters
to purify His chosen people. Besides Moses, Aaron and his sons were
Israel's most righteous people. Yet, they were flawed.

No human, no matter how righteous could ever live up to God's
standards. This is why God sent His only begotten Son Jesus Christ to
do it for us. Only God is capable of living up to His own perfect law.
Only through belief in Jesus Christ are we made perfect before God the
Father.

During Old Testament times, animal sacrifices were essential to
the washing away of the sins of the High Priests and the people. We
learn that these sacrifices had to be made over and over again; first
for the sins of the High Priests, then for the sins of the people.
Only with the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus were people
finally atoned for once and for all. In Hebrews 10:5-7, it says,
"Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: Sacrifice and
offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with
burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. Then I said,
'Here I am – it is written about me in the scroll – I have come to do
your will, my God.'"

The blood of animals weren't enough for the Israelites. They still
felt the guilt of their sins. Only God's blood can completely wash
away the guilt of our sins.

Aren't you thankful that we worship the ultimate High Priest?
Jesus is the only High Priest that didn't need to purify Himself with
sacrificial animals. Jesus was without a blemish like the sacrificial
animals and therefore became the final sacrifice.

Like Aaron, we have all turned our back on God. I do it almost
every day when my pride tells me that, "I'm God and I have it all
figured out." Thankfully, God's always standing there waiting for me
to step outside of myself and turn back towards Him. It is only when
I'm turned towards God that I feel peace. It is only when I'm turned
towards God that I'm reminded that I don't need to feel guilty for my
sins anymore. I encourage you all to look towards God right now and
allow yourself to feel the grace that He gives freely.

God says that you're Blessed,
Anthony

February 2: Exodus 39,40

2012-02-02T06:22:00.000-08:00

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2012

Exodus 39,40

Today’s reading marks the culmination of the people’s diligent efforts to establish the Tabernacle after the plan that God had revealed to Moses. The passage brings to conclusion His promises to build a nation and to take His people from Egypt.

Reflecting the words that sealed the Creation in Genesis 2:1–3, Exodus 39:32 explains: “So all the work on the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, was completed. The Israelites did everything just as the Lord commanded Moses.” The cloud of God’s Presence would not depart the Tabernacle, pointing to the permanence and His ownership over His nation, Israel: “Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle…. So the cloud of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day, and the fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel during all their travels.” We have a similar promise in Hebrews 13:5, assuring us of God’s promise never to leave or forsake His children.

In the descriptions of this ornate and sacrificial work on the Tabernacle, we may draw two other key lessons:

1) The “how” matters as much as the “what.” We might summarize this concept with the axiom: “God’s work done in God’s way will honor God and receive His blessing.” (Missionary Hudson Taylor offered another greater truth in a similar statement: “God’s work, done God’s way, will never lack God’s supply.”) Clearly, God has endowed each of us, much in the way that He blessed the Tabernacle craftsmen, with skills and abilities: “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10) We must be careful to note that we do not undertake these “good works” in order to “earn” our salvation, but rather our sacrificial attitude towards service reflects our grateful reaction to the finished work of Christ on the cross and its power to bring eternal life “to all who received him, to those who believed in his name.” (John 1:12)

On the other hand, we must not allow ourselves to become complacent in thinking that our work, however tedious, has no greater meaning. Indeed, as I noted above, I am convinced that our attitude matters as much as our achievements. We will not all paint masterpieces, write symphonies, manage Fortune 500 companies, or pastor and counsel hundreds of people. Yet, God has called each one of us to His purpose for our lives. Colossians 3:22–24 instructs us: “Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” As we all serve others, these verses apply equally appropriately to a 21st-century office worker as to a first-century bondsman.

How should we approach our work? Too often, we look at work as a chore or an obligation, rather than a blessing and means of glorifying and honoring God. Instead, we may view every (legal) activity as a means of blessing His people and bringing glory to His Name. The Scriptures make clear that, even in the Garden, God has called us to work as a means of worshipping and serving Him and His people.

Three crucial elements for such an approach include: humility, integrity, and excellence. As we mature, we recognize that none of our skills come in isolation; all talents are God-given and experience-refined. In this spirit of humility, we will naturally be filled with a grateful heart and an eagerness to show ourselves worthy of such gifts. Integrity implies a wholeness and thoroughness of character that may never revel in dishonesty but seeks to bring justice to each situation (Amos 5:24). We must further bring excellence to our work, for there are no tasks too small that they cannot bring glory to God.

While growing up, I often accompanied my parents, typically my dad, in cleaning up sticks, branches, and limbs from the many trees on my parents’ property. After a storm, we would sometimes find our driveway impassable with a foot-thick limb straddling the road surface. (Pennsylvania, meaning “Penn’s Woods,” is indeed an accurate name.) In any event, I often looked at these pick-up efforts as meaningless, reasoning that other branches would come soon, perhaps in another storm even that day. With 20 years of hindsight, I see now that even the driveway clean-up duty served as an opportunity to learn the value of work. With an attitude adjustment, brought about by grace, I might have given a better effort.

Moses’s attitude towards the Tabernacle work demonstrates a proper perspective on godly stewardship and leadership. As God has given the directions to Moses, he takes responsibility for the quality and accuracy of the work. Furthermore, Moses ensures that the craftsmen have adequate resources by rallying everyone behind this common mission. Moses clearly takes care to communicate the broader vision with the people and to build unity. At the completion of the work, Moses blesses the people, providing them with the affirmation we all wish to hear: “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

2) We ought to offer our lives as living sacrifices. In a similar way to the Israelites, God has called us to offer our lives as “living sacrifices.” (Romans 12:1,2) In so doing, we become committed to living a life of worship and intentionality: “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Colossians 3:17) Practically speaking, this commitment demands that we place all our time, talent, energy, and money at His feet, asking for His direction in how to deploy our limited resources. In our pride, we will find ourselves seeking to retake control of the reins. We must rededicate ourselves to this attitude on a daily or hourly basis, recognizing that God has created us for His very purpose (Ephesians 2:10 again).

QUESTIONS

How would you like to grow in humility, integrity, and excellence in your work?
Do you see any of your “work” as unimportant to God? How may you reorient your attitude to focus on bringing Him glory in all things?

________________________________________
1) Blog: http://bit.ly/rV1Cw1

2) Facebook: http://on.fb.me/tc6jkS

February 1 Exodus 35:4-39:1

2012-02-01T19:17:00.001-08:00

February 1

Exodus 35:4-39:1

Happy first day of February! How exciting that we have all completed one month together! I hope you all are on track…I know it can be hard to find the time sometimes, but I hope you also pray that God would give us the desire to make the time with Him. That has been one of prayers this week: for myself and everyone who is on this journey.

Today was a little bit of a repetition from Sunday's reading and Gina did a great job recapping in her blog. The Tabernacle, the Ark, the lampstands, veil, and everything else that was constructed. A few things to note about God's character: He is so specific!!!! This reminds me of when Noah built the ark. There were exact measurements, materials, and details to how He wanted it completed! Remember, this is where God is going to dwell and this will be part of the Jewish culture for centuries! This is where it all began! It's interesting to me how God made it an option for the people to willingly offer their riches for this and at one point they had so much they had to start turning materials away! There are so many instances when we see the Hebrew people turn away from God, but a comfort to see this moment of sacrifice and willingness from the Israelites, all for God's glory.

The biggest thing that jumped out to me with this story is to again see how sovereign and wise our great God is. So many times we see verses that say, "whom the Lord has given skill," or the Spirit of God filled him with the ability, etc. The Hebrew people were a great a numerous nation, and everyone had a role, a skill, and a gift. There were perfumers, designers, carpenters, artists, and seamstresses and they all played a role in the success of this great and holy place….a place where God would dwell. We all have specific roles, jobs, talents, and gifts. Some of us can teach, have compassion, hospitality, serve, etc. and we are all specifically needed as the body of Christ. We are the laborers now. God calls each one of us to live and work for His glory. God no longer dwells in the Holy of Holies. I can just imagine how breathtaking it must have been with all the gold, designs, and bright colors. But how blessed are we that God now dwells in us! We are the laborers! We are working for His kingdom and we must be unified and work together. Use your talents and gifts for His glory! We are the body of Christ. Encourage one another. Love one another. Take care of one another.

January 31: Exodus 32-34

2012-01-31T17:35:00.001-08:00

January 31: Exodus 32-34

~Exodus 33:18-23~
Then Moses said, "Now show me your glory."
And the LORD said, "I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. But," he said, "you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.
Then the LORD said, "There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen."

~Matthew 7:7-8~
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

~Exodus 34:29~
When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD.

~2 Corinthians 5:17~
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

Two things that stood out to me in today's reading:
(1) If we sincerely ask God to reveal Himself to us, He will.

(2) Once we encounter God, we will never be the same.

There have been times in my life where I felt like God was far away from me. I wondered where He was and if He cared about me. The truth is that God never moves away from us. If He feels distant, it's because we did the moving. God desires to reveal Himself to us. He wants us to know Him and share all of ourselves with Him. Moses wanted nothing more than to see God's glory. The fact that no one could see God's face and live did not hinder him at all. We can certainly learn from Moses on how to have a deeper relationship with God: all you have to do is ask.

After Moses's experience with God, he was visibly changed. The Israelites noticed immediately that his face had become radiant. When we encounter God, we are not physically changed, but we do become different people. When we share our lives with Him and invite Him to live in our hearts, we are new creations that are drastically different from our former selves.

God wants to show Himself to us and He wants to make us new creations in Him. If you feel like God is far away or if you feel like the same old person you were before, I encourage you to ask Him to show you His glory and to change you for the better. I guarantee that He will.

Monday January 30th Exodus 30:17-21

2012-01-30T19:41:00.001-08:00

I am sorry that this took so long to send. I knew what I wanted to write I just couldn't figure out how to write it. I hope you find this helpful. God bless.

