You are invited to join us on the One Year Bible journey in 2011! We currently have over 13,300 people in 73 countries around the world signed up for our free weekly email filled with commentary, encouragement, and questions for reflection. To join us on the journey in 2011 click on this link for more details and to sign up! Genesis 16:1-18:15 ~ Matthew 6:1-24 ~ Psalm 7:1-17 ~ Proverbs 2:1-5 Old Testament - Today in Genesis chapter 16 we get another potential Jesus sighting in the OT! :) (Similar to our "potential" with Melchizedek yesterday.) I'll keep you posted on all our "potential" Jesus sightings in the Old Testament - as seen by some commentaries. Some believe that the angel that appears to Hagar in the desert could be Christ pre-incarnate. Why? Because the angel seems to be speaking in the first person, as if the angel is God - (and Jesus is God) - but yet the angel is not described as God the Father. Check out verse 10 on this point - "I will give you more descendants than you can count."" Next point is that later in this chapter Hagar seems to be giving the angel a bit more credit of the angel "just being an angel", as you'll see here in verse 13: "Thereafter, Hagar referred to the LORD, who had spoken to her, as "the God who sees me," for she said, "I have seen the One who sees me!"" I guess I can see how some commentators go down this path... Whaddya think? Below is French painter James Tissot's watercolor "Hagar and the Angel in the Desert" from the year 1896: In Genesis chapter 17 we read about the second Abrahamic Covenant! This covenant was is a conditional divine pledge from God to be Abraham's God and the God of his descendents. The condition? Obedience and consecration to God as symbolized by circumcision. In verse 23 I think we see another example of Abraham's prompt obedience to God's will for his life: "On that very day Abraham took his son Ishmael and every other male in his household and circumcised them, cutting off their foreskins, exactly as God had told him." Abraham does not hesitate - does not wait one more day - he and every other male in his household get circumcised that very day! Are we prompt with our obedience to God's will in our lives? Or do we wait a day to move forward on what God is calling us to do? Or do we even wait a week? Or a year? Or a lifetime? What is God calling you to do? Will you be promptly obedient? Below is a stained glass image from England made in the year 1435 showing God giving this covenant to Abraham: In Genesis 18 we see some amazing hospitality from Abraham to God and two angels that appear along with God. Hospitality for strangers was important back in Abraham's day. How are we with our hospitality toward strangers today? Do we react as Abraham did toward these three? Remember that Jesus says to us in the New Testament, "whatever you do to the least of these, you do unto me." So, yes, maybe Abraham realized he was being hospitable toward God. But - Jesus seems to infer we should be hospitable to everyone - particularly "the least of these" - for in doing so, we will be providing hospitality to Jesus. Who in our world today are the "least of these"? Are you being hospitable to strangers and to the least of these in your life today? How? Below is an oil painting by Spanish Baroque Era Painter Bartolomé Esteban Murillo from the year 1667 titled "Abraham and the Three Angels": Bible.org's commentary on today's readings in Genesis titled "Grasping the Great Truth of God" isat this link, and "Marks of Maturity" is at this link. New Testament - Our readings in Matthew chapter 6 today seem to be focusing quite a bit on the interior motives of why we do things - and to do things sometimes in secret, where only God will know what we are doing. And by giving, praying, and fasting with pure interior motives and in secret, God will reward us! I think there is so much truth in this... I think when we give anonymously or pray for others quietly or fast privately, we are really worshipping God. We are in essence saying, "God I am doing these things because of who You are, how great You are, and to let you know how much I love You. I don't need to let anyone know about this act of worship between me and You. You knowing is more than enough." Now, I do think there are times for communal giving, praying and fasting - but I love that Jesus challenges us to make sure we find private ways to worship God and God only - and not to bring glory to ourselves by desiring public praise for our "religiosity"... What a blessing to read the Lord's Prayer in today's readings! I have to confess, I don't say this prayer very often... and Jesus seems to indicate pretty clearly that this is a good way to pray. :) I do pray often throughout the day - but usually it's pretty immediate stuff - bless this meal, thank you for this day, bless my time at work, etc. etc. What a great thing it would be if I could remember to actually pray the Lord's Prayer a bit more... I do think it is good to pray things beyond the Lord's Prayer - in fact, just take a look at the Psalms for some ranges of prayer. You might infer from verse 7 that we should stick only to the Lord's Prayer when praying: "When you pray, don't babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered only by repeating their words again and