In Genesis 40 & 41, we find Joseph. Joseph has been imprisoned after his brothers sold him into slavery. Even though imprisoned, He is faithful to God.
He behaves differently than the other prisoners because He is relying on God for his wisdom even in a tough and unfair situation. He rises to the top among the prisoners and is even put in charge of the other prisoners.
Eventually, because of God's grace, Joseph is given the opportunity to get out of prison. He goes before pharoah and interprets a dream for him that no one else could. Before interpreting, however, he acknowledged that only God can interpret dreams, and thus his words are from God.
God had been waiting for this moment to use Joseph. Joseph was faithful to God through the entire imprisonment. If he had not been, no one would have respected his word enough to hear what he had to say. When it came time to get a chance to get out of prison, he could have bragged about his wisdom instead of God's, but he didn't. He humbly and bravely gave credit where credit was due...God.
I wonder as I go through my busy day, do I give God credit for my wisdom and accomplishments, even the tiny ones? Or do I take the credit proudly and move on to the next event? If things worked out for me, I should thank God for that. If things didn't work out for me, I should thank God for that also. God has a plan and when it is time for things to work out, or not, according to His plan, they will.
Father, I pray that you will always make me humble enough to acknowledge You in everything rather than take the credit myself or blame others or be jealous of others. Please help me to do this. In Christ's name I pray. Amen.
Saturday, January 30, 2016
Immeasurably more
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen.- Ephesians 3:20-2 NIV
I read Genesis 42 & 43 today. It was about Joseph and how his brothers came to Egypt to ask for grain from the Egyptians. Joseph just happened to be the governor whom they had to ask. They didn't know he was their brother because thirteen years before that, they were very jealous off him and had sold him into slavery. They assumed he was dead. What a tangled web they weaved.
Then I looked at my life. I try to do things right. I try to follow God's will. I try. Somehow, things still end up a mess more often than I care to admit. So, what is the problem?
The problem is that it I am focused on my short-sighted plans. I am worried about what I think needs too be done or said. Instead, I should be focused on God's will and His plan. Then everything will work itself out. It will be for my, and everyone else's, best interests!
It really is that simple...and yet hard to do in this fallen world we live in.
Father, help me to remember..."now to you who are able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to your power that is at work within us, to you be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen." - Ephesians 3:20-2 NIV
I read Genesis 42 & 43 today. It was about Joseph and how his brothers came to Egypt to ask for grain from the Egyptians. Joseph just happened to be the governor whom they had to ask. They didn't know he was their brother because thirteen years before that, they were very jealous off him and had sold him into slavery. They assumed he was dead. What a tangled web they weaved.
Then I looked at my life. I try to do things right. I try to follow God's will. I try. Somehow, things still end up a mess more often than I care to admit. So, what is the problem?
The problem is that it I am focused on my short-sighted plans. I am worried about what I think needs too be done or said. Instead, I should be focused on God's will and His plan. Then everything will work itself out. It will be for my, and everyone else's, best interests!
It really is that simple...and yet hard to do in this fallen world we live in.
Father, help me to remember..."now to you who are able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to your power that is at work within us, to you be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen." - Ephesians 3:20-2 NIV
"God is my home"
Genesis 46
1 So Israel took his journey with all that he had and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. 2 And God spoke to Israel in visions of the night and said, "Jacob, Jacob." And he said, "Here I am." 3 Then he said, "I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you into a great nation. 4 I myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up again, and Joseph's hand shall close your eyes."
As I was reading my devotions today from Genesis 46, I went to the comments section. There someone had summarized Israel's leaving his homeland to go to a foreign country and live, Egypt, with the words "God is my home." How perfect!
Joseph was sold into slavery and eventually rose to be governor of the nation he was sold to. Israel thought he had lost his son, only to find out he had been thriving and worshipping his God in Egypt. Then Joseph saves them from the famine by moving them to Egypt which had abundant grain because of Pharoah's dreams which Joseph interpreted by God's wisdom and will. All this happened, a family is truly and horribly fractured, and yet, this same family is put back together. The memories of these tragic things must have been painful at times afterwards, but everyone was reunited and allowed to work things out.
There is only one problem with that paragraph above. I didn't give much credit to God. However, if you look carefully, you can see God's hand woven through it all. He protected Joseph in Egypt. He sent Joseph to Egypt preparation of the famine. He helped Joseph keep the correct perspective that he was being used by God for God's will. He helped Israel at the end of his not so stellar life (cheating people, manipulating, etc.) to have his family back together. God reminded Israel in the verses above that He had a plan and He would carry it out...in His time.
He also gave us a clear picture that whatever we are doing, God has a plan for us. Wherever we are, God is taking care of us. Wherever we are, God is our home.
1 So Israel took his journey with all that he had and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. 2 And God spoke to Israel in visions of the night and said, "Jacob, Jacob." And he said, "Here I am." 3 Then he said, "I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you into a great nation. 4 I myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up again, and Joseph's hand shall close your eyes."
As I was reading my devotions today from Genesis 46, I went to the comments section. There someone had summarized Israel's leaving his homeland to go to a foreign country and live, Egypt, with the words "God is my home." How perfect!