1 Peter 2:9 "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light."

Did you know you were a priest? Well you are and if you don't believe me reread the verse above. What does it mean to be a priest, a part of the royal priesthood? It means that you have been set apart to serve the Lord. You have been called to help lead others to the redemption of their hearts through the sacrifice of Christ on the altar of the cross. You do that by declaring the praises of God who lead you out of darkness and into the light of truth.

What does this have to do with today's reading? In Exodus 30:17-21 we read about how a bronze basin was to be made to hold clean water so that the priests could wash their hands and feet each day before they began their service to the Lord. The reason they only had to wash their hands and feet were because in Exodus 29 we see that the priest were already consecrated to the Lord, made pure through the sacrifices offered on their behalf. Their bodies were clean but each day they had to clean off the dirt that stuck to their feet over the course of the past 24 hours so that they could serve the Lord without hindrance or blemish.

In John 13 we read about Jesus washing the feet of his disciples. His royal priesthood. Do you remember what Peter (the one who wrote the above opening verse) said in response to Christ's actions?
"No," said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet." (verse 8). Christ responded, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me."
Christ was trying to help them meet the requirements (Ex. 30) of the priesthood, as he knew that the disciples were about to be sent out as servants to share the news of the sacrifice of Christ on the cross.
Peter then said to Christ, "not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!" Christ again had to correct Peter and tell him that, "A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean."
Christ is our bronze basin, our fountain or spring of living water (Zech 13:1, Jer 17:13). His blood redeemed us from our sins and opened up the pathway to our God. But we still live in a sinful body that dwells in a sinful world. Every day as we take steps along our path of life we can't help but step into sin and dirty our clean hearts. It can be an impure thought, an unrighteous action, a moment of pride or selfishness. We are forgiven and the price was already paid on the cross for our sins. This washing is not that. This is a reminder for us that even though we are no longer a slave to sin we are not immune from its effects on our lives. If we do not daily check our hearts to make sure that they are cleaned from the effects of the sins we encounter each day they will build up and become a blemish in our service to the Lord. It will affect our ability to declare the praises of him who brought us out of darkness and into the wonderful light. If you do not think you need to go to Christ and check your heart each day then he says you have no part in his ministry.

So as a member of God's royal priesthood, don't forget the importance of going to the fountain of living water, Jesus Christ each and every day and asking him to help rid you of whatever impurities have attached themselves to your heart. Ask him to make you aware of the sins that tend to attach themselves to you so that you can be more aware and more prepared to counter them as you walk your path each day.

You are God's vessel. I don't like using dirty dishes when serving people who have come into my house looking to be fed; I don't think God does either.

January 29th

2012-01-29T11:13:00.001-08:00

January 29th Exodus 25-31

The Tabernacle

Today we read about the blueprints God gave Moses for His tabernacle. The tabernacle was like a visual of God's presence among the people, His presence indicated by the cloud of smoke. The tabernacle was a kind of tent, separated into two parts: the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. The whole thing was about 150 feet by 75 feet. The brazen altar was placed right inside, then after was the laver, where the priest would wash their hand and feet before going into the Holy Place. Upon entering the Holy Place, the priest would find the menorah, a lampstand hammered out of one piece of gold, which I'm guessing would make it pretty small. He would also find the table of showbread, which was a table covered with gold, on the right side, across from the menorah. Then in front of the curtain that separates the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies was the golden alter of incense, which was smaller than the brazen alter, covered with gold, and had four horns on the corners. After passing the golden alter of incense, there was a curtain of blues and purples. Only the high priest could go in there and only on one day of the year. The Holy of Holies was a perfect cube, filled with smoke, that would funnel out to form the cloud. The smoke also served as a veil for the high priest when he went in, because no one can see the face of God. In all the smoke there was a piece of furniture called the Ark of the Covenant, and on top of it the mercy seat, or atonement cover, which was a chair like piece of furnature. The mercy seat was made of a piece of gold, and the Ark was made of the same acacia wood as the rest of the furniture and also plated in gold, inside and out. Inside the Ark, God told Moses to put three things: the tablets with the 10 commandments on them, a golden pot of manna, and Aaron's staff. God then chose priests- Aaron and his four sons. Aaron was the first high priest, followed by his descendants. They were the ones to go into the Holy of Holies on the Day of Atonement and seek forgiveness of their people's sins. Keeping in mind that a priest is someone who is kind of a mediator between God and man, this role of high priesthood foreshadowed Christ, because he was our connection to God, and He atoned for our sins.

God gave Moses a very in-depth set of instructions for how He wanted worship to go. As the summary before the passage said, this shows that "no detail of man's worship of God is too small for God's concern."

Have a wonderful Sunday :)

Gina

January 28

2012-01-27T20:23:00.001-08:00

January 28, 2012 Exodus 19-24 The Law

In September of 2011, David Brooks of The New York Times wrote a column on the nearly complete lack of a moral vocabulary among most American young people.

Here are few quotes from his article:

"When asked to describe a moral dilemma they had faced, two-thirds of the young people either couldn't answer the question or described problems that are not moral at all…"

"Moral thinking didn't enter the picture, even when considering things like drunken driving, cheating in school or cheating on a partner..."

"The default position, which most of them came back to again and again, is that moral choices are just a matter of individual taste ..."

"As one put it, 'l mean, I guess what makes something right is how I feel about it. But different people feel different ways, so I couldn't speak on behalf of anyone else as to what's right and wrong ...' "

"Morality was once revealed, inherited and shared, but now it's thought of as something that emerges in the privacy of your own heart."

This study has just confirmed what I have seen over the past 30 years. Moral standards have been replaced by feelings. Good and evil are now defined by the standards of "yummy" or "yucky." They are simply a matter of personal preference.

Today we see the antidote to the moral slide. The Law of God takes us above "yummy and yucky." The purpose of the Law is to provide and protect us by giving us 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 showed the Israelites and it shows us what sin is and that we can never be holy enough to make it to heaven on our keeping of that Law. 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.

In addition, when we live by the principles of the law we find that life makes sense. Did you see the phrase, "but showing love to a thousand generations to those who love me and keep my commandments?" Living by the 10 commandments gives 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."

January 27, 2012: Exodus Chapter 15:22 - Chapter 18

2012-01-27T15:28:00.001-08:00

Friday, January 27, 2012
Exodus Chapter 15:22 - Chapter 18

The bulk of today's reading focuses on the physiological (food and
water) and spiritual needs of the Israelites as they travel from the
Red Sea to Mount Sinai (where in tomorrow's reading, Moses will give
the Ten Commandments). Certainly meeting the physiological needs for
180,000 people in the middle of the desert seems impossible, but not
with God.

The Israelites in their humanism doubted God's ability to sustain
them in the desert. Early in our reading, we see this doubt quickly
turn into "grumbling" on behalf of the Israelites towards Moses and
ultimately towards God. In their hunger, the Israelites said to Moses,
"If only we had died by the Lord's hand in Egypt! There we sat around
pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us
out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death." It's
amazing how quick the Israelites forget about the miracles God had
already performed in their lives. He had just delivered them from 400
years of slavery and divided a sea in two for their escape from the
Egyptians. Surely He can supply food!! In the midst of trials, do you
have faith in God's ability to provide just what you need?

In Matthew 6:31-33, Jesus says, "So do not worry, saying, 'What
shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For
the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows
that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness,
and all these things will be given to you as well." God knows exactly
what we need. He just wants us to believe in his ability to provide.
This was perhaps the Israelites greatest battle in the desert; their
fight for belief in God's promises. Nonetheless, God remained
faithful. God endowed quail and manna (bread) to appease the hunger of
His people. God supplied water from a rock to quench their thirst.
Physically, their needs felt met. God's greater plan however, was for
his people to know he could provide no matter the circumstances. Every
morning (six out of seven days a week) for forty years, God
miraculously made Manna appear on the ground. Bread provided in this
fashion was meant to increase the faith of the Israelites. Water
brought forth through a rock was another sign meant to build the trust
of the Israelites.

Both the "Manna" and the "water from the rock" portray Christ as
we know from the New Testament. In 1 Corinthians 10:3-4, the apostle
Paul says, "They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same
spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that
accompanied them, and that rock was Christ." It was Christ that kept
the Israelites alive in the desert. If God had the Israelites drink
from the rock of Christ to sustain them, then shouldn't we drink from
that same rock?

In John 6:35, Jesus said, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to
me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be
thirsty." Those that are in Jesus Christ are forever blessed. For in
Christ, we have the bread from heaven and the water that will always
quench our thirsts. Let's seek spiritual nourishment today by faith in
Jesus Christ.

You're Blessed,
Anthony

January 26: Exodus 13:17-15:21

2012-01-26T06:55:00.000-08:00

THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2012

Exodus 13:17–15:21

We read today about God’s parting the Red Sea so that the Israelites may continue their exodus from Egypt. In the process, God demonstrates His power and provision in guiding the Israelites according to His path and vanquishing the oncoming Egyptians. We catch the first glimpse of the Israelites’ wavering hearts and proclivity towards fear and complaining. As the Lord’s selected prophet, Moses speaks His truth in order to encourage and direct the people. (While a prophet’s ministry may involve foretelling, in the strictest sense, a prophet merely passes along that which God has revealed to him for the edification of others.)

We receive great encouragement in reading about God’s leading of the Israelites through the cloud and fire. At first glance, we might feel some envy for such a tangible display of God’s provision or grow judgmental of the Israelites, whose faith wavers so frequently, despite this evidence of God’s presence. The Israelites express their grievances to Moses: “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt?” (Exodus 14:11) Yet, Moses reassures the people: “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” (v. 14) Immediately thereafter, God calls the people to start moving and bring the plan to fruition: “Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them. And I will gain glory through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen. The Egyptians will know that I am the LORD when I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen.” (vv. 16–18)

We may understand the awesome miracles in today’s text as part of God’s ongoing efforts to reveal His glory. God’s protecting the Israelites from the Egyptians and His parting of the Red Sea and leading the Israelites on dry ground would become an indelible stamp on the nation’s history. The Israelites could rightly proclaim, along with Moses: “Who is like you–/ majestic in holiness,/ awesome in glory,/ working wonders?” (Exodus 15:11b) God has created us for this very purpose: to see and delight in His glory. Any glory of earth pales in comparison (or merely reflects) His eternal and magnificent glory.