again." However - I read a commentary that this verse was admonishing against the polytheistic religions where people prayed to every single god's name they could think of, and would continue to repeat all of the gods names over and over, in hopes that this "babbling" would work to where one of the gods would respond to their pleading. So - I think God loves and enjoys hearing us pray to Him in whatever way we do so - but we should not neglect the fact that when Jesus gave us the Lord's Prayer He said (in verse 9): "Pray like this." Verse 24 has always always been a verse that's convicted me and still does today: "No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." There is so much truth here in these 3 little sentences... Who are we serving in our lives today? I once read that one good indicator is to take a look at your monthly budget. Where does the money go each month? Interesting way to look at this. Maybe another way to look at this is how you spend your time each week. How much time is spent at work, volunteering, being with God, being with family/friends, taking a Sabbath, etc. Maybe looking at how we spend our time and money is a good way to see who or what we are worshipping? Do you believe that it is true that we cannot serve two masters? Who are you serving these days? Bible.org's commentary on today's readings in Matthew titled "Jesus on Prayer" is at this link, and"Where Is Your Treasure?" is at this link. Psalms - Today in Psalm 7 verse 10 we read: "God is my shield, saving those whose hearts are true and right." What stood out to me here is that it does not say that God saves those who "do" what is true and right. It says that God saves those whose "hearts are" true and right. As discussed in yesterday's Matthew 5 post, below, this is getting toward our interior motives and thoughts and hearts - the important thing is not what we do on the "exterior", but who we are on the "interior". And then certainly if our hearts are true and right, a natural outflow of this is doing good things on the exterior. But, it's the interior - our hearts - that matter most. How is your heart these days? Is it true and right? And do you believe that God is indeed your shield? Proverbs - Proverbs 2 verse 2 today is a fantastic teaching: "Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding." There is so much noise and static and distractions in our modern world today that I think it is often hard for us to "tune our ears to wisdom & understanding." With our 24 X 7 society, we can go 100mph and just kind of feel like we're doing fine... but are we really doing fine when we are going that fast and moving all the time? Can you find ways in your life to slow down and "tune in" to God? I think reading the Bible each day is one amazingly great way to do this! What are some areas of your life that you can "tune out" this year in this new year so that you can spend more time "tuning in" to God and His wisdom? Worship God: Today's readings in Genesis 18 with Abraham showing hospitality to angels reminded me of course of The Newsboys song "Entertaining Angels:" Think you've ever entertained angels? Click here and meet One greater than the angels! Please join us in memorizing and meditating a verse of Scripture today:"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." Matthew 6:24 NIV Prayer Point: Pray about which "master" you spend more time thinking about each day - God or money? Pray that you will only serve God. Comments from You and Questions of the Day: Based on our Matthew 6 readings today about the Lord's Prayer, let me ask you this: How do you pray? Or, in how many different ways do you pray? Do you pray specific prayers regularly, like the Lord's Prayer? Do you keep a list of people by your bedside to pray for regularly? Do you pray by writing in a journal? I actually had one friend share with me that each day of the week he would pray for a specific segment of his life and our world. For example, on Sundays he'd pray for his church and pastors and the worldwide church. On Mondays he'd pray for his family and coworkers and friends. On Tuesdays he'd pray for politicians and world leaders. And so on... And he'd repeat this pattern each week. This way he was very intentional about praying - otherwise he said he'd just end up lobbing up a few prayers each day - and usually just for himself. I think this is an interesting approach! Please post up some thoughts on your prayer life? Also, what verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings? Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below! God bless,January 7th One Year Bible Readings
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Mike
OneYear: January 7th
CCM Daily Devotions | Good News, Bad News – A Two-Sided Coin
http://www.calvaryccm.com/resources/dailydevotions.aspx)">CCM Daily Devotions | Good News, Bad News – A Two-Sided Coin |
| Good News, Bad News – A Two-Sided Coin Based on “How Jesus' Birth Changed Everything, Part 5” by Pastor Mark Balmer; 1/1-2/11, Message #MB445; Daily Devotional #4 -
Preparing the Soil (Introduction): Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20) Before leaving this earth to go back to His heavenly Father, Jesus gave this command to His disciples – to be His hands, His feet, and His mouth to the world.
