Saturday, January 9, 2010
01.09.2010
I have spent the day going to work twice and sleeping nearly all day. I am sick. I will resume posting on Monday.
Friday, January 8, 2010
01.08.2010
Today's reading is Genesis 15, 16, Psalm 8, Proverbs 8, and Matthew 11.
Today has been quite a day. It's days like today that discourage me. It is times like now that the fact that you may one day read this, that spurs me on to actually read and write daily. Your comments, on current or past posts are a great encouragement.
Genesis today, Abram is promised a family and even though his wife is barren. His family is to inherit the land of another people and those people would be the servants of his descendants. Then after being promised a family, God's speed was a bit too slow, so Abram's wife said impregnation Hagar the servant. The Lord promises Hagar that her son Ishmael would be the father of uncountable offspring.
David writes in the Psalm that creation is the amazing and even more amazing is that the Lord gave it to man. He wonders as I have and you probably have, at how amazing it is that the Lord gave us dominion. It seems to me, if David were the creator, he wouldn't have given man dominion. I certainly wouldn't have given man the world.
Today's Proverb is a speech from Wisdom the woman. She declares for all to hear that the Lord's wisdom is as it was from the beginning. It is available for all, and it leads to great rewards. Wisdom has been with the Lord since the beginning and it is still available to us today.
What I find amazing here is John the Baptist's questions for Jesus. "Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?" When he baptized Jesus, he sure seemed to know. From there Jesus goes on to instruct the crowds once more.
Today has been quite a day. It's days like today that discourage me. It is times like now that the fact that you may one day read this, that spurs me on to actually read and write daily. Your comments, on current or past posts are a great encouragement.
Genesis today, Abram is promised a family and even though his wife is barren. His family is to inherit the land of another people and those people would be the servants of his descendants. Then after being promised a family, God's speed was a bit too slow, so Abram's wife said impregnation Hagar the servant. The Lord promises Hagar that her son Ishmael would be the father of uncountable offspring.
David writes in the Psalm that creation is the amazing and even more amazing is that the Lord gave it to man. He wonders as I have and you probably have, at how amazing it is that the Lord gave us dominion. It seems to me, if David were the creator, he wouldn't have given man dominion. I certainly wouldn't have given man the world.
Today's Proverb is a speech from Wisdom the woman. She declares for all to hear that the Lord's wisdom is as it was from the beginning. It is available for all, and it leads to great rewards. Wisdom has been with the Lord since the beginning and it is still available to us today.
What I find amazing here is John the Baptist's questions for Jesus. "Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?" When he baptized Jesus, he sure seemed to know. From there Jesus goes on to instruct the crowds once more.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
01.07.2010
Today's reading is Genesis 13, 14, Psalm 7, Proverb 7, and Matthew 10.
Abram, Sarai, and Lot journey far and wide and have adventures. Finally their households start to feud, and Abram offer peace to Lot and his household. You pick some stretch of land, and I'll pick a neighboring piece of land. Lot pick the area near Sodom, Abram picks the Hebron. Abram settled after surveying all of what would be Israel in the future, because God promised it to his descendants.
Also, Abram and his mighty household fight and win the first recorded war. He rescues Lot and the citizens of Sodom. Afterward, he denies his claim to the spoils, as offered by the king of Sodom, and rather honors the Lord with High Priest Melchizedek, king of Salem.
King David is once again proclaiming the Lord is the shield of the righteous, and asking the Lord to protect him from his wicked adversaries. This time, however, he says that if he is not righteous, the Lord should let his enemies strike him down.
Repetition is one of the great writing tools in the Bible. God uses repetition very effectively, and in today's proverb, we find it again. Again this proverb warns against adultery and prostitution. The prostitute in today's story makes her wishes sound nice and acceptable, but her house is said to be the entry way to Sheol. Adultery and prostitution have been a problem since the early Biblical days and continues on to today. It seems that the repetition is needed.
