January 6: Of Rights and Faith

Genesis 13:5-15:21

Matthew 5:27-48

Psalm 6:1-10

Proverbs 1:28-33

The Bill of Rights, consisting of the first 10 amendments to the constitution of the United States, is a list of encumbrances on government authority.  And where do these rights come from?  Well, the founding fathers declared the rights of man came from God.  In the declaration of independence, we read "We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men...are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights..."and the constitution articulated that the government was created to protect those rights.  What this means is that when the government tries to restrict a right - say, stifle free speech, for example - one can demand - demand! - to be able to speak freely.  Because it is our right. 

Abram was different - he didn't demand.  He gave, and he gave in.  Consider: uncle to Lot, presumably with the right to choose first, in order to resolve a quarrel between them, he gave up the more fruitful land to his nephew.  When Lot was taken capture, he fought the captors at great risk, and rescued Lot, and recovered the plunder taken from the King of Sodom.  And when the king suggested he keep the plunder, which many in Abram's shoes would argue he had every right to, he refused.  

Why?  Because it seems Abram's trust was in the Lord.  He believed God would provide for him, even if he gave up the more fruitful land.  He didn't want anyone to think he depended on anyone except God, which is why he refused the plunder.    

What did it get him?  What only God could give - an heir in his old age, an inheritance, and a future for his people.  These aren't things he could have gotten for himself, grabbing land and gathering plunder.  If he were in our shoes today, he likely would have rejected the $500MM lottery jackpots if they'd been offered him.  

Father, at the start of the year, we pray for such a relationship with you as Abram had, that we understand the things of this earth are unable to give us what we seek, and all we seek can be found in You and You alone.  

January 5

Matthew 5:1-12

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God." Mt 5:9

Matthew 5-7 is commonly called the Sermon on the Mount. It is Jesus'

longest sermon and it is the foundation of what it means to

be a disciple. Our reading today contains 8 values that are

known as the "Beatitudes." These 8 are a complete transversal

of our narcissistic culture. Until you see them as radical and

even revolutionary, you will never grasp their significance.

Let me unpack just one of these, "blessed are the peacemakers."

The focus of Jesus is not on peaceful people but people who are

peacemakers. The difference is that peacemaker people are

 team players. They want to bring people together. They are

concerned with reconciliation. They do not participate in

divisiveness, bitterness, strife, revenge, and pettiness that divides.

They delight in making peace whenever possible. Just to clarify,

this is not "appeasement."   It is a costly peace that involves

tremendous sacrifice.

Here is the blessing. When we do champion peacemaking in our

lives, we will be called sons and daughters of God. Our identity is

predicated on our relationship with others.

So, a few ideas on how to practically become a peacemaker:

Make your peace with God first so you have resources to give a

nd not take.

Listen and restate what your enemies are saying.  

Take the first step.

Pray God's blessing on your enemies.  

Forgive even before people ask for forgiveness.

Affirm others and see the positive in their lives.

Don't let emotions drive you; be driven by God's love.

Be willing to sacrifice.

In the end peacemaking is costly. Look at what it cost Jesus to

bring peace to our lives.

--

"Multiplying leaders to change the world"

Thursday, January 4

THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 2018

From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near."

As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew.  They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.  "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will send you out to fish for people."  At once they left their nets and followed him. (Matthew 4:17-20)

Happy New Year!  It is great to join with you in reading through the Bible in 2018.  I pray that it may be fruitful in your life and bring greater joy and depth in your relationship with God.

Today, we read in Matthew about the start of Jesus's ministry in Galilee.  Given the historical significance of Jerusalem and Judea, God definitely wished to make a statement through Jesus's coming to Galilee.  Its proximity to Gentile territory speaks to the reality that the Gospel would be for all people.

His starting message doesn't seem that detailed until we recognize that He had embodied the Kingdom.  In Him, the Kingdom had its full proclamation because the King had arrived.  He invited His hearers—just as we may also join in—to repent, turning away from their sinful conduct.  This act, coupled with faith, would bring the Kingdom to life in those who followed Christ.  The same message—and same King—invite us today to follow Him.