Joseph was sold into slavery and eventually rose to be governor of the nation he was sold to. Israel thought he had lost his son, only to find out he had been thriving and worshipping his God in Egypt. Then Joseph saves them from the famine by moving them to Egypt which had abundant grain because of Pharoah's dreams which Joseph interpreted by God's wisdom and will. All this happened, a family is truly and horribly fractured, and yet, this same family is put back together. The memories of these tragic things must have been painful at times afterwards, but everyone was reunited and allowed to work things out.
There is only one problem with that paragraph above. I didn't give much credit to God. However, if you look carefully, you can see God's hand woven through it all. He protected Joseph in Egypt. He sent Joseph to Egypt preparation of the famine. He helped Joseph keep the correct perspective that he was being used by God for God's will. He helped Israel at the end of his not so stellar life (cheating people, manipulating, etc.) to have his family back together. God reminded Israel in the verses above that He had a plan and He would carry it out...in His time.
He also gave us a clear picture that whatever we are doing, God has a plan for us. Wherever we are, God is taking care of us. Wherever we are, God is our home.
Rewards and crowns in heaven
I find this very confusing. Do we actually receive rewards and then walk around with them? Do we receive a crown? Do some of us have more jewels on our crowns than others? Does this mean some people's are better than others in heaven? In heaven? The perfect place?
Here is what I found today:
The Christian need never fear punishment, but can look forward to crowns of reward that he can cast at the feet of the Savior. In conclusion, there are not different levels of heaven, but there are different levels of reward in heaven.
Yes! Yes! Yes! Now that makes sense! We receive rewards so that we can put them at Jesus's feet for everything He has done for us! That makes perfect sense. Now wouldn't I want to throw a heavily jeweled crown at Jesus's feet rather than some wood and stubble? I would! So, I need to get out there and do His will constantly!
Before is a link to the whole discussion that I quoted above.
Question: Are there different levels of Heaven? Are there three heavens?
http://www.gotquestions.org/levels-heaven.html
Here is the text:
The closest thing Scripture says to there being different levels of heaven is found in 2 Corinthians 12:2, “I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows.” Some interpret this as indicating that there are three different levels of heaven, a level for “super-committed Christians” or Christians who have obtained a high level of spirituality, a level for “ordinary” Christians, and a level for Christians who did not serve God faithfully. This view has no basis in Scripture.
Paul is not saying that there are three heavens or even three levels of heaven. In many ancient cultures, people used the term heaven to describe three different “realms”—the sky, outer space, and then a spiritual heaven. Paul was saying that God took him to the “spiritual” heaven—the realm beyond the physical universe where God dwells. The concept of different levels of heaven may have come in part from Dante’s The Divine Comedy in which the poet describes both heaven and hell as having nine different levels. The Divine Comedy, however, is a fictional work. The idea of different levels of heaven is foreign to Scripture.
Scripture does speak of different rewards in heaven. Jesus said regarding rewards, “Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done” (Revelation 22:12). Since Jesus will be distributing rewards on the basis of what we have done, we can safely say that there will be a time of reward for believers and that the rewards will differ somewhat from person to person.
Only those works that survive God’s refining fire have eternal value and will be worthy of reward. Those valuable works are referred to as “gold, silver, and costly stones” (1 Corinthians 3:12) and are those things that are built upon the foundation of faith in Christ. Those works that will not be rewarded are called “wood, hay, and stubble”; these are not evil deeds but shallow activities with no eternal value. Rewards will be distributed at the “judgment seat of Christ,” a place where believers’ lives will be evaluated for the purpose of rewards. “Judgment” of believers never refers to punishment for sin. Jesus Christ was punished for our sin when He died on the cross, and God said about us: “I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more” (Hebrews 8:12). What a glorious thought! The Christian need never fear punishment, but can look forward to crowns of reward that he can cast at the feet of the Savior. In conclusion, there are not different levels of heaven, but there are different levels of reward in heaven.
Here is what I found today:
The Christian need never fear punishment, but can look forward to crowns of reward that he can cast at the feet of the Savior. In conclusion, there are not different levels of heaven, but there are different levels of reward in heaven.
Yes! Yes! Yes! Now that makes sense! We receive rewards so that we can put them at Jesus's feet for everything He has done for us! That makes perfect sense. Now wouldn't I want to throw a heavily jeweled crown at Jesus's feet rather than some wood and stubble? I would! So, I need to get out there and do His will constantly!
Before is a link to the whole discussion that I quoted above.
Question: Are there different levels of Heaven? Are there three heavens?
http://www.gotquestions.org/levels-heaven.html
Here is the text:
The closest thing Scripture says to there being different levels of heaven is found in 2 Corinthians 12:2, “I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows.” Some interpret this as indicating that there are three different levels of heaven, a level for “super-committed Christians” or Christians who have obtained a high level of spirituality, a level for “ordinary” Christians, and a level for Christians who did not serve God faithfully. This view has no basis in Scripture.
Paul is not saying that there are three heavens or even three levels of heaven. In many ancient cultures, people used the term heaven to describe three different “realms”—the sky, outer space, and then a spiritual heaven. Paul was saying that God took him to the “spiritual” heaven—the realm beyond the physical universe where God dwells. The concept of different levels of heaven may have come in part from Dante’s The Divine Comedy in which the poet describes both heaven and hell as having nine different levels. The Divine Comedy, however, is a fictional work. The idea of different levels of heaven is foreign to Scripture.