To the New Testament. Today in Matthew Jesus gathers his twelve disciples and gives them a command to go through Israel and preach that the Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand. Jesus sends them with nothing but His Word. They are to offer it to all of Israel, and anywhere it is not welcome, they are to leave. This is really interesting. They're to preach about the kingdom of heaven, and trust in God to win people over, not argue and debate people to convert them. Present the Word of the Lord.
Abram, Sarai, and Lot journey far and wide and have adventures. Finally their households start to feud, and Abram offer peace to Lot and his household. You pick some stretch of land, and I'll pick a neighboring piece of land. Lot pick the area near Sodom, Abram picks the Hebron. Abram settled after surveying all of what would be Israel in the future, because God promised it to his descendants.
Also, Abram and his mighty household fight and win the first recorded war. He rescues Lot and the citizens of Sodom. Afterward, he denies his claim to the spoils, as offered by the king of Sodom, and rather honors the Lord with High Priest Melchizedek, king of Salem.
King David is once again proclaiming the Lord is the shield of the righteous, and asking the Lord to protect him from his wicked adversaries. This time, however, he says that if he is not righteous, the Lord should let his enemies strike him down.
Repetition is one of the great writing tools in the Bible. God uses repetition very effectively, and in today's proverb, we find it again. Again this proverb warns against adultery and prostitution. The prostitute in today's story makes her wishes sound nice and acceptable, but her house is said to be the entry way to Sheol. Adultery and prostitution have been a problem since the early Biblical days and continues on to today. It seems that the repetition is needed.
To the New Testament. Today in Matthew Jesus gathers his twelve disciples and gives them a command to go through Israel and preach that the Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand. Jesus sends them with nothing but His Word. They are to offer it to all of Israel, and anywhere it is not welcome, they are to leave. This is really interesting. They're to preach about the kingdom of heaven, and trust in God to win people over, not argue and debate people to convert them. Present the Word of the Lord.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
01.06.10
Today's reading, Genesis 11, 12, Psalm 6, Proverbs 6, Matthew 9.
In Genesis, we have the fantastic story of the city of Babel and the tower of Babel. God cursed it and made communication a trial for the first time. The different nations all across the face of the earth now had different languages, inspiring the name Babel. The tower failed. Next up is another genealogy, leading to Abram, Lot and Sarai. More of the stories that make Genesis my favorite. This book has so many stories with so few words, I have failed at every attempt to create my own short stories. I have a need for loquaciousness, and the Lord has such a knack for brevity; it is humbling.
Today's Psalm is one of King David's, where he begs the Lord to have mercy on him and carry him through his trouble. King David begs for mercy and stability to show his oppressors the power of the Lord, and have them fall in their iniquity. The Lord will save him for the asking, because he asks in faith, and they shall fail, because they trust in themselves and worldly wisdom. Remember to have faith in the Lord, and he will carry you though your trials also.
In Proverbs, today we learn quite a lot. The beginning seemed to say to me, that even if your neighbor is a lazy louse, you should still care about his well being. You may have worked hard for your lot in life, but his life is of no less value. I may be wrong, let me know what you derived from the reading. However, more important than that is the end of this Proverb...
Pro 6:30 Men do not despise a thief, if he steal To satisfy himself when he is hungry:
Pro 6:31 But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; He shall give all the substance of his house.
Pro 6:32 He that committeth adultery with a woman is void of understanding: He doeth it who would destroy his own soul.
Seriously, do we need to argue over this quote? No. It is a part of God's law, just as it is written upon the hearts of all mankind. Theft for sustainance, can be forgiven easily, but theft of the heart and soul, of love and sex, cannot be so easily justified.
To the New Testament. It is amazing, ever since Jesus time, and probably before, this quote of His still rings true. "The harvest indeed is plenteous, but the laborers are few. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send forth laborers into his harvest." Yet another chapter full of the miracles of Jesus, and the condemnation of the Pharisees. I would love to discuss individual miracles in the comments section with you, regardless of the date.