God chose some local Galilean fishermen to become Jesus's closest associates and those who would lead the early church and author significant parts of the New Testament.  Today, I was impressed with the immediacy with which these fishermen abandoned their homes and livelihood to follow Christ.  Indeed, Jesus had attracted many in crowds, not through clever marketing, but rather through the revelation of the Kingdom.  This passage (and its historical context) underscores Paul's claim that, in Christ, the fullness of Deity came in bodily form. (Colossians 2:9)

In this New Year, how could you follow the King more closely?  What areas could you lay into His hands?  How could you better mirror His Kingdom life in your own?

For me, I am seeking to trust God more by praying more.  It is an area in which I need to grow, as I trust myself too often and end up frustrated and distant from God.

Lord God, thank You for sending Your Son Jesus to an unexpected place and among humble men and women who were keen to recognize His Kingdom.  Give us eager hearts to repent and turn to You in faith.  Help us know You better this year and to leave behind those hindrances that have entangled us.  Form us more into the image of Your Son.  In Jesus's Name, amen.

January 3

Genesis 6

As I was reading through the account of Noah, I couldn't help but draw a parallel between what was then the ark and is now the Body of Christ. Let's take a moment and picture ourselves waking up one morning and we see our neighbor building an ark on their lawn.  They tell us that God has given them a message that the world has become so corrupt He needs to wipe out all evil by flooding the land and the only way to survive is by getting into the boat he is building. We look up and see not a cloud in the sky, so we might doubt the sanity of our neighbor.  Each year we watch as this ark gets bigger, almost to the size of a football field, certainly with enough room for everyone,  but we still don't see any sign of rain. So we continue to doubt. Yet, our neighbor tells us that God is waiting for more people to repent before he sends the flood. While Noah was building the ark, which took a very long time, he preached, while God patiently waited for sinners to repent. Finally the countdown to flood was over, and even though there were no clouds in the sky while the ark was under construction, God sent the rain in His perfect time. The safety of the ark sheltered only those who, by faith, believed the message.  Believing the message now is even more crucial.  God will send His Son once again to wipe out the evil that has been created in this world.  Our only safety is belonging to the Body of Christ and claiming Jesus Lord of our lives. Everything in time is relevant and I'm not sure that any of us have room to build an ark the size of a football field on our lawn, but we do all know someone who needs to hear the message. Perhaps others thought Noah was a bit strange by building the ark with no clouds in the sky, but God had given him an assignment and he remained obedient. I pray that as we go into 2018 and we learn to listen for God's whisper, we are as bold as Noah to show our faith.

Randi

Monday January 1st bible blog post

Happy New Year!!!  I am excited to continue on this one-year bible blogging journey with you throughout 2018.  In the final days of 2017, as I read our daily readings, I found the Lord directing my focus on a path it hadn't been on.  I found myself underlining verses that I longed to pray back to the Lord.  I felt that the Lord was leading me to continue my bible blogging journey with you by spending this next year writing prayers based on the truths found in his word.  I have been and I still am a huge proponent of praying God's word back to him.  I don't do this because I think he needs to be reminded of the promises and truths found in his word but because I do and I need to learn to trust in them more.  I trust in them most when I speak them back to the Lord.  So my attempt this year is write a prayer every Monday based on the scripture reading.  This is a stretch for me and something I have not done to this degree, but I am excited to see how the Lord will use it in my life and I pray it will also be a blessing to you life as well.  So let's not delay any further.  Here is my first scripture based prayer to start our year off together…

 

 

A Prayer For Wisdom

 

Lord, I thank you for your word and the power it holds for our lives.  Your word offers guidance, instruction, healing, forgiveness, wisdom, understanding, discernment, and help in our time of need.  As we enter this new year and seek to spend daily time with you, I ask that you would grow us and open up our hearts and minds to see you more clearly, to know you in ways we never have and to be used by you in the lives of others however you see fit.

 

Lord, I ask for you to grant us your wisdom today as we set out on this one-year bible reading journey.  When you invited King Solomon to "ask for whatever you want me to give you" (1Kings 3:5), he did not seek riches, power or personal glory.  Instead, Solomon realized his limitations and biggest need, wisdom to live the life you called him to and to be able to serve affectively.  We too need wisdom Lord.  We need your spirit to fill our hearts and minds so we can live our lives worthy to the calling you have given us. 