Scripture does speak of different rewards in heaven. Jesus said regarding rewards, “Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done” (Revelation 22:12). Since Jesus will be distributing rewards on the basis of what we have done, we can safely say that there will be a time of reward for believers and that the rewards will differ somewhat from person to person.
Only those works that survive God’s refining fire have eternal value and will be worthy of reward. Those valuable works are referred to as “gold, silver, and costly stones” (1 Corinthians 3:12) and are those things that are built upon the foundation of faith in Christ. Those works that will not be rewarded are called “wood, hay, and stubble”; these are not evil deeds but shallow activities with no eternal value. Rewards will be distributed at the “judgment seat of Christ,” a place where believers’ lives will be evaluated for the purpose of rewards. “Judgment” of believers never refers to punishment for sin. Jesus Christ was punished for our sin when He died on the cross, and God said about us: “I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more” (Hebrews 8:12). What a glorious thought! The Christian need never fear punishment, but can look forward to crowns of reward that he can cast at the feet of the Savior. In conclusion, there are not different levels of heaven, but there are different levels of reward in heaven.
Saturday, January 23, 2016
God is with us all the time
Genesis 35
2So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods you have with you, and purify yourselves and change your clothes. 3Then come, let us go up to Bethel, where I will build an altar to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and who has been with me wherever I have gone.” 4So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods they had and the rings in their ears, and Jacob buried them under the oak at Shechem. 5Then they set out, and the terror of God fell on the towns all around them so that no one pursued them.
I am always amazed and my faith is strengthened as I read the Bible. This passage demonstrates yet again how God is always with us...every town around them as they travelled feared them and because of that they did not harm these people going through their territory!
I realized yesterday, when I came home from work, that I hadn't sent up a prayer, not even a quick one, since I had arrived at work that morning. I was so immersed in my day, that I failed to acknowledge God throughout the day. That realization upset me. We are supposed to talk to God all day, and I forgot about Him the minute my morning devotions were over!
Then I realized something significant. Even though I had forgotten about God, pushed Him to the back of my mind as I went through my day, He did not forget about me. There were many moments that could have gone wrong, but the Holy Spirit told me I needed to do something another way, or not do it, or be careful what I say our how I say it, or don't let something upset me. I felt those nudges all day long.
Finally, at the end of the day, when I realized that'd I hadn't kept God at the forefront of my thoughts, I realized that He had still not left me, He was working all day to help my Christian witness.
God will always protect us, guide us, always be with us, even when we, in our human fragility, don't or can't.
Father. Thank you for sending the Holy Spirit. Thank you for always looking over us and helping in situations we don't even know we need help in. Thank you for not pushing us to the back of your mind and reminding us to not do that to you. In Jesus name I pray. Amen
2So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods you have with you, and purify yourselves and change your clothes. 3Then come, let us go up to Bethel, where I will build an altar to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and who has been with me wherever I have gone.” 4So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods they had and the rings in their ears, and Jacob buried them under the oak at Shechem. 5Then they set out, and the terror of God fell on the towns all around them so that no one pursued them.
I am always amazed and my faith is strengthened as I read the Bible. This passage demonstrates yet again how God is always with us...every town around them as they travelled feared them and because of that they did not harm these people going through their territory!
I realized yesterday, when I came home from work, that I hadn't sent up a prayer, not even a quick one, since I had arrived at work that morning. I was so immersed in my day, that I failed to acknowledge God throughout the day. That realization upset me. We are supposed to talk to God all day, and I forgot about Him the minute my morning devotions were over!
Then I realized something significant. Even though I had forgotten about God, pushed Him to the back of my mind as I went through my day, He did not forget about me. There were many moments that could have gone wrong, but the Holy Spirit told me I needed to do something another way, or not do it, or be careful what I say our how I say it, or don't let something upset me. I felt those nudges all day long.
Finally, at the end of the day, when I realized that'd I hadn't kept God at the forefront of my thoughts, I realized that He had still not left me, He was working all day to help my Christian witness.
God will always protect us, guide us, always be with us, even when we, in our human fragility, don't or can't.
Father. Thank you for sending the Holy Spirit. Thank you for always looking over us and helping in situations we don't even know we need help in. Thank you for not pushing us to the back of your mind and reminding us to not do that to you. In Jesus name I pray. Amen
Melchizedek was the greater priest...foretelling of Jesus
Genesis 14
8Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboyim and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) marched out and drew up their battle lines in the Valley of Siddim 9against Kedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goyim, Amraphel king of Shinar and Arioch king of Ellasar—four kings against five. 10Now the Valley of Siddim was full of tar pits, and when the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some of the men fell into them and the rest fled to the hills. 11The four kings seized all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food; then they went away. 12They also carried off Abram’s nephew Lot and his possessions, since he was living in Sodom. 13A man who had escaped came and reported this to Abram the Hebrew. Now Abram was living near the great trees of Mamre the Amorite, a brother[b] of Eshkol and Aner, all of whom were allied with Abram. 14When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he called out the 318 trained men born in his household and went in pursuit as far as Dan. 15During the night Abram divided his men to attack them and he routed them, pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus. 16He recovered all the goods and brought back his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the other people. 17After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). 18Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, 19and he blessed Abram, saying, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. 20And praise be to God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.