In Genesis, we have the fantastic story of the city of Babel and the tower of Babel. God cursed it and made communication a trial for the first time. The different nations all across the face of the earth now had different languages, inspiring the name Babel. The tower failed. Next up is another genealogy, leading to Abram, Lot and Sarai. More of the stories that make Genesis my favorite. This book has so many stories with so few words, I have failed at every attempt to create my own short stories. I have a need for loquaciousness, and the Lord has such a knack for brevity; it is humbling.
Today's Psalm is one of King David's, where he begs the Lord to have mercy on him and carry him through his trouble. King David begs for mercy and stability to show his oppressors the power of the Lord, and have them fall in their iniquity. The Lord will save him for the asking, because he asks in faith, and they shall fail, because they trust in themselves and worldly wisdom. Remember to have faith in the Lord, and he will carry you though your trials also.
In Proverbs, today we learn quite a lot. The beginning seemed to say to me, that even if your neighbor is a lazy louse, you should still care about his well being. You may have worked hard for your lot in life, but his life is of no less value. I may be wrong, let me know what you derived from the reading. However, more important than that is the end of this Proverb...
Pro 6:30 Men do not despise a thief, if he steal To satisfy himself when he is hungry:
Pro 6:31 But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; He shall give all the substance of his house.
Pro 6:32 He that committeth adultery with a woman is void of understanding: He doeth it who would destroy his own soul.
Seriously, do we need to argue over this quote? No. It is a part of God's law, just as it is written upon the hearts of all mankind. Theft for sustainance, can be forgiven easily, but theft of the heart and soul, of love and sex, cannot be so easily justified.
To the New Testament. It is amazing, ever since Jesus time, and probably before, this quote of His still rings true. "The harvest indeed is plenteous, but the laborers are few. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send forth laborers into his harvest." Yet another chapter full of the miracles of Jesus, and the condemnation of the Pharisees. I would love to discuss individual miracles in the comments section with you, regardless of the date.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
01.05.2010
Today's reading is Genesis 9, 10, Psalms 5, Proverbs 5, and Matthew 8.
We continue with Noah. Finally off the boat, God gives all animals and vegetation for our consumption. The animals are given conditionally, they have to be dead when you eat them. Then after that God tells Noah and his family in no uncertain terms, murder is not acceptable, and the penalty for killing a man, is that a man will kill the killer. This was a punishment outlined for a man or beast. God then goes from capital punishment to rainbows. He promises not to destroy all live with floods, and a sign of his promise is the rainbow.
From here, Noah goes and becomes a farmer. Interesting that he didn't become a sailor. It doesn't say, but I figure he probably never boarded another boat again. Rather, Noah became a farmer and started growing vines. From the fruit of the vine, Noah created a drink that got him drunk. This led to a vague situation with him being naked and drunk, and his son Ham doing something wrong. Ham's siblings were not interested in whatever Ham was, because when he told them about their father's condition, they covered him with a blanket. When Noah came to, he cursed Ham's descendants to be servants to Ham's brothers descendants.
The next chapter is a long genealogy that leads to the nations of the earth. A notable descendant of Ham is Nimrod.
The Lord is the shield of the righteous. The Psalm begs the Lord to help His faithful follower live in righteousness, and defend him from his enemies. His enemies and their bent on the writer's destruction is not what he brings to God. Rather he tells God that they have rebelled against the Lord. It ends with a statement of faith in the Lord blessing the righteous, and surrounding him as a shield.
Instruction from the Proverb today is quite detailed and direct. Do not use prostitutes, don't even think about using prostitutes. Do not have affairs, don't even think about having affairs. Yes, other women can look and sound very sweet, but this immorality leads to a number of terrible consequences. The Proverb even tells you how to avoid this issue, stay at home with your spouse and be enraptured with her love.