Planting and Watering the Seed (Growth): It is important for Christ followers to remember that this mission is like a two-sided coin. There is the “good news,” and there is the “bad news.” Each of these is critical to the salvation message. People need to understand the bad news before they can understand their need for the good news. They need to know:
§ Everyone has sinned. (Romans 3:23) § The wages of sin is death. (Romans 6:23) § Hell is a real place. (Matthew 5:22; Matthew 10:28) § There are no second chances once we die. (Luke 16:26) The other side of the coin is the Good News: § God’s salvation is available to all through His Son, Jesus. (John 3:16) § Jesus died on the cross and took the wrath of God for us. (2 Corinthians 5:21) § Jesus’ death on the cross frees us from the penalty of sin. (Romans 6:23) § Every Christ follower has eternal life. (John 3:36)
Harvesting the Crop (Action/Response): Jesus has asked His followers to be His ambassadors in presenting both sides of this coin to others. In its totality, the year 2011 will have 365 days, which is 8760 hours or 525,600 minutes. A few days, several hours and many minutes of this New Year have already passed. This serves to remind us of the need to take advantage of the opportunities God puts before us to take this two-sided coin and share it with those in need. Ask God to open your eyes, your mind, and your heart to the opportunities He gives you to be His hands, feet, and mouth to the world around you.
Cultivating (Additional Reading): 2 Peter 3:9 klw Calvary Chapel of Melbourne; 2955 Minton Road; W. Melbourne, FL 32904; 321-952-9673 All Bible references are from the New International Version (NIV) unless otherwise noted. |
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A.W.Tozer: Jan7
January: Personal Life
Some things may be neglected with but little loss to the spiritual
life, but to neglect communion with God is to hurt ourselves where we
cannot afford it. The Root of the Righteous, page 9
January 7 Personal Life: The Call of God Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. --Hebrews 12:11 "Your calling," said Meister Eckhart to the clergy of his day, "cannot make you holy; but you can make it holy. No matter how humble that calling may be, a holy man can make it a holy calling. A call to the ministry is not a call to be holy, as if the fact of his being a minister would sanctify a man; rather, the ministry is a calling for a holy man who has been made holy some other way than by the work he does. The true order is: God makes a man holy by blood and fire and sharp discipline. Then he calls the man to some special work, and the man being holy makes that work holy in turn.... Every person should see to it that he is fully cleansed from all sin, entirely surrendered to the whole will of God and filled with the Holy Spirit. Then he will not be known as what he does, but as what he is. He will be a man of God first and anything else second. We Travel an Appointed Way, 59-60. "You've called me to be holy, Lord, not famous; to be holy, not successful. Keep me focused today on being the person You want me to be, no matter how significant or insignificant the work You ask me to do. Amen."
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DailyLight: Jan7
January 7
MORNING
Think upon me, my God, for good.
Thus saith the LORD; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness. -- I will remember my covenant with thee in the days of thy youth, and I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant. -- I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you. -- For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. -- I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause: which doeth great things and unsearchable; marvelous things without number. -- Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them they are more than can be numbered.
NEH. 5:19. Jer. 2:2. Ezek. 16:60. Jer. 29:10. -Jer. 29:11. Isa. 55:9. Job. 5:8,9. Psa. 40:5.
EVENING
I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
There failed not ought of any good thing which the LORD had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass. -- God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?
The LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him. -- He will ever be mindful of his covenant.
Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands.
The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.
JOSH. 1:5. Josh. 21:45. -Num. 23:19. Deut. 7:9. Psa. 1l1:5. Isa. 49:15,16. Zeph. 3:17.
DailyHope Jan7
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TheBigPicture: Jan7
January 7
Faltering Faith
References:-->Genesis 15-16; Psalm 5:1-3; Proverbs 2:10-11
After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward."