On a personal level, we may read promises in the Scriptures as examples of His revelation – for example, John 17:3: “Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” From eternity, God has taken great steps to reveal Himself to every person of every nation, and Jesus has called His followers to join with Him in this effort (Matthew 28:18–20). One powerful means through which God has portrayed His glory lies in His creation:

“The heavens declare the glory of God;

the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

Day after day they pour forth speech;

night after night they display knowledge.

There is no speech or language

where their voice is not heard.

Their voice goes out into all the earth,

their words to the ends of the world.” (Psalm 19:1–4)

Yet, how do we wrestle with the question of how the destruction of the Egyptians brought forth God’s glory? We have previously encountered the terrifying display of God’s judgment in the flood, but God promised with the rainbow that He would no longer destroy the whole earth, even though: “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.” (Genesis 6:5) With the Egyptians, they had clearly witnessed God’s hand in the plagues, leading even Pharaoh’s magicians to acknowledge God’s sovereign power. We read that “the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let the Israelites go.” (Exodus 10:20)

With the Egyptians, we view a clear interplay of divine sovereignty and human responsibility. God did direct the situation to bring about a greater revelation of His glory. Indeed, He caused the Egyptians to have a favorable impression of the Israelites, allowing the Israelites to “plunder” the Egyptians upon their exit. Each actor, and especially Pharaoh, participated willingly in shaping the story. Pharaoh’s heart had an inclination to fear and later hate the Israelites. As Pastor Scott noted, Pharaoh’s reliance on magical arts suggests a demonic attachment and therefore spiritual opposition to Moses’s plea to allow the Israelites to worship the true and living God. Furthermore, we understand from Romans that God provided the Egyptians, and every individual throughout history, sufficient revelation to reach out to Him: “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” (Romans 1:18–20)

This reading elicits another practical consideration about our own wavering hearts. Like the Israelites, we know of God’s faithfulness in the past, both through Scripture and through personal experience and family history. We have the additional blessing of the testimony of the New Testament, which gives a blueprint for Christ’s returning to reign over the new heavens and new earth. Despite knowing what has transpired and what resolution God will ultimately bring, we worry in this moment, for today, or for the immediate or more distant future. We must approach Him humbly, recognizing that we are without resources to control even a moment and calling out to Him for His strength. As we seek Him, He will provide grace for this moment; He delights in our continuous pursuit and growing knowledge of Him. Like the Israelites, we remain “still” in trusting Him, but, spurred on by His moment-by-moment grace, we take action according to His direction. Proverbs 3:5,6 guides us perfectly:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways acknowledge him,

and he will make your paths straight.”

QUESTIONS

In what ways may you serve as a prophet to those in whose path God has placed you? What can you share about His revelation?
How do you struggle to trust Him in this moment?

________________________________________
1) Blog: http://bit.ly/rV1Cw1

2) Facebook: http://on.fb.me/tc6jkS

January 25: Exodus 11-12 (ish)

2012-01-25T19:28:00.001-08:00

January 25: Exodus 11-12 (ish)

So you know, I have actually read this text a few times over the last couple days and I've been talking to God, debating what we should discuss today. As always, thick chapters…sermons and sermons. I have been sitting on my couch, procrastinating a little, watching American Idol, starting a few sentences here and there, erased them, and now starting over. Been struggling with what to write, trying to focus on a few paragraphs and not a thesis J <sigh.> God blessed me today, I hope you have spent time with Him too. Here we go…

I was fortunate to teach first grade Sunday school for many years in New Mexico. All year we learned the ABC's of God: His attributes. I know we are not 6 or 7 years old, but at times we can be like little children, coming to our Abba, and in these readings we need to keep in mind He is the main character. Let's look at what we can learn about God…

A – ALMIGHTY. God is all-powerful. 10 plagues were sent to Egypt. In today's readings we see the 9^th and 10^th. Darkness and the death of the first born. He is so strong and powerful. There is nothing God cannot do, and will not do in order to show His glory and make His name known. Pharaoh had so many chances to let the Hebrews go, but his heart was stone. In God's wisdom, he caused everything to work for His will and set the instructions for Passover, as a way to show His power to all of Egypt. Many times in chapter 11 and 12 we hear the voice of God, speaking to Moses and He leads with "I will," revealing His power and might.

The next letter we can see about God is O – OMNIPRESENT. God is everywhere all the time, doing different things, but all fir His glory. The 10^th plague – the death of all the firstborn, was a quiet night. The Bible says not even a dog barked. He was with the Israelites in their homes, and He was pouring His wrath out on Egypt. God gave the Hebrews specific, specific instructions for this pass-over. A process that would involve the way they ate, prepared, and this obedience and faith would mean life or death. God said He would pass through the night, but in the end it would be a "memorial" that would last for generation to generation. It is today.

I leave you with a couple verses from Jeremiah that my first graders would have as memory verses that remind us of these two letters.

Jeremiah 32: 18b – 19a " The Mighty God, whose name is the LORD of hosts. You are the great counsel and mighty in work."

Jeremiah 23: 24 "Can anyone hide himself in secret places, So I shall not see him?' says the LORD; 'Do I not fill heaven and earth?' says the LORD"

January 24 : Exodus 9-11

2012-01-24T15:12:00.001-08:00

January 24 : Exodus 9-11

"When we want to be something other than the thing that God wants us to be, we must be wanting what, in fact, will not make us happy...whether we like it or not, God intends to give us what we need, not what we now think we want. Once more, we are embarrassed by the intolerable compliment, by too much love, not too little."

~ C. S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain

I am amazed at how stubborn and hard-hearted Pharaoh was. He was told by Moses and Aaron to let the Israelites worship in the desert, but he refused. He was warned that there would be consequences for not complying to God's command, but he still refused. So God sent 10 plagues (we have read about 9 so far) to show not only Pharaoh, but all the Egyptians and Hebrews that He is God Almighty.

It's so easy for me to look at someone else and judge them for their actions. Why did it take so long for Pharaoh to see that he could not win a fight against God? Even when his own magicians were unable to replicate the plagues after the first two, he still endured eight more before he surrendered. How much suffering could have been avoided if he had just done the right thing first?

Then it hits me: There are times in my life (more than I'd care to admit) where I am just as stubborn and hard-hearted as Pharaoh. How much needless worry and suffering have I put myself through because I was too stubborn to do things God's way? Why does it take me so long to see that I cannot win a fight against God?

I read The Problem of Pain by C. S. Lewis when I was in high school and I honestly don't remember much of it. But as I was reading today's chapters and reflecting on Pharaoh's stubbornness, I remembered a quote that I had written down in a journal about 13 years ago. "When we want something other than the thing that God wants us to be, we must be wanting what, in fact, will not make us happy." I will go so far as to say that all of us are guilty (at one time or another) of assuming that we are better than God at knowing what is best for us. We wrongly assume that we can make ourselves happy on our own. We are all guilty of being stubborn like Pharaoh. The story of the 10 plagues is not only a demonstration of God's mighty power. It is also a warning to those who do not surrender fully to God's will. God will always know exactly what we need and He will always provide for us. But if we think we know better than God and fight Him for something we think will make us happy (but actually won't), then we are headed for nothing but suffering.

The good news is it is never too late to surrender to Him. No matter how much suffering we have endured because of our hard hearts, He will always be there to accept us back and to provide us with everything He knows we need. Living in complete surrender to Him will make us happier than we could ever attempt to make ourselves. Because He knows what we need and He wants to be the One to provide it for us.

What are you holding on to that is stopping you from living the happy life that God wants you to have?

January 23rd reading

2012-01-23T16:29:00.001-08:00

Today's reading was about a very familiar story: The plagues sent upon Egypt. But why send the plagues? Why didn't God just soften Pharaoh's heart and free His people from their slavery? He saw the suffering of His people before He sent Moses and He saw how much greater it became after He sent Moses. So why allow them to suffer a greater injustice and have to endure the plagues along with the Egyptian people instead of just setting them free?

Who were the plagues meant to teach? I often times feel as if we think the plagues were meant to punish the Egyptians and teach them who God is. To a degree they were. God definitely wanted to make sure that the Egyptians knew He was God. But, I think they were meant to teach His people even more. To teach and show them about the great, loving, just, and gracious God they were called to serve.

What would have happened had God just sent Moses to a softhearted Pharaoh? Who would the people have attributed their freedom to? Pharaoh? Moses? Maybe even Aaron? God had to make sure that His children knew the full extent of their bondage and that only a loving and gracious God could set them free. He needed to make sure that they knew their God was able to see them through their journey before they even took one step of it.

(I'm jumping ahead here a bit) What happened after the Israelites were finally set free? They faced an impassable sea in front of them with a fierce Nation pursing behind them. They feared and saw no way out. They felt abandoned by their leader and their God at the base of Mount Sinai and felt they needed to create a new God to help them. They complained about not having any food and when God provided they complained that it was the same thing every day. They complained about not having any water. They faced illness and death. They faced a "giant" enemy as they prepared to enter the promise land and feared their God was not big enough to conquer them.

Let me ask you a question; How much worse would their attitudes along the journey have been had God just simply "set them free" and not showed them how powerful He was and what He was capable of through the plagues? How much more would they have complained if they had just thought that it was Pharaoh who let them go and not the all-powerful God who loved them dearly? They would have been worse!