 

According to James 1:5 We ask you to please generously pour out your wisdom upon us so that we might:

 

            Attain wisdom and discipline;

for understanding words

            of insight

for acquiring a disciplined and

            prudent life,

so that we might do what is right and just

and fair;

may your wisdom give prudence to the simple

            knowledge and discretion to

                        the young –

let us be wise and listen and add to

our learning

            may we be discerning and get

                        guidance –

            for understand proverbs,

                        and parables,

                        the sayings and riddles of

                        the wise,

                        …and understanding into all the mysteries written in our Word.

                                                                                                (Proverbs 1:2-6)

 

Thank you Lord for the generosity of your Spirit and the willingness you have to open up our hearts and minds to know you more, to experience you more, and to love you more. 

 

Bless this year as we draw near to you and may it be a year filled with abundant wisdom to guide our lives in ways we have yet to experience.

 

                                                                                                - Amen

December 31, 2017

" Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals" Psalm 150: 3-5

What if the instruments listed in Psalm 150, are simple metaphors for our souls, for our unique gifts and talents,  for praising God from a place of true self.  What if every single one of us, is created with a unique "voice"  for praising and bringing Jesus and the Kingdom, into this world.  How can I find my voice, my purpose, my praise? Two things came to mind this week:

- Start each day with remembering- WHO AM I?

In the movie, "50 First Dates", the main character Lucy, played by Drew Barrymore, suffers from anterograde amnesia as a result of a serious car accident.  She is not able to remember anything, past the day of the accident. In order for her to have a somehow normal life , she needed to watch a video made by her family, each morning, that explained her accident, who she was, and where she was in life. That made me think of how vital it is for us Christians, to have a similar routine.  Something to remind us, of who we are in Christ, and where we are in our walk with Christ. I think 2018 could be so different, if each morning I would take the time to embrace my true identity, dictated by my Heavenly Father, rather than what my parents, schools, jobs, relationships programmed me to be. Let's praise God by knowing who we are, so " fearfully and wonderfully made". ( Ps 139:14)

-Claim God's promises for my life every single day, with passion and enthusiasm

The "passion and enthusiasm" part,  I got from Zig Ziglar, a famous motivational speaker,  who claims that reciting a series of affirmations every morning and evening before bed, in front of a mirror, with passion and enthusiasm can produce a major change in someone's life. There are indeed a lot of testimonies from people whose lives have changed. If random affirmations have that power, how life changing, a similar ritual with Scripture verses would be. A list of favorite verses that we could claim each day with passion and enthusiasm. Let's praise God by honoring and integrating his Word into our lives!

Wishing you all, a New Year filled with blessings and joy! Happy New Year!

  

December 29

Revelation 20

Have you ever heard the line, "It's not what you know but it's who you know?" I heard of a lady who carried that truth to the bitter end. This lady wanted to marry four different men in her lifetime. She said each one would help her with the four things she needed most. First, she wanted to marry a banker, second, a movie star, next a pastor, and finally, a funeral director. When asked why, she answered, "One for the money, two for the show, three to get ready and four to go."

Everyone has a view about the future and how to prepare for it. The Bible teaches that the only person you need to know to get ahead is King Jesus. And there is no getting ahead without him.

Over the past week we saw the final chapters of human history. The final days are incredibly dark and violent. This is what happens when a culture abandons God and loses its ethical moorings. During this period of time a lot of bad things are going to happen to God's people. It would be easy to lose hope and despair. But then comes chapter 20 and we see the King passing his judgment on the world.  

Revelation 20:4  And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

Make no mistake about it. This portrait of Jesus the King changes everything. At Christmas we see Jesus as a helpless, vulnerable infant. Here we see him as the Lion, the invincible conqueror. Behold his blazing wrath over injustice, evil, violence, corrupt politicians and the predators in Hollywood. (sorry just couldn't resist taking a shot).

When we see Jesus as the one who will come in the role of our champion it gives us hope to persevere. Keep your eyes on Jesus and do not lose hope.  Jesus is coming again. Count on it. Live in the light of it.

 

--

"Multiplying leaders to change the world"