Melchizedek is a reference to Jesus Christ who gave us bad and wine (like Melchizedek) to remember His sacrifice for our sins. Jesus Christ is our mediator as Melchizedek was Abrams.
I can't summarize Jesus Christ's role as our mediator any better than with this Puritan Prayer.
8Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboyim and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) marched out and drew up their battle lines in the Valley of Siddim 9against Kedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goyim, Amraphel king of Shinar and Arioch king of Ellasar—four kings against five. 10Now the Valley of Siddim was full of tar pits, and when the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some of the men fell into them and the rest fled to the hills. 11The four kings seized all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food; then they went away. 12They also carried off Abram’s nephew Lot and his possessions, since he was living in Sodom. 13A man who had escaped came and reported this to Abram the Hebrew. Now Abram was living near the great trees of Mamre the Amorite, a brother[b] of Eshkol and Aner, all of whom were allied with Abram. 14When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he called out the 318 trained men born in his household and went in pursuit as far as Dan. 15During the night Abram divided his men to attack them and he routed them, pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus. 16He recovered all the goods and brought back his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the other people. 17After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). 18Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, 19and he blessed Abram, saying, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. 20And praise be to God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.
Melchizedek is a reference to Jesus Christ who gave us bad and wine (like Melchizedek) to remember His sacrifice for our sins. Jesus Christ is our mediator as Melchizedek was Abrams.
I can't summarize Jesus Christ's role as our mediator any better than with this Puritan Prayer.
Glorious Jehovah, My Covenant God,
All Thy promises in Christ Jesus are yea and amen, and all shall be fulfilled. Thou hast spoken them, and they shall be done, commanded, and they shall come to pass. Yet I have often doubted Thee, have lived at times as if there were no God. Lord, forgive me that death in life, when I have found something apart from Thee, when I have been content with ephemeral things.
But through Thy grace I have repented; Thou hast given me to read my pardon in the wounds of Jesus, and my soul doth trust in Him, my God incarnate, the ground of my life, the spring of my hope. Teach me to be resigned to Thy will, to delight in Thy law, to have no will but Thine, to believe everything Thou doest is for my good.
Help me to leave my concerns in Thy hands, for Thou hast power over evil, and bringest from it an infinite progression of good, until Thy purposes are fulfilled.
Bless me with Abraham’s faith that staggers not at promises through unbelief. May I not instruct Thee in my troubles, but glorify Thee in my trials;
Grant me a distinct advance in the divine life; may I reach a higher platform, leave the mists of doubt and fear in the valley, and climb to hill-tops of eternal security in Christ by simply believing He cannot lie, or turn from His purpose.
Give me the confidence I ought to have in Him who is worthy to be praised, and who is blessed for evermore.
Taken from ‘Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers’, edited by Arthur Bennett
Noah
In Genesis, we have the miraculous account of Noah and the ark. God has to destroy everyone else on earth but Noah's family because the other people were so sinful and ignored God.
That is kind of scary, because we are all still so sinful. Still bent on having our own way, doing things they way we want them, when we want them. What made us believe that everything is about us? Sin. That's what.
God tried to rid the world of sin in Genesis. Actually, He tried to keep it out first, as He told Adam and Eve to not eat of the tree of good and evil, but they did. Then things kept getting worse as we humans kept sinking more and more into selfishness and self importance. Then came the flood which annihilated all the human race except Noah's family as he was found to be righteous by God.
I have no idea how Noah could have been so righteous that God would pick him over everyone else. I know He wouldn't have picked me. Just yesterday, I was consumed with what ifs and whys and poor me's instead of focusing on God. Today, I am not much better.
Thankfully, even I have a Savior in Jesus Christ! God knew humans would mess up again and again, so He sent His Son to cover and get rid of our sins much like the rain covered all the sins in Noah's time and rid the earth of sinful people that had turned their backs on God. However, with Christ's forgiveness, we still get to live...to try again and again to glorify God another day.
Thank you,, Father, for loving us enough to keep giving us another chance!
That is kind of scary, because we are all still so sinful. Still bent on having our own way, doing things they way we want them, when we want them. What made us believe that everything is about us? Sin. That's what.
God tried to rid the world of sin in Genesis. Actually, He tried to keep it out first, as He told Adam and Eve to not eat of the tree of good and evil, but they did. Then things kept getting worse as we humans kept sinking more and more into selfishness and self importance. Then came the flood which annihilated all the human race except Noah's family as he was found to be righteous by God.
I have no idea how Noah could have been so righteous that God would pick him over everyone else. I know He wouldn't have picked me. Just yesterday, I was consumed with what ifs and whys and poor me's instead of focusing on God. Today, I am not much better.
Thankfully, even I have a Savior in Jesus Christ! God knew humans would mess up again and again, so He sent His Son to cover and get rid of our sins much like the rain covered all the sins in Noah's time and rid the earth of sinful people that had turned their backs on God. However, with Christ's forgiveness, we still get to live...to try again and again to glorify God another day.
Thank you,, Father, for loving us enough to keep giving us another chance!
Covenants
Covenants. Promise that are to be kept.