Let me ask you another question; How is your attitude as you go through your journey called life? Do you forget the glory of God that has been displayed in so many different ways in your life and the lives of others? How much more would you complain had God sheltered you from suffering and not allowed you to endure some hardships so that you could know the God who loves you and would do anything, including giving up his life for you?

We all have to endure "plagues" in our lives, situations where we and sometimes those around us are suffering. We all to often think of these situations as "punishments" for being a sinful people. But I want to challenge your thinking during your times of struggle. Perhaps it is because you have a God who loves you so dearly and desire for you to know Him in ways you never dreamed possible. But, if He simply "lets you go" you would miss out on experiencing the awesome power of God. He can part your Red Sea, send you the manna from heaven according to whatever he knows your need to be, He can defeat the giants in your life and lead you to a peace and joy that you did not know existed.

It comes down to focus. Are your only smelling the stench of blood soaked water? Are you only seeing frogs, gnats and flies? Look deeper and what you will find is a God who is letting you know that He is capable of meeting your every need if you just learn to trust what He is doing and remember that He loves you so very much.

Jan 21 devotional

2012-01-21T05:16:00.000-08:00

January 21, 2012

Good morning and welcome to the first snow fall of winter.... a good day to catch up, if you have missed any days.

We continue with the life of Joseph in Genesis 48-50 and discover the "Pathway of Forgiveness."

Someone is going to hurt you next week. They will unintentionally or deliberately pull back their verbal bow and shoot an arrow right into your heart. Joseph knew 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 you are relying on forgetting it 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. 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. This is God's pathway towards freedom. Walk on his pathway today.

January 20, 2012 - Genesis 45:16–47:28

2012-01-20T10:48:00.001-08:00

January 20, 2012
Genesis 45:16–47:28

Today's reading begins with the Pharaoh receiving word about
Joseph and his brothers reuniting. The Pharaoh then extends an
invitation through Joseph for his brothers to retrieve their families
and father Israel/Jacob from Canaan and to come live in "the best of
the land of Egypt" so that they could "enjoy the fat of the land."
(This invitation extended by Pharaoh signifies God's supernatural
provision over "Israel." The fat of the land providing God's best for
his covenant people) When Joseph sends his brothers away with gifts to
do just that, he tells them, "Don't quarrel on the way!" Don't quarrel
on the way? Wow! I am completely awe struck with Joseph's actions.
Think about it – his brothers threw him into slavery and yet at the
end of yesterday's reading, Joseph is affectionate with his brothers.
Now, Joseph is inviting his entire family to Egypt so that he can
provide for them. I know that God is fulfilling his purpose for the
Israelites by sustaining them through Joseph's position as second in
command to Pharaoh, but Joseph is still making the choice to reconcile
with his family.

Joseph's forgiving heart is beyond my comprehension. If my
brothers threw me into slavery, I think I'd naturally be pretty bitter
and want the worst for them. I hope we can all learn something from
Joseph here. His forgiveness of his brothers freed him from his own
bitterness over them. He also freed his brothers from their guilt,
which is why he told them, "don't quarrel on the way." His brothers
just needed to accept his forgiveness to feel free. This is what
happens in our lives when we accept God's forgiveness through his son
Jesus Christ. We feel free. God wants us to focus on His grace, not
our guilt. Let's live in the freedom of God's forgiveness and not
quarrel with one another.

When Joseph's brothers arrive in Canaan and give their father
Israel the news about Joseph's reign in Egypt, Israel is shocked. At
first he doesn't believe that his son is even alive, but when he's
finally convinced, he wants to go to him. Israel then seeks God's
blessing on this move to Egypt and in a vision at Beersheba, God
comforts Israel when he says, "Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt,
for I will make you into a great nation there. I will go down to Egypt
with you, and I will surely bring you back again. And Joseph's own
hand will close your eyes." We need to learn how to seek God's
guidance with every task. Only God can remove our fear and doubt when
He blesses our undertakings. If God can comfort a 130-year old person
that's making the biggest move of his life, then He can surely comfort
us in our weaknesses of fear and worry.

With God's blessing, Israel and all his descendants find their way
to Egypt. All together, there were seventy of them. Later, we will see
God multiply these seventy descendents into thousands.

In Egypt, Joseph reunites with his entire family and brings his
father and five eldest brothers before the Pharaoh. After the Pharaoh
gives the land of Goshen (the best land of Egypt) to Joseph's family,
just as he had earlier promised, he questions Israel about his age. To
this, Israel replies, "the years of my pilgrimage are a hundred and
thirty. My years have been few and difficult, and they do not equal
the years of the pilgrimage of my fathers." In other words, life is
short and hard. I like what Jesus' brother James says in James 4:14 –
"Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your
life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then
vanishes." Our life is but a mist that appears and vanishes quickly.
No matter how tough life gets, we have to constantly remind ourselves
that the short-term hardship on this Earth will never compare with the
eternal glory we will have with God in heaven. Do you find peace in an
eternally focused mind?

The last part of the reading describes the severity of the famine
in Egypt and its affects on its people. First, everyone runs out of
money to buy food. Then they trade their livestock for food. Then they
offer themselves and their land in exchange for food. The people of
Egypt (except the priests) are brought down to a place of servitude.
To my surprise, these people express gratitude under such
circumstances. They said to Joseph, "You have saved our lives. May we
find favor in the eyes of our lord; we will be in bondage to Pharaoh."
In the end, money will fail us just as it did the Egyptians.
Eventually, everything on this Earth will fail us. When reduced to
nothing, the people of Egypt found hope in the one who saved their
lives. Let us live in the hope of Jesus Christ, the one who saves our
souls.

Be Blessed,
Anthony

January 19: Genesis 42:6-45:15

2012-01-19T07:49:00.001-08:00

THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 2012

Genesis 42:6–45:15

Today’s reading continues the account of Joseph’s reunion with his brothers during the great famine that Pharaoh’s dream had anticipated. Through the brothers’ renewed interactions, we may draw out three beautiful themes that will persist throughout the Scriptures.

First, God’s providence and man’s faithfulness may coalesce to produce significant fruit. Broadly speaking, God desires that His children exhibit the fruit of the Spirit described in Galatians 5:22,23: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” We all wish to bring these qualities into our lives, but we quickly recognize that we are unable to produce the fruit on our own. If we do generate anything, we find it to last but a short time.

In Joseph, we find someone whom God choose to serve his brothers and the people of the entire famine-affected world. He would bring a partial fulfillment of those words from Genesis 12:1–3, whose ultimate realization will come through Christ: “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…. / And all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

In the endeavor of blessing the nations, God has raised up His children to partner with Him, granting them talents, time, and energy to serve faithfully and to consequently bring glory to the great Provider of all. Joseph’s path from Potiphar’s slave to jailed “criminal” to warden’s helper to dream interpreter to Pharaoh’s second-in-command comes directly from the heart of God. Certainly, God willed Joseph through this path, but Joseph joined with God, applying those abilities God had provided and giving honor to Him through pointing to their source.

While I served as a missionary in Venezuela in 2001 and 2002, God shared a crucial lesson: we may only give our faithfulness; the results lie in God’s hands. We were seeking to reach out to college students with the great news that, in the Person of Jesus Christ, we may have complete forgiveness and restored fellowship with God. Many students were quite receptive to the Gospel and began walking with him. As with any young people, however, we encountered some flakiness. Students would arrive 30 to 60 minutes late for planned get-togethers, and we often found ourselves with unexpected “free time.” At the outset, I found myself taking this apparent rejection personally, but I soon realized that God would ultimately be honored primarily through my faithfulness to the work and my love for the students. He would take care of the results. (And, despite a challenging year with more than a few setbacks, He has multiplied this campus ministry throughout Venezuela, increasing the cities in focus from two to seven.)

As we understand from the Parable of the Talents, God does grant His children wisdom, intelligence, athletic talent, insights, wealth, loving hearts, well-tuned voices, and simply time. When we partner with God, seeking His strength to apply these gifts, great fruit may result. Yet, we are not mere passive observers in this combination of God’s providence and human faithfulness. Rather, God implores us to invest our lives, to multiply or “earn interest” on those deposits He has given us. Joseph embraces this calling, and God provides for His people.

Second, Joseph’s demands prompt Judah to rise to sacrificial leadership. Today’s history explains the fairly convoluted steps that Joseph took to “test” the genuineness of his brothers’ hearts. By placing them in danger through his accusations of theft and demanding that the 10 brothers bring Benjamin, Joseph found out whether the brothers were willing to imperil themselves individually for the benefit of the whole. In the first instance, Reuben offers to remain as “security” prior to Benjamin’s arrival, but, due to Reuben’s long-ago concern for Joseph, Joseph instead places Simeon in Egyptian custody. When it comes time to persuade Jacob to grant that Benjamin may journey to Egypt, Judah offers himself as “security.” Although his moral shortcomings with Tamar marred his past, Judah now begins to assume the leadership role that his tribe will later take, ultimately culminating in the Lion of Judah, the Lord Jesus Christ, Who will rule over all. Like his descendant, Judah lives out Jesus’s call of sacrificial love: “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13)

Third, God desires to restore fellowship between His children, and humility serves as a helpful lubricant. To conclude today’s passage, we read: “Then he threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin embraced him, weeping. And he kissed all his brothers and wept over them. Afterward his brothers talked with him.” Although the brothers had abandoned Joseph to slavery 20 years earlier, the group now shares loving fellowship. The arrival of his father Jacob will bring Joseph’s joy to complete fruition. While the brothers had treated Joseph spitefully, Joseph shows a forgiving and compassionate heart after witnessing the change in the brothers’ hearts. Their bout of hardship has caused them to relinquish their pride and to seek relief in Egypt. As Paul admonishes in Philippians 2:3,4, we should “do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Challenging circumstances do indeed reveal our true character, and the brothers clearly demonstrate how their maturity has caused them to value the entire family’s interests above their own.