But Abram said, "Lord GOD, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?" Then Abram said, "Look, You have given me no offspring; indeed one born in my house is my heir!"
And behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, "This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir." Then He brought him outside and said, "Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them." And He said to him, "So shall your descendants be."
And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.
Then He said to him, "I am the LORD, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to inherit it."
And he said, "Lord GOD, how shall I know that I will inherit it?"
So He said to him, "Bring Me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon." Then he brought all these to Him and cut them in two, down the middle, and placed each piece opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds in two. And when the vultures came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.
Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, horror and great darkness fell upon him. Then He said to Abram: "Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years. And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions. Now as for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried at a good old age. But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete."
And it came to pass, when the sun went down and it was dark, that behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a burning torch that passed between those pieces. On the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying:
"To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates- the Kenites, the Kenezzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites."
Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children. And she had an Egyptian maidservant whose name was Hagar. So Sarai said to Abram, "See now, the LORD has restrained me from bearing children. Please, go in to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children by her." And Abram heeded the voice of Sarai. Then Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar her maid, the Egyptian, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan. So he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress became despised in her eyes.
Then Sarai said to Abram, "My wrong be upon you! I gave my maid into your embrace; and when she saw that she had conceived, I became despised in her eyes. The LORD judge between you and me."
So Abram said to Sarai, "Indeed your maid is in your hand; do to her as you please." And when Sarai dealt harshly with her, she fled from her presence.
Now the Angel of the LORD found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur. And He said, "Hagar, Sarai's maid, where have you come from, and where are you going?"
She said, "I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai."
The Angel of the LORD said to her, "Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hand." Then the Angel of the LORD said to her, "I will multiply your descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be counted for multitude." And the Angel of the LORD said to her:
"Behold, you are with child,
And you shall bear a son.
You shall call his name Ishmael,
Because the LORD has heard your affliction.
He shall be a wild man;
His hand shall be against every man,
And every man's hand against him.
And he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren."
Then she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees; for she said, "Have I also here seen Him who sees me?" Therefore the well was called Beer Lahai Roi; observe, it is between Kadesh and Bered.
So Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram named his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.
Genesis 15-16
WORSHIP
Give ear to my words, O LORD,
Consider my meditation.
Give heed to the voice of my cry,
My King and my God,
For to You I will pray.
My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD;
In the morning I will direct it to You,
And I will look up.
Psalm 5:1-3
WISDOM
When wisdom enters your heart,And knowledge is pleasant to your soul,
Discretion will preserve you;
Understanding will keep you.
Proverbs 2:10-11
GregLaurie: Jan7
Friday, January 7, 2011
Faithful Andrew
He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which is translated, the Christ).—John 1:41
Andrew could be the patron saint, if you will, of relatively unknown but faithful followers of Jesus. Andrew was the first of the disciples to be called. In fact, he was called even before his brother Peter. It was Andrew who brought Peter to Jesus. Andrew obviously knew Peter. He knew that Peter was a force of nature, the kind of a guy who, when he walked into a room, would light it up. He would dominate the conversation. He was a natural leader, the guy that others looked to.
Andrew, on the other hand, flew under the radar. Andrew was more soft spoken, more quiet. He even may have been tempted to think, You know, I am tired of always living in Peter's shadow. I don't want to introduce him to Jesus. He will get all of the attention, and I will be overlooked. But the first thing Andrew did was bring his brother Peter to Jesus.
In fact, that is always what Andrew was doing. There is also a story in the Gospels about when some men from Greece wanted to talk to Jesus. They went to Philip, and then Philip took them over to Andrew, who was the go-to guy to get to Christ. And it was Andrew who brought them to Jesus. That was Andrew: always bringing others to the Lord.
There is no end to what can be accomplished if we are willing to get the job done and not worry about the accolades of others, but simply work for the glory of God. Andrew is the model for all Christians who labor quietly where God has called them. We don't know their names as well as we may know the names of others, but they are known and greatly loved by God.Posted via email from ..................The Last Call Digest