Today, I read through the rest of Noah's story in the Bible in Genesis chapter 9. Here God promises He will never flood the earth again. To remind us of His promise, He says He will put a rainbow in the sky when it rains. Whenever we see it, we can remember His promise.
Then Noah's family spreads across the earth and repopulates it. Each son passing on what he has learned from his mother and father. Noah passing on his faith and wisdom and stories to his grandchildren. They in turn passed it on to theirs, or not sometimes.
Today, when we marry, we make a covenant to each other. To remain faithful, through health issues, money issues, life issues, raising children. When we die, we leave a legacy to our children and grandchildren and friends and acquaintances. Whatever they saw and heard us do or not do, this they remember and imitate or spend a life time trying to correct or change!
God made a covenant with all of us back in Noah's day, to never flood the earth and He left us rainbows to remind us of that legacy. Deut. 7:9 says "Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations,"
What an example for us to follow!
Today, I read through the rest of Noah's story in the Bible in Genesis chapter 9. Here God promises He will never flood the earth again. To remind us of His promise, He says He will put a rainbow in the sky when it rains. Whenever we see it, we can remember His promise.
Then Noah's family spreads across the earth and repopulates it. Each son passing on what he has learned from his mother and father. Noah passing on his faith and wisdom and stories to his grandchildren. They in turn passed it on to theirs, or not sometimes.
Today, when we marry, we make a covenant to each other. To remain faithful, through health issues, money issues, life issues, raising children. When we die, we leave a legacy to our children and grandchildren and friends and acquaintances. Whatever they saw and heard us do or not do, this they remember and imitate or spend a life time trying to correct or change!
God made a covenant with all of us back in Noah's day, to never flood the earth and He left us rainbows to remind us of that legacy. Deut. 7:9 says "Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations,"
What an example for us to follow!
Faith
35That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”
39He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
40He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
41They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
Even the winds and the waves obey Him. Wow! If I know, or have faith, that God loves me, what do I have to fear? Really! What? Death? Life? Angels? Demons? The present? The future? Any powers? Nothing! Wow! Nothing?
So, I don't need to worry about my grandchildren or my children and their marriages? Their safety? Their spiritual life? No, according to this script, I don't need to worry, but I do need to pray and do what God tells me to do.
Look at Jonah. God told him to go to Nineveh to tell them about Him and that He would destroy them if they didn't repent. Jonah tried not to go. ..we all know how that turned out. We must pray and follow God's leading and we will have no worries because of our faith.
Father, please help me to stay in you, in your wishes, in your timing, do what you want me toy do, show your love and concern to others. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Even the winds and the waves obey Him. Wow! If I know, or have faith, that God loves me, what do I have to fear? Really! What? Death? Life? Angels? Demons? The present? The future? Any powers? Nothing! Wow! Nothing?
So, I don't need to worry about my grandchildren or my children and their marriages? Their safety? Their spiritual life? No, according to this script, I don't need to worry, but I do need to pray and do what God tells me to do.
Look at Jonah. God told him to go to Nineveh to tell them about Him and that He would destroy them if they didn't repent. Jonah tried not to go. ..we all know how that turned out. We must pray and follow God's leading and we will have no worries because of our faith.
Father, please help me to stay in you, in your wishes, in your timing, do what you want me toy do, show your love and concern to others. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
A Thrill of Hope
Philippians 2
4not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. 5In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in very nature[a] God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature[b] of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! 9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
At Christmas time, whether it is CHRISTMAS OR easter, all year we should celebrate the ultimate freedom Christ gave us, the thrill of hope-of a joyful eternity, by dying on the cross for our sins! I have always loved this song. Now I know why!
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming
Here come the wise men from Orient land
The King of Kings lay thus in lowly manger
In all our trials born to be our friend
Fall on your knees
Oh hear the angel voices
Oh night divine
Oh night when Christ was born
Oh night divine
Oh night divine
Truly He taught us to love one another
His law is love and His gospel is peace
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother
And in His name all oppression shall cease
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy name
Fall on your knees
Oh hear the angel voices
Oh night divine
Oh night when Christ was born
Oh night divine
Oh night divine
4not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. 5In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in very nature[a] God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature[b] of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! 9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
At Christmas time, whether it is CHRISTMAS OR easter, all year we should celebrate the ultimate freedom Christ gave us, the thrill of hope-of a joyful eternity, by dying on the cross for our sins! I have always loved this song. Now I know why!
Holy Night
O holy night!
The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of the dear Savior's birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till he appear'd and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary soul rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!
Fall on your knees
Oh hear the angel voices
Oh night divine
Oh night when Christ was born
Oh night divine
Oh night divine
Led by the light of Faith serenely beaming
With glowing hearts by His cradle we standSo led by light of a star sweetly gleaming
Here come the wise men from Orient land
The King of Kings lay thus in lowly manger
In all our trials born to be our friend
Oh hear the angel voices
Oh night divine
Oh night when Christ was born
Oh night divine
Oh night divine
Truly He taught us to love one another
His law is love and His gospel is peace
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother
And in His name all oppression shall cease
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy name
Fall on your knees
Oh hear the angel voices
Oh night divine
Oh night when Christ was born
Oh night divine
Oh night divine
You know all your mistakes? Forget them. It is really all about God
2 Samuel 7
“ ‘THE LORD DECLARES TO YOU THAT THE Lord himself will establish a house for you: 12When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. 13He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands. 15But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me[b] ; your throne will be established forever.’ ”
Today, I was whining about how I do so many things wrong. About this and that getting messed up. How could I have done things differently? What did I do wrong? Continually paying I will do it better next time.