QUESTIONS

In what ways have you seen God’s providence in 2012?
How may you specifically multiply the gifts that God has given you through your faithfulness?

________________________________________
1) Blog: http://bit.ly/rV1Cw1

2) Facebook: http://on.fb.me/tc6jkS

January 18: Genesis 39-41

2012-01-18T18:43:00.000-08:00

January 18: Genesis 39-41

Happy Wednesday! I hope everyone has had a good day so far! I have been excited to read and discuss Joseph with you. He has been one of my favorites for most of my life. I grew up watching the movie Joseph (staring Ben Kingsley,) and he (Joseph..not Ben Kingsley :)was always a person my family talked about. So this is comfort for me. As I have said in the past, these are some thick and meaty chapters! We could spend so much time discussing the themes and realities that Joseph faced: separation from his family, being a servant, temptation and adultery, dreams, and injustice.

I wanted to focus on a couple points that I am always reminded about when I read about Joseph: the character of God. Joseph's story is a story of faith: what it is, how it's lived, and how it's blessed. But GOD is still the main character here! There isn't direct dialogue or a direct voice from God as we saw with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but we see the intimate faith and relationship Joseph had with Him. In a foreign land, after all he went through with his brothers, Joseph clings to his faith in God, and "THE LORD WAS WITH HIM." We see these words in various forms many times in these chapters. What a beautiful picture of God. He does not forsake us or leave us. He is faithful. Joseph prospered and was blessed. The Egyptians saw "that the LORD was with him." Can people see God in me? Even when I'm having a bad day? When nothing is going right? My heart is hurt or broken? Can others see that the Lord is with me? Huh.

I shake my head again, as I know I do, when reading about Joseph. Nothing ever went right. Brothers hated him. He became a slave. He did the right thing and RAN from temptation…sin…adultery. Put into prison because of it. The guy just could not catch a break! But let's look at God again…and His great picture, because this is what I take away form Joseph. God is good. He is sovereign. He allows everything for a reason and a purpose. He really does know what He's doing. God allowed everything that happened to Joseph for a reason. He put situations in his life so that was he would grow, learn, and develop. He had dreams at a young age, and in prison, God used that for His glory. We will always have Joseph moments, and have had these moments. Things happen in our lives that are hurtful, difficult, sad, that cause us great grief. There are times when we wish to escape, but don't forget my friend that GOD IS THERE! He's preparing you for something ahead. He will use you, and shape you, but you must be willing to be shaped. You might be in a Joseph moment now. Have hope in God that it will get better. He might be preparing to use you in a might way, for His glory and to be a part of something bigger then what we can see in this moment. God used a Hebrew slave to save a nation.

January 17: Genesis 37-38

2012-01-17T17:21:00.001-08:00

January 17: Genesis 37-38

As we've read, one common theme has been jumping out at me: God's unending mercy. So far, humans have not been on the planet for very long, but they have already caused some serious damage. Wickedness of every kind has already prompted God to destroy all people except for Noah's family. Murder, adultery, lying, cheating, violence, jealousy, pride, and anger have corrupted God's creation.

Every time we read about the wickedness of humankind, I am disgusted at how far we have fallen. If I were God, I would have given up on us a long time ago. Thankfully, I am not God! Every time we read about how God responds to our wickedness, I am amazed at the depth of His mercy, compassion, patients, and love. Today's reading is definitely no exception.

The sons of Jacob had an annoying little brother: Joseph. So what did they decide to do about it? Their first idea was to kill him. Fortunately, they decide to spare his life, but sold him into slavery instead (which was not much better).

Then we read about Judah, who slept with his own daughter-in-law, thinking she was a prostitute. When she because pregnant with twins, Judah (not yet knowing that he was the father) was the first one in line demanding she be put to death. He was just as guilty, but he still tried to pin all the punishment on her.

I am so amazed at how God takes our sin and wickedness and turns it around and uses it for His perfect plan. We will read in later chapters that because Joseph's brothers sold him into slavery, Joseph then had the opportunity to save his entire family from a severe famine. When we get to the New Testament, we will find out that Jesus' linage goes right through Judah and Tamar. Their son Perez was an ancestor of Jesus the Messiah.

God, being just and holy, has every right to punish us to the fullest extent of His power because of our sin. But He doesn't. He continues to show us mercy by taking what we intend for evil and making something good. He can take wickedness and use it to save a whole nation or use it to bring His people one step closer to their Savior. I thank Him so much for His mercy and for never letting us go, despite our sinful nature.

Can you think of a time in your life when you witnessed God work despite your sinfulness?

16 January 2012 Esau's family

2012-01-16T14:40:00.001-08:00

Chapter 36 Overview:

Since this was a chapter that gives a family account of Esau's family. The reason for such detailed record of peoples who are not in the line of Christ and not otherwise noted for their godliness is that

they were descended of Isaac and primarily of Abraham's family.

Genesis 36:1-10: Allowed us to understand and see the following.

1. Esau's descendants are completely noted.

2. Primarily lived in mount Seir which was south and east of the Dead Sea

and is the present day Jordan.

3. We also find out that Esau and Edom are the same.

Genesis 36:11-19:

1. These verses contain more records concerning his sons and their sons who came to be

known as Chiefs (i.e., princes) or heads of families.

2. In this list is Amalek from which came the Amalekites.

Genesis 36:20-30:

1. A listing is made of the sons of Seir the Horite of which Esau's descendants intermarried.

Some of the them are noted as Chiefs

Genesis 35:31-39

1. The genealogy of Esau keeps listing those who would be kings of Edom prior to

the establishment of the Kings in Israel.

Have you ever done a family tree to see where you came from?

I know that when my sister did our family tree we found our great grand father was the President of Brazil John Goulart. That was pretty interesting to learn and to give better insight to where we all came from.

203-943-0961
Chuck Goulart

"Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision.The ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people attain uncommon results"

January 15

2012-01-15T06:25:00.001-08:00

January 15 - All of Gen. 34

Our reading starts out pretty sadly, today. Shechem, the son of a local prince, rapes Dinah, the only daughter of Jacob. Then Shechem is convinced that he loves Dinah, so he asks his father to get Dinah for his wife. Jacob finds out first, and doesn't share with his sons immediately what has happened, but when the sons return from the field and hear the news, they are angry, and understandably so. Hamor, Shechem's father, then asks all of them if they would give Dinah to Shechem and to intermarry with them. Shechem then tells them that to win over their favor he'll pay whatever price. As a trick, the brothers said their family cannot intermarry with uncircumcised men, so Hamor has all of the men in their city circumcised. Three days later, Simeon and Levi, two of Dinah's brothers, take advantage of the men's painful state and kill and loot the whole city. When they return, Jacob kind of scolds them, but then they replied "Should he have treated our sister like a prostitute?" Gen 34:31.

Rape is a terrible violation to any person, and the only person I know who can completely forgive it is God Himself, and that is even hard for me to wrap my head around. This is proven, though, by Simeon and Levi's reaction to their sister's rape. Rape is also a really hard subject to talk about, because people who have never been through it can never really grasp the feeling, even if they can empathize. Throughout my whole reading, though, this scene made me think of two things. The first: my older brother, who is Levi and Simeon personified, and the second: no one wrote about Dinah's reaction to all this. In the gray area that gives a quick review for this reading, it says "a story of violence turned to love" but who is in love here? I hope with all my might the writer meant Shechem's "love."

Today, I'd like to invite you to do the two things I'm about to do.

1.) Send a "hello" to any of your siblings, if you have them, because even if they don't show it in an obvious way, they really do love you. (good friends who are like siblings count too, for all you only children!)

2.) Think about how awesome/crazy/unreal the depth of God's love for us really is. He can forgive you absolutely if you would just meet Him half way. Like Pastor said yesterday, He even listens to "fox hole prayers." So maybe today you can shoot a quick prayer to God and ask Him for the help to forgive someone for a wrong/wrongs he or she has done to you. Levi and Simeon had an understandable reaction to the news of their sister's rape, but killing and looting didn't undo the rape. Taking revenge, no matter how satisfying, doesn't ever truly solve anything. Forgiveness, however, is powerful stuff. It doens't give back what was physically taken, but it does work to fix any mental wounds you may have.

Jan 14

2012-01-14T04:50:00.001-08:00

January 14, 2012

Genesis 31-33 Wrestling with God

Jacob was in a pickle. He was returning to his hometown and the last words of his brother Esau were playing over and over in his mind. Do you remember those words spoken by Esau? "I am going to kill my brother!" Wow, do you think those words impacted Jacob?

So what do you do when you know you are in over your head? You pray. This is called "fox hole" praying. But God is so merciful he even listens to "fox hole" prayers. Not only does God listen to the prayer of Jacob he answers it in a most unusual way. He schedules a wrestling match with the guy. If Jacob was a wrestler in WWE he would be known as "Jake the Snake." And tonight's featured match is "Jake the Snake" versus God. When Jake started out the match he was a dirty wrestler, but by the morning he was changed. When it says he wrestled God it means he wrestled with Jesus. No one has ever seen God the Father. Whenever God appears, it is the second person of the Trinity Jesus. And because of Jesus' special wrestling move, "Jake the Snake" would walk every day of his life with a limp. Sometimes the Lord hurts us in order to help us. Jacob was a weaker man physically, but he became a stronger man spiritually. He was given a new name, "Israel" which means… "One who struggles with God." How can we wrestle with God on a cold January day? We wrestle God through prayer. It starts out with wrestling but it ends up with clinging. We need to get hold of God today, and not let go until we know that he has touched us, forgiven us, changed us and blessed us.

Take some time right now and wrestle with God in prayer. Wrestle with him concerning your impossible situation, your sin, your family, your seeking friends, wrestle with him concerning the surrender of your life to his perfect will. It is in wrestling with God that we find our lives most drastically changed.