To the New Testament, the Sermon on the Mount was ended yesterday, today we follow the Lord Jesus on his journey. This chapter tells of Jesus healing many and casting out demons. Through his healings, he fulfills a prophecy of Isaiah. Also, Jesus begins a small journey on a boat with his followers and they are amazed that by his command a great storm is calmed. They wonder who He is. Apparently they weren't listening at the end of the Sermon on the Mount.This is one of my favorite stories, Jesus meets the men possessed by demons that live in some tombs, and the demons immediately recognize who He is. They want to know if He has come to torment them early and beg to be allowed to leave his presence in the bodies of a herd of pigs. Jesus grants them leave and they dive off a steep cliff into the sea in the bodies of the pigs. It's amazing that Jesus own followers asked who He was to command the sea and wind, but these foul demons immediately recognize Him.
We continue with Noah. Finally off the boat, God gives all animals and vegetation for our consumption. The animals are given conditionally, they have to be dead when you eat them. Then after that God tells Noah and his family in no uncertain terms, murder is not acceptable, and the penalty for killing a man, is that a man will kill the killer. This was a punishment outlined for a man or beast. God then goes from capital punishment to rainbows. He promises not to destroy all live with floods, and a sign of his promise is the rainbow.
From here, Noah goes and becomes a farmer. Interesting that he didn't become a sailor. It doesn't say, but I figure he probably never boarded another boat again. Rather, Noah became a farmer and started growing vines. From the fruit of the vine, Noah created a drink that got him drunk. This led to a vague situation with him being naked and drunk, and his son Ham doing something wrong. Ham's siblings were not interested in whatever Ham was, because when he told them about their father's condition, they covered him with a blanket. When Noah came to, he cursed Ham's descendants to be servants to Ham's brothers descendants.
The next chapter is a long genealogy that leads to the nations of the earth. A notable descendant of Ham is Nimrod.
The Lord is the shield of the righteous. The Psalm begs the Lord to help His faithful follower live in righteousness, and defend him from his enemies. His enemies and their bent on the writer's destruction is not what he brings to God. Rather he tells God that they have rebelled against the Lord. It ends with a statement of faith in the Lord blessing the righteous, and surrounding him as a shield.
Instruction from the Proverb today is quite detailed and direct. Do not use prostitutes, don't even think about using prostitutes. Do not have affairs, don't even think about having affairs. Yes, other women can look and sound very sweet, but this immorality leads to a number of terrible consequences. The Proverb even tells you how to avoid this issue, stay at home with your spouse and be enraptured with her love.
To the New Testament, the Sermon on the Mount was ended yesterday, today we follow the Lord Jesus on his journey. This chapter tells of Jesus healing many and casting out demons. Through his healings, he fulfills a prophecy of Isaiah. Also, Jesus begins a small journey on a boat with his followers and they are amazed that by his command a great storm is calmed. They wonder who He is. Apparently they weren't listening at the end of the Sermon on the Mount.This is one of my favorite stories, Jesus meets the men possessed by demons that live in some tombs, and the demons immediately recognize who He is. They want to know if He has come to torment them early and beg to be allowed to leave his presence in the bodies of a herd of pigs. Jesus grants them leave and they dive off a steep cliff into the sea in the bodies of the pigs. It's amazing that Jesus own followers asked who He was to command the sea and wind, but these foul demons immediately recognize Him.
Sunday's Applications
The main purpose of this blog is to read through the Bible. This is not an in-depth study of the Bible, just an examination of it. I don't claim to be a great theologian, just a believer trying to read the Word of God, and I hope that this blog inspires you to do the same.
I plan to occasionally post other items on the blog, but they will all relate to my faith. I won't be posting neat pictures of my children being children, I have Facebook, Twitter and other blogs and email for that. But I want to come out and let it be known, that other issues of faith may be brought up. I think one I'll regularly do is go over the life applications from my Pastor's Sunday sermons.
I hope these help you also, without distracting from my main venture of reading the Bible.
Sunday's sermon was "God Displays His Power", I Corninthians 4:4-18.
Sorry, I'm not going to try to sum up the sermon, just go into the applications.
God displays his Power through ordinary believers. We need to be open to the fact that we are not too common or too flawed for God to use us. That we are common and flawed and broken is just more evidence that God is powerful. It's not that God can't use the uncommon things that are set aside for special use, but we are common and can be used more regularly. It is better to be common and used more often that fine china that is used once a year or less.