Then I read my devotion for the day. In it David had wanted to honor God by building Him a temple. God said NO! HE HAD OTHER PLANS! HE DIDN'T NEED DAVID TO BUILD HIM A TEMPLE. This was a different answer than usual David..."a man after God's own heart." God took care of David. Reassured him when things went wrong. Disciplined him when he made wrong choices. God already had plans for a temple and He didn't need David to jump ahead of them.
In fact, God had even bigger and better plans. He sent the Saviour through David's lineage. He even told David about this ahead of time.
Everything David did to try and prove his love for God, was nothing compared to the love God was trying to show him. We, just like David, need to learn to accept God's love. We need to bask in the glow of it. We need to focus on His love and not what we can do for Him!
Father, please help me to look to you every second. None of my choices are good if they aren't made with you. Nothing I do will benefit me or your kingdom, if it isn't done because of your love and through your love. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen
“ ‘THE LORD DECLARES TO YOU THAT THE Lord himself will establish a house for you: 12When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. 13He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands. 15But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me[b] ; your throne will be established forever.’ ”
Today, I was whining about how I do so many things wrong. About this and that getting messed up. How could I have done things differently? What did I do wrong? Continually paying I will do it better next time.
Then I read my devotion for the day. In it David had wanted to honor God by building Him a temple. God said NO! HE HAD OTHER PLANS! HE DIDN'T NEED DAVID TO BUILD HIM A TEMPLE. This was a different answer than usual David..."a man after God's own heart." God took care of David. Reassured him when things went wrong. Disciplined him when he made wrong choices. God already had plans for a temple and He didn't need David to jump ahead of them.
In fact, God had even bigger and better plans. He sent the Saviour through David's lineage. He even told David about this ahead of time.
Everything David did to try and prove his love for God, was nothing compared to the love God was trying to show him. We, just like David, need to learn to accept God's love. We need to bask in the glow of it. We need to focus on His love and not what we can do for Him!
Father, please help me to look to you every second. None of my choices are good if they aren't made with you. Nothing I do will benefit me or your kingdom, if it isn't done because of your love and through your love. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen
Friday, January 22, 2016
Genesis
I read Genesis chapters 37 & 38 today. Oh my! What a messy account of human sin. Genesis 1 starts with God and His great crayon and then add man. At first it is paradise, then man decides to sin and everything is changed for all of human history. No more Garden of Eden. No more walks in the garden with God. Humans have to toil and struggle. The first murder happens. Lying, cheating, stealing, prostitution, adultery, polygamy, more murder, and on and on and on! And I am only referring to Genesis right now!
Genesis is the first book in the Bible. The Bible is God's word to us. Yet, it is full of awful events and happening. Aren't you wondering why an all knowing, all powerful, God would let this happen and even worse put it all down in writing in His holy book?
He does it because He is all knowing and all powerful and He wants us to see that even though we mess things up, He still has a plan and His plan still wins in the end...no matter how messy we humans make it along the way. In the end, God wins! What is the end?
Well, God's end game, also in the Holy scriptures asking with the messy (and true) stuff, is the account of Jesus. He comes to the earth as a baby. Grows up and teaches us a deeper understanding of God...deeper than the ten commandments, The Law, and then gives His life on the cross as a substitute for the punishment we deserved for our sins. God raises Him from the dead, and now He is heaven. He sits at the right hand of God and INTERCEDEs for us when we ask for forgiveness, because we don't really deserve forgiveness do we? You don't have to look at Genesis to see the wrong we all do every day. God is holy and cannot tolerate unholiness (that is sin and that is all of us since the first sin). So, we only get to heaven through the work of Christ! Jesus Christ sits on His throne and covers all of our sin so that God can allow us in heaven when we die on this earth.
Having said all that, the connection between Genesis and Jesus is... those people whose sins are documented in the Old Testament? The human part of Jesus blood line is in those people! In Genesis, we find the history of Jesus mother's family, His history, our history!
God had a plan. It might take thousands of years before we see the end game, but He has a plan, and His plans always happen even with sinful, human beings such as ourselves!
Father, thank you that you sent your son so that we can have forgiveness for our sins and spend eternity in heaven with a loving Father who will work for 1,000s of years, if that is what it takes, to help us. Thank you for loving us!
Genesis is the first book in the Bible. The Bible is God's word to us. Yet, it is full of awful events and happening. Aren't you wondering why an all knowing, all powerful, God would let this happen and even worse put it all down in writing in His holy book?
He does it because He is all knowing and all powerful and He wants us to see that even though we mess things up, He still has a plan and His plan still wins in the end...no matter how messy we humans make it along the way. In the end, God wins! What is the end?