A note of encouragement.... We have over 50 people on our Bible reading journey this year. Everyone seems to be off to a great start. Beware!!! You will be tempted to skip a day or two very shortly. The difficulty comes in catching up. So stay up to date. Stay disciplined in the journey. It takes 30 days of practice to create a new habit.

2012-01-14T04:49:00.001-08:00

January 14, 2012

Genesis 31-33 Wrestling with God

January 13: Genesis 29 and 30

2012-01-13T08:32:00.001-08:00

Friday, January 13, 2011
Genesis 29 and 30

The Genesis 29 account opens with Jacob arriving in Paddan Aram,
the place of his mother's family. He meets Rachel (his cousin) who he
falls for immediately and her father Laban (his uncle). Jacob agrees
to work for Laban for seven years in exchange for Rachel's hand in
marriage. On the wedding night however, Laban deceives Jacob by giving
him his older daughter Leah. I find it interesting that Jacob, whose
name means, "he deceives," who deceived his father Issac and brother
Esau, was deceived himself. I know in my own life, I can count many
scenarios where I've felt wronged, but I can also tally multiple
situations where I've wronged others. Thankfully, we have a forgiving
God. I'm still learning how to forgive people the way God has forgiven
me.

After marrying Leah, Jacob marries Rachel too agreeing to work for
Laban for another seven years. Genesis 29:31 states, "When the Lord
saw that Leah was not loved, he opened her womb, but Rachel was
barren." In God's sovereignty, He blessed Leah with Jacob's first four
sons because Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah. Nonetheless, Leah
still wanted the love of her husband and the names she gave her first
three sons (full list of Jacob's sons' names with their meanings
below) demonstrated the yearning she had for his affections. It wasn't
until she birthed her fourth son Judah, that she finally gave praise
to the Lord. Essentially Judah, whose name means "praise," becomes the
one who Christ Jesus descends from. It's amazing how the one who
deserves our praise descends from one whose name is praise.

I like how the heart of God is exemplified in this situation
between Leah and Rachel. Jacob didn't give Leah the love that a woman
deserves in a marriage, but God poured out His love for her. God will
always fill in the missing pieces of your heart with His love. God's
love will always make up for and go beyond anything you endure on this
Earth.

The Genesis 29 account continues with the births of Jacob's 12
sons who represent the 12 tribes of Israel. In chronological order,
Leah has four sons, Bilhah (Rachel's maidservant) has two sons, Zilpah
(Leah's maidservant) has two sons, Leah has two more sons, and then
Rachel has two sons. While the rivalry between Leah and Rachel is
characterized by child-bearing and the yearning for their husband's
affections that results in bitterness, envy, and discord, I think it's
of prime importance to recognize the spiritual component too. Leah and
Rachel had a desire to honor God. They knew Jacob was the heir to the
promise God gave to Abraham; to multiply his descendants and bless the
peoples of the earth through him. Leah and Rachel had an innate
aspiration to be vessels in God's promises. Isn't it beautiful how God
used not only Leah and Rachel, but also their maidservants, Zilpah and
Bilhah, to fulfill His promises? Not one woman, but four women were
blessed as being the mother's of the twelve sons that became the
fathers of the twelve tribes of Israel.

In Genesis 30, Laban and Jacob deceive one another. In the end
however, Jacob is blessed with wealth, despite himself. This is
testimony to the fact that God blesses us even though we're sinners.
God didn't wait until we achieved goodness to show His love. He
demonstrated his incomprehensible unconditional love by dying for us
while we were still unworthy sinners. God blesses us not because of
who we are, but because of who He is.

I encourage you all to live in God's love today!!

God Bless,
Anthony

List of Jacobs 12 sons (and 1 daughter) who represent the 12 tribes of
Israel in chronological order:

Leah has first four sons:
-Reuben – see, a son – Leah said, "It is because the Lord has seen my
misery. Surely my husband will love me now."
-Simeon – one who hears – Leah said, "Because the Lord heard that I am
not loved, he gave me this one too."
-Levi – attached – Leah said, "Now at last my husband will become
attached to me, because I have borne him three sons."
-Judah – praise – Leah said, "This time I will praise the Lord."

Bilhah (Rachel's maidservant) has next two sons:
-Dan – he has vindicated – Rachel said, "God has vindicated me; he has
listened to my plea and given me a son."
-Naphtali – my struggle – Rachel said, "I have had a great struggle
with my sister, and I have won"

Zilpah (Leah's maidservant) has next two sons:
-Gad – good fortune – Leah said, "What good fortune!"
-Asher – happy – Leah said, "How happy I am! The women will call me happy"

Leah has next two sons and a daughter:
-Issachar – reward – Leah said, "God has rewarded me for giving my
maidservant to my husband."
-Zebulun – honor – Leah said, "God has presented me with a precious
gift. This time my husband will treat me with honor, because I have
borne him six sons."
-Dinah, the daughter she births.

Rachel has next two sons:
-Joseph – may he add – Rachel said, "God has taken away my disgrace.
May the Lord add to me another son."
-Benjamin (born in later reading) – son of my right hand

January 12: Genesis 27 to 28

2012-01-12T08:19:00.001-08:00

THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2012
Genesis 27 to 28

Today’s reading continues the account of Isaac’s (fraternal) twin sons, Esau and Jacob. Yesterday, we read the description of Esau’s selling his birthright for a bowl of stew. In another telling example of how to win a man’s heart -- through his stomach -- we find that Jacob manages to “steal” Esau’s blessing through deceptively posing as his older brother, goaded by his doting mother Rebekah. Jacob truly lives up to his name: “He grasps the heel,” a reference meaning “he deceives.” Indeed, this family appears to carry this tendency toward deception through the generations. Abraham and Isaac had both employed the my-wife-posing-as-my-sister routine for self-protection, while Jacob and his descendants will use deceptive means with individuals and whole peoples.

As followers of Christ, we recognize that, in Christ, we find “the way and the truth and the life.” (John 14:6) As we seek to reflect His character, we are called to be truthful. Surely, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, and Jacob could understand God’s desire for truthfulness, given His direct interactions with them. Yet, in today’s reading, deception appears to bring out God’s sovereign choice: the establishment of the Israelites, through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as His chosen people.

The Bible clearly demonstrates that God is sovereign over all creation. He directs the affairs of individuals, kings, and nations according to His good purpose. On a grand scale, God controls all of history: “The LORD foils the plans of the nations;/ he thwarts the purposes of the peoples./ But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever,/ the purposes of his heart through all generations.” (Psalm 33:10) As author Jerry Bridges argues in Trusting God, we must be certain of God’s sovereignty over everything in order to trust Him and summarizes God’s sovereignty as such: “God in His love always wills what is best for us. In His wisdom, He always knows what is best, and, in His sovereignty, He has the power to bring it about.”

In some manner, therefore, God must have selected Rebekah and Jacob’s duplicity as an instrument of bringing His ultimate plan to fruition. Through Esau’s frustration, enmity grows between these brothers and the nations that will result, the Edomites and the Israelites. Looking ahead to the Edomites’ history, we find that they will later receive land (Deuteronomy 2:2–12), but their enmity toward their “brother” Israel will remain fierce (Amos 1:11). God will later direct judgment towards the Edomites (Jeremiah 49:7–22; Obadiah 1–21). The Edomites would demonstrate their father Esau’s rebellious “pride” (Obadiah 3) and would perpetuate his rancor: “Because of the violence against your brother Jacob,/ you will be covered with shame;/ you will be destroyed forever.” (Obadiah 10)

Yet, God hadn’t selected Jacob due to his inherent goodness, but his story does point to the beautiful (and not fully understandable) interplay between God’s sovereignty and human response. In Romans 9:10–13, Paul points to the prophecy issued at the twins’ birth -- that “the older will serve the younger” -- to highlight “that God’s purpose in election might stand: not be works but by him who calls.” (vv. 11b,12a) God initiates with Jacob and reveals Himself to Jacob through the heavenly staircase. God lays out a clear vision for Jacob and his descendants, prompting Jacob to view the place where he lies differently. He constructs an altar at Bethel, recognizing it as “the house of God” and “the gate of heaven.” (Genesis 28:17) In like manner, God has sovereignly called each person who has trusted in Christ, and, by His grace, we have responded and so worship as Jacob does here.

One might wonder: Should I, like Jacob, act deceptively in order to forward God’s purpose? Paul argues against “sinning so that grace may increase,” given that those in Christ have died to sin “in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” (Romans 6:1–4) As we are in Christ, it appears that we have received a greater revelation, have enjoyed a greater relationship, and should demonstrate a greater response. We ought to live our lives in order to honor God, and naturally loving others naturally honors Him more than seeking deceitful gain.

QUESTIONS

1. How have you seen God’s sovereignty over the past week?
2. How may you rejoice in God’s call on your life today?

________________________________________
1) Blog: http://bit.ly/rV1Cw1
2) Facebook: http://on.fb.me/tc6jkS

January 11: Genesis 24:52 - 26:22

2012-01-11T15:51:00.001-08:00

Genesis 24:52 – 26:22

It's Wednesday…and this is a little late in the day, but that's ok J For some reason I was wide awake at 330 this morning and decided to do my reading., went back to sleep, then worked all day. I kept thinking about what I had read…going over the early relationship of Rebekah and Isaac, Abraham's death, and the birth of the next generation, Esau and Jacob. These are some pretty thick chapters!!! I could probably write pages over what I thought, the ties between everything, and how everything comes down to God's grand plan. Instead, there a couple points that really stood out to me that I wanted to share.