God displays his Power through believers who die to themselves daily. To be ready to serve God, we need to put aside our selfish desires. Look to Godly wisdom, and not materialism or hedonism to lead our lives.
God displays his Power through believers with eternities values in view. If we have eternity in view, we can see past immediate gratification. With eternity in view we can have a better focus on life.
I plan to occasionally post other items on the blog, but they will all relate to my faith. I won't be posting neat pictures of my children being children, I have Facebook, Twitter and other blogs and email for that. But I want to come out and let it be known, that other issues of faith may be brought up. I think one I'll regularly do is go over the life applications from my Pastor's Sunday sermons.
I hope these help you also, without distracting from my main venture of reading the Bible.
Sunday's sermon was "God Displays His Power", I Corninthians 4:4-18.
Sorry, I'm not going to try to sum up the sermon, just go into the applications.
God displays his Power through ordinary believers. We need to be open to the fact that we are not too common or too flawed for God to use us. That we are common and flawed and broken is just more evidence that God is powerful. It's not that God can't use the uncommon things that are set aside for special use, but we are common and can be used more regularly. It is better to be common and used more often that fine china that is used once a year or less.
God displays his Power through believers who die to themselves daily. To be ready to serve God, we need to put aside our selfish desires. Look to Godly wisdom, and not materialism or hedonism to lead our lives.
God displays his Power through believers with eternities values in view. If we have eternity in view, we can see past immediate gratification. With eternity in view we can have a better focus on life.
Monday, January 4, 2010
01.04.2010
Today's reading is Genesis 7, 8, Psalms 4, Proverbs 4, Matthew
Noah has built the ark, it does not go into detail of Noah's building the ark. Rather it simply said, Noah built the ark, and followed God's command and boarded the boat with his family. The Lord told him how it would begin, when the rain would start. It doesn't go into how Noah felt about the Lord's commandment, how his neighbors reacted. It does not explain how hard it was to build such a large ark, or what the wait was like. It did not go into detail about his trials of faith, it simply says what was done. Then that everything went according to all of the Lord's commands. Also as soon as the event was over, without prompting Noah, Noah greatfully gave an offering to the Lord.
Psalms chapter four is quite short, and seems a demand that corrupted people repent. Fear the Lord, and put your faith in Him seems to be the message. There is no hope in worldly wisdom, only in the Creator's wisdom and will. God's will is more precious than the world's wealth of bounty and drink.
In today's Proverb is a direction for the son to honor his father. To follow the only commandment of the ten that comes with a promise, and this proverb restates the promise of a long life in result of the honoring of your father. Solomon tells his sons, to honor him by embracing the Lord's wisdom.
To the New Testament; in Matthew we continue with and end the Sermon on the Mount. Do unto others as you would have them do to you, is taught. Love your neighbor as you would yourself, rephrased and repeated. I love that about the Bible. Everything important is repeated constantly. The end of the sermon was most interesting to me. Jesus said that not everyone who calls to him, Lord, will be saved. Calls to Him! He comes right out and says, when you die, and try to get to heaven, you will ask me. Jesus's first recorded words in the New Testament declare him as Lord.
Noah has built the ark, it does not go into detail of Noah's building the ark. Rather it simply said, Noah built the ark, and followed God's command and boarded the boat with his family. The Lord told him how it would begin, when the rain would start. It doesn't go into how Noah felt about the Lord's commandment, how his neighbors reacted. It does not explain how hard it was to build such a large ark, or what the wait was like. It did not go into detail about his trials of faith, it simply says what was done. Then that everything went according to all of the Lord's commands. Also as soon as the event was over, without prompting Noah, Noah greatfully gave an offering to the Lord.
Psalms chapter four is quite short, and seems a demand that corrupted people repent. Fear the Lord, and put your faith in Him seems to be the message. There is no hope in worldly wisdom, only in the Creator's wisdom and will. God's will is more precious than the world's wealth of bounty and drink.