Well, God's end game, also in the Holy scriptures asking with the messy (and true) stuff, is the account of Jesus. He comes to the earth as a baby. Grows up and teaches us a deeper understanding of God...deeper than the ten commandments, The Law, and then gives His life on the cross as a substitute for the punishment we deserved for our sins. God raises Him from the dead, and now He is heaven. He sits at the right hand of God and INTERCEDEs for us when we ask for forgiveness, because we don't really deserve forgiveness do we? You don't have to look at Genesis to see the wrong we all do every day. God is holy and cannot tolerate unholiness (that is sin and that is all of us since the first sin). So, we only get to heaven through the work of Christ! Jesus Christ sits on His throne and covers all of our sin so that God can allow us in heaven when we die on this earth.
Having said all that, the connection between Genesis and Jesus is... those people whose sins are documented in the Old Testament? The human part of Jesus blood line is in those people! In Genesis, we find the history of Jesus mother's family, His history, our history!
God had a plan. It might take thousands of years before we see the end game, but He has a plan, and His plans always happen even with sinful, human beings such as ourselves!
Father, thank you that you sent your son so that we can have forgiveness for our sins and spend eternity in heaven with a loving Father who will work for 1,000s of years, if that is what it takes, to help us. Thank you for loving us!
Thursday, January 7, 2016
God's promises
Genesis 12
1The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. 2“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.[a] 3I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”[b]
14When Abram came to Egypt, the Egyptians saw that Sarai was a very beautiful woman. 15And when Pharaoh’s officials saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh, and she was taken into his palace. 16He treated Abram well for her sake, and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, male and female servants, and camels. 17But the Lord inflicted serious diseases on Pharaoh and his household because of Abram’s wife Sarai. 18So Pharaoh summoned Abram. “What have you done to me?” he said. “Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife? 19Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her to be my wife? Now then, here is your wife. Take her and go!” 20Then Pharaoh gave orders about Abram to his men, and they sent him on his way, with his wife and everything he had.
In verses 1-3, God promises to Abraham (Abram) that He will make a great nation from him. That he will be a blessing to many and his name will be great.
I am not sure that Abraham envisioned the same thing God did. After all, it took 2000 years for this promise to be fulfilled in Jesus Christ who is from the lineage of Abraham. Would you have thought it would never happen in your life time if God promises you this? I think I would have thought Abraham would see it in his lifetime, but he didn't. The complete fulfillment of this promise (Jesus Christ) took nearly 2000 years!
Yet God was not quiet during those 2000 years. He protected Abraham and his family and descendants time and time again. In fact, in verses 14-20 above, Abraham decides to protect himself; he decides he should lie about Sarah (Sarai) and say she is his sister. Then Pharaoh puts her in his Haram! Really? Abraham just went from God telling him He would bless him to Abraham basically prostituting his wife in order to save his own skin!
Maybe there is more to the story. Maybe pharaoh hadn't slept with Sarah yet as they usually have months of beauty treatments before going to Pharaoh (see the book of Esther). I really hope she was still in beauty treatments. Still, what guy would do that to his wife? How could Abraham have forgotten so quickly the promises of God? Did he think he needed to help God with theses promises and take matters in to his own hands? Would you have done what Abraham did if you feared for your life?
Well, God didn't leave Abraham to wallow in his mistakes. He takes care of the mess Abraham got Sarah into. He sends a plague on Pharaoh's household. Pharaoh returns Sarah to Abraham with lots of gifts to get them out of Egypt!
No matter what, God has made us a promise (the promise He made to Abraham)...He sent His only Son as a sacrifice for our sins. The Son who was of the lineage of Abraham! So that when we mess up (i.e. when Abraham gives his wife away, when I pass judgment on Abraham, etc.), God has allowed our mistakes to be completely washed away through Jesus Christ. What a great gift! What a great promise! God did not forget His promise. He just did it when the time was right...not when Abraham thought He should do it.
We all need to learn to be patient and wait on God's timing!
Father, thank you that you are always watching out for us and preparing the road for our future. May we continually seek your guidance so that we follow your perfect path and not our imperfect and sinful path! In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
1The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. 2“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.[a] 3I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”[b]
14When Abram came to Egypt, the Egyptians saw that Sarai was a very beautiful woman. 15And when Pharaoh’s officials saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh, and she was taken into his palace. 16He treated Abram well for her sake, and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, male and female servants, and camels. 17But the Lord inflicted serious diseases on Pharaoh and his household because of Abram’s wife Sarai. 18So Pharaoh summoned Abram. “What have you done to me?” he said. “Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife? 19Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her to be my wife? Now then, here is your wife. Take her and go!” 20Then Pharaoh gave orders about Abram to his men, and they sent him on his way, with his wife and everything he had.
In verses 1-3, God promises to Abraham (Abram) that He will make a great nation from him. That he will be a blessing to many and his name will be great.
I am not sure that Abraham envisioned the same thing God did. After all, it took 2000 years for this promise to be fulfilled in Jesus Christ who is from the lineage of Abraham. Would you have thought it would never happen in your life time if God promises you this? I think I would have thought Abraham would see it in his lifetime, but he didn't. The complete fulfillment of this promise (Jesus Christ) took nearly 2000 years!
Yet God was not quiet during those 2000 years. He protected Abraham and his family and descendants time and time again. In fact, in verses 14-20 above, Abraham decides to protect himself; he decides he should lie about Sarah (Sarai) and say she is his sister. Then Pharaoh puts her in his Haram! Really? Abraham just went from God telling him He would bless him to Abraham basically prostituting his wife in order to save his own skin!