Faith was a theme that jumped out to me. Genesis gives us the testimonies of the Great Patriarchs…the fathers (and mothers) of the Hebrews. Abraham and Isaac lived based on the promise/covenant that God would build a great nation, with offspring more numerous than the stars. Sarah and Rebekah lived this as well. In faith, Rebekah left her family, her home, to join and marry Isaac, who was the chosen son of Abraham. She was barren for 20 years, and it seems at one point they got a little nervous and Isaac "pleaded"(vv. 21) with God that she would have children, and she was blessed. I can only imagine the faith and strength Rebekah must have had, even after knowing her sons would live divided (vv 23.)

I also wanted to share an "uh-huh" moment I had this morning. I read chapter 26, the account of Isaac and the Philistine, King Abimelech, and I caught myself shaking my head at Isaac. I wrote a note in my Bible, "like father, like son." Here we read a few chapters ago, about Abraham lying to Pharaoh that Sarah was his sister, and a generation later, Isaac did the same about Rebekah! I thought to myself, "Isaac, didn't you learn anything? You knew the stories from before!!! Where is your faith???" Then the "uh-huh" moment hit me…."Nikkie! Didn't you learn anything? You're not that different from Isaac!" I laughed at myself and was reminded how I see the mistakes and sins of others – from the Word, from my own parents, family, friends, and surroundings. I see the doubt I have had in my life and confronted with my own sin. I still haven't learned. How many times in our lives do we repeat these shortcomings? I do not always have the faith I should. I know God's promises. We are sinful beings, and sadly we will continue to make the mistakes of our fathers.

My God – thank you for Your mercy, Your grace. You are forever faithful, generation to generation.

To wrap up – if you want to dig a little deeper in the Word, I encourage you to read Malachi 1 and Romans 9. I feel there is so much more to talk about…another day perhaps… J Be blessed! I'm always up for a cup of coffee if you wanna chat more!!!

January 10: Genesis 24

2012-01-10T06:02:00.001-08:00

January 10: Genesis 24

Then he prayed, "O LORD, God of my master Abraham, give me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham."

~ Genesis 24:12

Then the man bowed down and worshiped the LORD, saying, "Praise be to the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his kindness and faithfulness to my master. As for me, the LORD has led me on the journey to the house of my master's relatives."

~ Genesis 24:26-27

"If the success for which we pray is determined by the world's definition of success, we could be in for a great disappointment... Of one thing we can be sure: God will never give us what is not good for us. Only when we pray for success in accomplishing the good that God has called us to can we be assured of his blessing."

~ F. LaGard Smith

Abraham is very old, and he is concerned about finding a suitable wife for his son Isaac. He entrusts his chief servant Eliezer with the task. Abraham has him swear that he will find Isaac a wife from his native land and that he will not allow Isaac to leave Canaan. Eliezer starts off by praying: he asks God for success and for kindness towards his master. He travels to Abraham's homeland and meets Rebekah. Eliezer realizes that he has found Isaac's future wife and immediately gives worship to the Lord.

Eliezer did not have an easy task ahead of him. He needed to travel a great distance to find a suitable wife for his master's beloved son. Before he started his search, Eliezer prayed for success from the Lord. After his task was finished, he worshiped God and gave Him all the glory.

The way that Eliezer took on this daunting task is exactly the way we should act when we have a challenge to overcome. The very first thing we should do is pray for the Lord's guidance. How many times do we jump right in and try to tackle an obstacle on our own strength? Then the last thing that should be done is to give God the glory for the outcome. How many times do we take credit for a successful outcome without thanking the One who made it all happen? Or how many times do we wonder why we struggle when we didn't even start off the right way?

I'm not saying that if we follow these guidelines that we will always get the outcome we want and that the journey will be easy. Sometimes our definition of "success" needs to be adjusted. When we seek God's will and give Him the glory, then our hearts are fully surrendered to Him and we grow in our faith, regardless of how the challenge is resolved. It's possible that the outward result of a challenge is not nearly as significant as the inward change that occurs in our hearts and minds.

How would you be changed if you prayed for success from God before every task and then worshiped Him when it was complete?

January 9th

2012-01-08T21:51:00.001-08:00

What's Your Motivation?
Fear or Trust?

Do you remember our January 7^th reading (Gen. 19)? Lot was visited by angels sent from the Lord to destroy Sodom, with the exception of the righteous (Lot and his family). The angels arrive with a plan and the power to carry it out. Lot's response: panic and fear. He tries to take control from the moment he meets the angels at the city gates. When the men of Sodom came to him and demanded the angels be turned over to them Lot willingly and without hesitation offers, not just one, but both of his daughters for the men to have and to do with as they please in exchange for the angels to be spared. This was not God's plan. He never asked for Lot to do this nor did God need/want it. The angels pull Lot back inside, blind the men of the town, and tell Lot and his family to flee immediately because Sodom will be destroyed. Lot was shown the power of the angels, warned to flee, and told of God's plan of destruction.

Lot's response: (19:16) He hesitated. Why? He didn't hesitate to offer up his daughters. Was it the fact that he had vast wealth that he had to leave behind, wealth that meant more to him then his own flesh and blood? Was it a lack of belief that God would actually destroy the whole city? Was it fear of the unknown? We don't know why but he hesitated. As you keep reading the story (Chpt. 19) you will continue to see Lot question God's direction because of his fears and lack of trust.

Fast forward to today's reading (Chpt. 22). Abraham, after many years of waiting, finally receives from the Lord the promised son through whom God would bless him - Isaac. After he has had Isaac for some time and his love for him has deepened, God says: "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about." No explanation as to why. No explanation as to how Isaac can be sacrificed and still be the one through whom God will establish his covenant. It makes no sense. It's simply a command given that is to be obeyed.

Abraham's response: Early the next morning (not afternoon or evening, immediately) Abraham got up and got everything together to go and sacrifice his son. On the way there he says to Isaac, "God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." What amazing trust this display's. He goes to the mountain, builds the altar, ties up his son, raises the knife to give his most prized possession back to the Lord and God says, "Don't lay a hand on the boy, do not do anything to him. Now I know you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son."

Do you see the difference in these two responses, in these two men?

God calls each of us to trust him and to be willing to sacrifice whatever he may ask of us.

For Lot, he was to trust that God was in control and had the power to do that which he saw fit to do. The sacrifice was to give up his most prized possessions, to leave behind everything and trust God and go – so that he would be spared. Lot was ready to give up his daughters out of fear and distrust without hesitation. He didn't trust that God had a plan and would provide a way out. Lot saw the power and was given an explanation yet he still hesitated. Destruction was literally knocking at his door and he hesitated. The rest of his life was full of fear and isolation.

For Abraham he too was to trust that God was in control and had the power to do that which he saw fit to do. The sacrifice was to give up his most prized possession, his one and only son and trust God to still keep his promises. Abraham didn't try to talk God out of it or question his reasoning. He didn't ask for an explanation and he wasn't offered one. He trusted that God had a plan and would provide a way out. Without explanation Abraham obeyed immediately. In return God greatly blessed Abraham.

Are you an Abraham or a Lot?

When God calls you to do things in this life do you try to offer him something else in exchange, something a little less painful to part with?

When God calls you to sacrifice do you hesitate and try to determine what the lose will be to you or do you trust his plan and ability to provide what he knows you will need?

What makes you hesitate instead of acting in immediate obedience and trust?

When God calls you to sacrifice do you believe he has something greater in store for you then that which you hold dear?

What do you hold onto with clenched fists and how can you learn to hold it with open palms?

Are you motivated by fear or trust?

Do you want to live in uncertainty and fear or in the blessings that God has planned for you?

If you want to live like Abraham you have to answers these questions and know what your stumbling blocks may be.

God wants you to have an abundant life in HIM but first you have to know…
What does God want you to be willing to sacrifice and what are you willing to give him?

Now trust him!

Todays reading Gen 19:30- 21:19

2012-01-08T03:39:00.001-08:00

Todays reading Gen 19:30- 21:19

This was fun because it jumped from one story to the next. So today instead of my insight or thoughts. I will just ask a few questions.

Part 1 Lot's Daughters:

Ok they seemed a little extreme in they're actions.

Gen 19:30-35: Why do you think Lot retreated from the town of Zoar to a

cave in the mountains, evidently isolated and secluded from anyone else?

Why do you think Lot's daughters decided to resort to incest with their father? What does that tell us about the spiritual condition of their hearts, and the long-term effects that living in Sodom may have had on them?

One option for Lot and his daughters was to return to the tents of good ole Uncle Abraham, yet that doesn't even seem to have been an option in their thinking. What do you think would have prevented them from returning to Abraham and Sarah at this point?

It is very easy for us today to critique the gross and I mean gross sinfulness of Lot and his daughters, but we can very easily be squeezed and pushed into the mold of our culture as well (Rom 12:2). What are some worldly things or practices that you might be more susceptible give into?

Part 2 Abraham and Abimelech:

Abraham just keeps putting his foot into his mouth, He has a deceptive side that just keeps showing up in his life. Just 20 years prior he was trying to convince Pharaoh the his wife was his sister. Now look at him again.

Have you ever encountered a time where a non-believer seemed to act

more ethically or Godly than a Christian? What do you think was the effect of that on others who were watching?

What exactly was Abraham afraid of that caused him to resort to

deception again? Why do you think he still struggled with that same issue after

years of walking with God?

What fears or issues do you struggle with, even though you may have been a

bonified Christian for many years? What do you think prevents us from getting beyondsome of those tough issues in our lives?

It appears that when the going gets tough Abraham gets going. Abraham had a tendency to resort to deception, a trait he would soon pass down through the generations to his son, grandson and even great-grandsons. What particular sins or temptations do you have a

recurring battle with and how does it effect your family?

Part 3 Get rid of the BOY!

Gen 21:8-21. Why do you think the Lord plays along with Sarah's insistence

that Ishmael and Hagar be sent away? How does that fit with the biblical idea that God is a God of love?

Earlier in Gen 16 when Ishmael was conceived, Hagar saw the Lord and learned that God is the God who sees and hears us in times of difficulty (Gen 16:11-14). How do their experiences in this chapter reinforce those same lessons again?