In today's Proverb is a direction for the son to honor his father. To follow the only commandment of the ten that comes with a promise, and this proverb restates the promise of a long life in result of the honoring of your father. Solomon tells his sons, to honor him by embracing the Lord's wisdom.
To the New Testament; in Matthew we continue with and end the Sermon on the Mount. Do unto others as you would have them do to you, is taught. Love your neighbor as you would yourself, rephrased and repeated. I love that about the Bible. Everything important is repeated constantly. The end of the sermon was most interesting to me. Jesus said that not everyone who calls to him, Lord, will be saved. Calls to Him! He comes right out and says, when you die, and try to get to heaven, you will ask me. Jesus's first recorded words in the New Testament declare him as Lord.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
01.03.2010
Today's reading is Genesis 5 and 6, Psalms 3, Proverbs 3, and Matthew 5.
Genesis 5 was an interesting genealogy from Adam, for ten generations to Noah. Men lived a long time in those days. In the beginning God told us what a day was, a sunset to a sunset. I keep in mind that this writing was recorded by Moses, in a day when the Hebrew calendar had already been established, so I can only assume that the years stated are true years. Nine hundred years is a long time to live. A lot of people were born. A lot of opportunity for people to become corrupt, as we find out in the next chapter. The world was so corrupt that God decided to destroy it's inhabitants, men and animals alike. God commissioned Noah to build the ark and told him why. Noah and his son's families were to be God's reset button.
Psalms 3, consists of King David expressing faith that God would protect him from his enemies, even his son Absolam. That crying out to God, and having faith in the Lord, is better than all the might and strength of men. God stands with the faithful, rather than the mighty. Might does not make right.
This Proverb was interesting, it mostly consisted of Solomon advising his son to cherish wisdom and understanding. There was very little discussion on the wicked, and a lot of explaining how valuable Godly wisdom is rather than the cunning of men. Towards the end, there was a warning not to envy the man of violence. Wisdom and understanding are better than solving all problems with the violence.
On to the New Testament. In Matthew we read the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount. In light of current events here in Washington, these verses are quite stirring.
Mat 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called sons of God.
Mat 5:10 Blessed are they that have been persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
And
Mat 5:44 but I say unto you, love your enemies, and pray for them that persecute you;
So far the Lord Jesus has outlined blessings to certain types of people, and given examples of heavenly wisdom in contrast to worldly wisdom. It all comes from Him so easily and simple, but that doesn't mean it is easy to live this way.
Genesis 5 was an interesting genealogy from Adam, for ten generations to Noah. Men lived a long time in those days. In the beginning God told us what a day was, a sunset to a sunset. I keep in mind that this writing was recorded by Moses, in a day when the Hebrew calendar had already been established, so I can only assume that the years stated are true years. Nine hundred years is a long time to live. A lot of people were born. A lot of opportunity for people to become corrupt, as we find out in the next chapter. The world was so corrupt that God decided to destroy it's inhabitants, men and animals alike. God commissioned Noah to build the ark and told him why. Noah and his son's families were to be God's reset button.
Psalms 3, consists of King David expressing faith that God would protect him from his enemies, even his son Absolam. That crying out to God, and having faith in the Lord, is better than all the might and strength of men. God stands with the faithful, rather than the mighty. Might does not make right.
This Proverb was interesting, it mostly consisted of Solomon advising his son to cherish wisdom and understanding. There was very little discussion on the wicked, and a lot of explaining how valuable Godly wisdom is rather than the cunning of men. Towards the end, there was a warning not to envy the man of violence. Wisdom and understanding are better than solving all problems with the violence.
On to the New Testament. In Matthew we read the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount. In light of current events here in Washington, these verses are quite stirring.
Mat 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called sons of God.
Mat 5:10 Blessed are they that have been persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
And
Mat 5:44 but I say unto you, love your enemies, and pray for them that persecute you;
So far the Lord Jesus has outlined blessings to certain types of people, and given examples of heavenly wisdom in contrast to worldly wisdom. It all comes from Him so easily and simple, but that doesn't mean it is easy to live this way.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