Maybe there is more to the story. Maybe pharaoh hadn't slept with Sarah yet as they usually have months of beauty treatments before going to Pharaoh (see the book of Esther). I really hope she was still in beauty treatments. Still, what guy would do that to his wife? How could Abraham have forgotten so quickly the promises of God? Did he think he needed to help God with theses promises and take matters in to his own hands? Would you have done what Abraham did if you feared for your life?
Well, God didn't leave Abraham to wallow in his mistakes. He takes care of the mess Abraham got Sarah into. He sends a plague on Pharaoh's household. Pharaoh returns Sarah to Abraham with lots of gifts to get them out of Egypt!
No matter what, God has made us a promise (the promise He made to Abraham)...He sent His only Son as a sacrifice for our sins. The Son who was of the lineage of Abraham! So that when we mess up (i.e. when Abraham gives his wife away, when I pass judgment on Abraham, etc.), God has allowed our mistakes to be completely washed away through Jesus Christ. What a great gift! What a great promise! God did not forget His promise. He just did it when the time was right...not when Abraham thought He should do it.
We all need to learn to be patient and wait on God's timing!
Father, thank you that you are always watching out for us and preparing the road for our future. May we continually seek your guidance so that we follow your perfect path and not our imperfect and sinful path! In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
Wednesday, January 6, 2016
The Tower of Bable is confusing on multiple levels!
Genesis 11
3They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. 4Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves;otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.” 5But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. 6The Lord said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. 7Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.” 8So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. 9THAT IS WHY IT WAS CALLED BABEL[c] —BECAUSE THERE THE LORD CONFUSED THE LANGUAGE OF THE WHOLE WORLD. FROM THERE THE Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth.
Everytime I read this passage I wonder why God did this. Was He afraid the human race would get all the way to heaven with the tower? Was He afraid these people would overrun heaven? Could they have possibly made it all the way to heaven anyway? I wonder about all these things and then ask, in prayer, for guidance and understanding concerning this confusing passage. I know God puts everything in the Bible for a reason, I just needed to understand why He would destroy a project that everyone was working on together. Why He would say He didn't want them to make it to heaven?
Today, my prayer for understanding was answered. I started my devotions this morning and all they talked about was how God confused the people's speech so that they would focus on Him, not themselves. Well, that confused me, too! What a confusing morning! Where did they get the idea that these people were focusing on themselves? So, I reread the passages. Sure enough, there it was:
Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves;
There it was. It had snuck up on me. I had never noticed it before. In one sentence, the people, who were products of the flood and knew God's power and might...and His dislike for sin, sinned. They wanted to make a name for themselves so they would be glorified. It was all about them. If it is all about them, it is not about God, is it. So, God scattered them. He didn't scatter them to be mean of for some unknown reason. He scattered them in order to help them rely on Him, the all-knowing all-powerful God, instead of themselves.
It is amazing to me how one minute, I, too, am focusing on God and praising Him and the next minute I am clearly focusing on me and what would make me happy. So, I don't need to worry how the people of Babel forgot about God so quickly and focused on glorifying themselves...I do it all the time, too.
Father, please help me focus on and glorify only you and you alone...not me. Help me to rely on your wisdom, not mine. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
3They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. 4Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves;otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.” 5But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. 6The Lord said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. 7Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.” 8So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. 9THAT IS WHY IT WAS CALLED BABEL[c] —BECAUSE THERE THE LORD CONFUSED THE LANGUAGE OF THE WHOLE WORLD. FROM THERE THE Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth.
Everytime I read this passage I wonder why God did this. Was He afraid the human race would get all the way to heaven with the tower? Was He afraid these people would overrun heaven? Could they have possibly made it all the way to heaven anyway? I wonder about all these things and then ask, in prayer, for guidance and understanding concerning this confusing passage. I know God puts everything in the Bible for a reason, I just needed to understand why He would destroy a project that everyone was working on together. Why He would say He didn't want them to make it to heaven?
Today, my prayer for understanding was answered. I started my devotions this morning and all they talked about was how God confused the people's speech so that they would focus on Him, not themselves. Well, that confused me, too! What a confusing morning! Where did they get the idea that these people were focusing on themselves? So, I reread the passages. Sure enough, there it was:
Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves;
There it was. It had snuck up on me. I had never noticed it before. In one sentence, the people, who were products of the flood and knew God's power and might...and His dislike for sin, sinned. They wanted to make a name for themselves so they would be glorified. It was all about them. If it is all about them, it is not about God, is it. So, God scattered them. He didn't scatter them to be mean of for some unknown reason. He scattered them in order to help them rely on Him, the all-knowing all-powerful God, instead of themselves.
It is amazing to me how one minute, I, too, am focusing on God and praising Him and the next minute I am clearly focusing on me and what would make me happy. So, I don't need to worry how the people of Babel forgot about God so quickly and focused on glorifying themselves...I do it all the time, too.
Father, please help me focus on and glorify only you and you alone...not me. Help me to rely on your wisdom, not mine. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
Friday, January 1, 2016
Ready for a new start with a fresh outlook on life?
http://shereadstruth.com/2016/01/01/the-creation-the-fall/
Or go to hereadstruth.com for the guys version!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)