Part 4 Abrahams test. To be continued!

January 7

2012-01-07T06:47:00.001-08:00

January 7, 2012

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. Abraham probably began this conversation wondering about God's mercy. But when was finished he saw how merciful God really was.

So what is our homework as "light" bearers in the midst of the darkness of the state of Connecticut? (only 10% of people in our state believe the God of the Bible) http://www.usatoday.com/news/graphics/pew-religion-08/flash.htm

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 testify to a personal relationship with God, strong families, caring and protective fathers, lifelong intimacy of one man and woman in marriage, helping the poor, disciple making, racial reconciliation, sending money to Africa to help our brothers and sisters, 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. Pray for the city of Stamford. Pray for God's mercy and grace to rain on us.

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

January 7

2012-01-07T06:13:00.000-08:00

January 7, 2012

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. Abraham probably began this conversation wondering about God’s mercy. But when was finished he saw how merciful God really was.

So what is our homework as “light” bearers in the midst of the darkness of the state of Connecticut? (only 10% of people in our state believe the God of the Bible) http://www.usatoday.com/news/graphics/pew-religion-08/flash.htm

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 testify to a personal relationship with God, strong
families, caring and protective fathers, lifelong intimacy of one man and woman in marriage, helping the poor, disciple making, racial reconciliation, sending money to Africa to help our brothers and sisters, 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. Pray for the city of Stamford. Pray for God’s mercy and grace to rain on us.

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

January 6: Genesis 15-17

2012-01-06T07:27:00.001-08:00

January 6: Genesis 15-17

Today's reading opens with God's promise to Abram that he will have a
child from his own flesh and blood, who in turn will have descendants
as numerous as the stars. God then assures Abram with a covenant, that
his descendants will inherit the land of Canaan (present day Israel).
The covenant (contract/deal) was a common practice in these times and
often involved some form of ritual like what we see in chapter 15
verses 9-18; Abram sacrifices the animals and cuts them into pieces
(except the birds). In such a ritual, it would be common for both of
the participants in the deal to pass through the cut pieces together
symbolizing their commitment to one another to uphold their respective
ends of the bargain. By God walking through the cut pieces (as
manifested in the smoking firepot and blazing torch) alone, God was
saying that He would uphold both ends (God's and Abram's) of the deal,
requiring nothing more of Abram. Abram just had to believe. I love
this foreshadowing of how Christ would eventually walk the path for
our sin and uphold righteousness for mankind with His own blood; and
just like Abram, all we have to do is believe. We worship a gracious
God people. He paid the price for our sin and all he asks in return is
that we believe in Him.

In chapter 16, it is evident that while Abram believes he will have an
heir of his own body, he is unsure whether God's plans include his
wife Sarai. Sarai's barrenness makes her uncertain as well so she
selflessly asks Abram to sleep with her Egyptian maidservant Hagar,
who conceives Ishmael. I think it is remarkable that Abram and Sarai,
some of the bible's most righteous people, possess flaws like
impatience and fear. This just provides credibility to the fact that
we all fall short of the glory of God.

In chapter 17, God explains to Abram that his heir will be conceived
through Sarai and his name will be Isaac. Since God plans to multiply
Abram's descendants through his eventual son Isaac, he changes Abram's
name to Abraham, which means "father of many." God also changes
Sarai's name to Sarah for she is to be a "princess" that will mother
many. God then establishes the covenant of circumcision with Abraham.
God asks Abraham to circumcise everyone in his household and to keep
the covenant of circumcision with Abraham's descendant's as a
testimony to God's promises. What I believe is most compelling is that
God initially extends the covenant of circumcision to everyone in
Abraham's household, including those not of his blood relation. What a
foretelling of God's promise to bless "all peoples on earth." It's
certainly easy for me to understand God blessing Abraham's purity of
lineage since he would eventually bless the entire world through
Abraham's direct descendant Jesus Christ.

I encourage you all to live in the belief and promises of Christ Jesus today.

Be Blessed,
Anthony

January 6: Genesis 15-17

2012-01-06T06:04:00.000-08:00

January 6: Genesis 15-17

I encourage you all to live in the belief and promises of Christ Jesus today.

Be Blessed,
Anthony

January 5: Genesis 12 to 14

2012-01-05T08:23:00.001-08:00

THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 2012
Genesis 12 to 14

Today, we encounter Genesis's first longer-term subject, Abraham (later, Abraham). While living in Haran, the Lord God makes a call on Abram's life, urging him to "leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you." Immediately, God promises a sevenfold blessing on Abraham and his descendants; indeed, Abram cannot fathom the depth of this promise, but, knowing of the life, death, and Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, we may see the fulfillment. Indeed, God had chosen Abram for His purposes.

In Abram's responses to God's call, we witness the cosmic mystery of the interplay between God's choosing of His men or women and our responsibility for remaining faithful, trusting, and obedient to Him. In a similar fashion to Abram, God has chosen each of those "included in Christ": "In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory." (Ephesians 1:11,12) The ideal pattern remains the same: God chooses; man responds; and God's purposes (His blessings) come to fruition. Effective grace should call forth a response (James 2:26).

In today's accounts, we see both Abram's faithfulness and his flaws. Like Abram, we seek to trust God, but we waver in the face or fear. Each person contains a mixture of belief and unbelief; a recurring prayer of mine involves growing in trust, that God would increase my faith and reliance on Him. While we have the testimony of creation, God's Word, and our experience that points to God's character of faithfulness, we often choose our own crutches. As Abram and Sarai approach Egypt, he urges her to "say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake and my life will be spared because of you." As an aside, we understand from both Scripture (Philippians 2:1-4) and real-life experience that we should seek others' interest before our own. As we interact with others and propose courses of action, we should pause if the plan only offers benefits to one party. This win-lose suggestion "protected" Abram at Sarai's expense, but God later intervened.

Still, we trace our spiritual heritage through Abram because "Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness." We celebrate his faith and those of other great men and women of God in Hebrews 11, where we read: "By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God." Abram knew his destination and his Guide.

(POTENTIALLY) INTRIGUING PARALLELS

1. Abram heads to Egypt due to a famine near Canaan, but, around this time, he compromises a family member's honor (Sarai) through deception. Sarai then becomes enmeshed in the royal household. Three generations later, Joseph will become sold into slavery in Egypt and will wind up in the royal household, at which point his brothers will arrive searching for relief from another famine.

2. Abram's descendants will also suffer from tendencies toward deception, both with livestock and their wives. Abram himself will again claim that Sarai is his sister with Abimelech in Genesis 20.

QUESTIONS

1. To what or where has God called you?
2. How are you looking for your faith to grow in 2012? On what testimonies of faithfulness may you lean?

________________________________________
1) Blog: http://bit.ly/rV1Cw1
2) Facebook: http://on.fb.me/tc6jkS

Genesis 10-11

2012-01-04T06:19:00.001-08:00

January 4 - Genesis 10 - 11 (pages 17-22)

Good Morning and happy Wednesday! Its cold out there, but I have a cup of coffee by my side and still enjoying the sunshine. I liked reading the story of The Tower of Babel first (Gen 11) before reading about the descendants of Noah and his sons. It reinforces God's sovereign plan of multiplying the earth and creating nations.

The Tower of Babel is a story we hear when we are young in Sunday School. Man got together and decided to build a tower in the middle of their city. So high it would reach the heavens and they could be god-like. We see this image of rebellion, pride, self-reliance, and man thinking they know better and can be better than God. They build this great tower, with advanced materials (brick and tar) and they do it together. I smile when I see God's character and then humbled at His mercy. A couple chapters before we read how God completely destroyed the Earth for its disobedience. God had every right and the power to completely destroy the tower, or send disease, or punish this pride. But in His mercy he creates language…race…tribes…nations. He keeps His great picture moving by scattering people across the lands. I wonder what it would have been like to see their faces…hear the confusion. Also, we see the image of the Trinity in chapter 10:7, "Come, let Us go down…"

We continue with the scattering and growth of nations. We see Noah's sons multiplying the land and how God is continuing His grand plan. We see familiar names like Babel, (later Babylon), Nineveh (Jonah), and the birth of nations that will be significant through the entire Bible (Philistines, Canaanites, etc.) Don't be quick reading over those names. They are all there for a reason. We see the lives of all these men shorten…from the 900's (Adam – Noah) to 400, to 200. At the end of chapter 11 we first see Abram, father of the Hebrews. Knowing this, we see God's big picture…the line to Jesus…such joy.

Be blessed today. Thank you Lord for your mercy, for your beauty. Thank you for being in control. Forgive my pride.

January 3: Genesis 6-9

2012-01-03T05:36:00.000-08:00

January 3: Genesis 6-9

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.” ~ Gen 6:5-7

I have read the story of Noah and the flood many times, but one thing I have never really thought about before was the fact that the sin of the world filled God's heart with pain. According to Gen 6:6, when we sin, it hurts God. I understand that God is a holy God and He cannot in any way, shape, or form be near or tolerate any kind of sin. But to think that my own sin that I commit on a daily basis, fills God's heart with pain. Wow. The Creator of the universe with infinite power and wisdom feels pain and grief and sorrow when His children turn their backs on Him. I can't help but feel pain myself when I think about the ways I have hurt God with my own sin.

Thankfully for all of us, that's not how the story ends. God never stops working to reconcile our sinful nature with His perfection. We find out that despite the great wickedness in the world, God was merciful and allowed the human race to live on through Noah. God spared Noah and his family from His judgment.

Throughout this year, we will find out that the Bible, from beginning to end, is the story of redemption. As we read, we will encounter sinful, screwed-up people who are loved by a just, holy, merciful God. All of us will continue to hurt God by disobeying and disregarding Him. But the Good News is that He will never let us go and never stop working to bring us back to Him.

Would it help you resist temptation to think about how much sin pains the heart of God?