PS, about Mary

Pastor did get back with me about Mary also being from the line of David.  There is reference to it in Luke 1:27, and 2:4...  but I'm too tired tonight to type about it.  If anyone is curious, feel free to post and I'll elaborate.

January 5

Genesis 11:1-13:4; Matthew 5:1-26; Psalm 5:1-12; Proverbs 1:24-28

Abram comes on scene...  He is another pillar of the faith that makes a pretty huge gaff.  Tells his wife to say she's his sister, profits considerably by this lie while is wife is taken as the wife of Pharaoh... Yikers God is none too pleased about this and sends plagues and Abram and wife get sent off with no apparent consequences as he gets to leave with all acquired wealth.  However, again, I kind of appreciate the encouragement that comes from knowing even these pillars of faith have "skeletons in the closet".  Again, it is all about what God does (mostly in spite of us) rather than what we accomplish!

From Matthew 5 I zeroed in on v16:  In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly father.  (emphasis mine)

"So that."...  I think we are motivated to do good works "so that" we will look good more than we are motivated to do them so that our heavenly father is praised.  Something for me to consider as I attempt to live a life of service... am I doing the right thing for the right reason, or am I doing the right thing for selfish gain???  The things that make you say "Hmmmm" 

January 4

Genesis 8:1-10:32
The rest of the Noah/Flood account, and a whole lot of family tree lineage stuff...

Matthew 4:12-25
Jesus began making "fishers of men".  I love that they followed immediately.  Sure wish I was more immediate and less tentative...

Psalm 4:1-8
My favorite part of today's reading, especially v4 "Don't sin by letting anger control you,"  I think there is some really good advise there!  It goes on to say think about it and remain silent...  Remaining silent is very hard for me sometimes...  But it's good to remember that there is a time for every purpose under heaven!  A time to speak.... and a time to be quiet as well. 

Also proverbs 1:20-23
Wisdom is shouting in the streets, but being ignored....  I saw real life evidence of this today.  "How long will you fools hate knowledge?"  ahh such a great question!  It finishes with "come and listen to my counsel.  I'll share my heart with you and make you wise."  Some people are too hard headed for their own good.

January 3

Genesis 5:1-7:24 – This is the account of the descendants of Adam, people who got seriously old!  I wouldn’t even be middle aged yet! Even if the 120 years that God finally decided would be the limit were still the norm (6:3) I’d still be a young’un!  This section of scripture includes  the account of Noah and the flood as well.

Some thoughts: (6:1)The “son’s of God” saw the “daughters of man” were beautiful and took any they wanted as their wives.  Further study on this indicated that the daughters of man were the ungodly descendants of Cain (Cainites) and the “sons of God” were the Godly descendants of Seth.  It continues to be very unwise and cause trouble for “good looking” to be the only criteria for a relationship.  Also, this supports the New Testament teaching to not be “unequally yoked”. 

I’ve always been a huge fan of Noah’s faith!  Can’t imagine the ridicule he endured as he built that ark!  I hate being ridiculed, and I am not sure that I could have stood up under it.  Of course with the help of God we can stand up under much more than we think we can, and Noah certainly lived his life of faith with God’s help and not by his own power.  Still, he certainly is a hero of the faith!

The New Testament reading was from Matthew 3:7-4:11 This includes the baptism of Jesus by John as well as the account of Satan tempting him in the desert.  I always find it ironic how familiar Satan is with the word of God and how he used it as a weapon.  But because he used it out of context and incorrectly, and because Jesus had an accurate knowledge of scripture Satan could not dupe him.  It is vitally important for God’s people to study scripture so that they are able to stand up under the attacks of Satan and this world.

I also readPsalm 3:1-8 and Proverbs 1:10-19.

January 2, 2011

Genesis 3:1-4:26

Satan is sneaky for sure.  He knew that God had commanded Adam and Even not to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  His question to Eve “Did God really say….” Is a trick I believe he continues to use…  “Did God really say…”  We need to know the answer to this!  And we need to not exaggerate the answer like Eve did!  (She added “or even touch it” which wasn’t part of God’s command)  In spite of Eve knowing the truth of God Satan uses his craftiness to cause Eve to be discontented with all God provided for her and to focus on the one thing he denied her.  How often do we get so distracted by what we don’t have that we do not appreciate or even notice all that we do have!

Adam is soooo not off the hook on this one. Yes Eve took the fruit, but Adam was right there! (2:6)  He neglected his leadership role and it all goes south from there.  Next the blame game:  Adam blames Eve, but ultimately he blames God (the woman that you gave me) Eve blames the serpent, and the pattern for not taking responsibility for our mistakes, and sin in general has plagued mankind ever since! 

And so what was “good” and perfect is now forever broken until Christ returns.  It is in this brokenness that we live and it is this brokenness that is responsible for all the heartache and sadness and problems we face.

God’s questions:  “Where are you?”  & “What have you done?”  are clearly for Adam and Eve’s benefit.  God knew the answers to these questions, but he wanted them to ponder those answers!  I heard a speaker once talk about the question “Where are you?”  he said that there really are only two answers to that question for us, we are either ‘in Christ’ or ‘in trouble’!   

I also read Matthew 2:13-3:6, Psalm 2:1-12 and Proverbs 1:7-9 to complete today’s readings.

January 1, 2011

Of course my internet is out…. Keeping track of the journey will likely prove to be the most challenging part and without the internet, I can’t post a blog…  However, I can type it in word and then cut and paste it to the blog once the internet is up and running again, which is supposed to be Monday.  So in the interest of starting strong, that is what I am going to do.

Today’s reading is Genesis 1:1-2:25, Matthew 1:1-2:12, Psalm 1:1-6, and Proverbs 1:1-6

Of all the debate that surrounds the creation vs. evolution I find the most important statement in the first four words of Genesis:  “In the beginning God” .    I personally am not convinced that scripture teaches 24 hour periods for the days of creation. Do I believe that our almighty God is able to do His work of creation in 24 hour periods… yes absolutely!  I believe that He is completely all powerful and able to do whatever He wished.  I also believe that scripture is the true inspired word of God and the complete truth.  I do find it interesting though that 24 hour periods marked by sun and moon,  seasons and other ways of marking time were not created by God until the 4^th day.

Ultimately for me it doesn’t matter that much because of the first sentence of scripture sums up the whole truth which is that in the beginning GOD created the heavens and the earth!    

Genesis 2:19 sounds a bit like the order of creation is different here.  One study note I found said this:  “Text could be misunderstood to imply a different sequence in creation that suggested by 1:20-27, where man is created after the animals (E.g., some ancient versions have the phrase “formed again,” indicating that after creating man, God made additional animals.) formed.  Or, “had formed,” meaning that the animals God had already formed were now brought before Adam.

Matthew:  I noted that the lineage went from Abraham to Joseph vs 16 says Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary.  Mary give birth to Jesus, who is called the Messiah.  Jesus would be the legal son of Joseph and an heir of the lineage, but the blood line would not follow through Joseph because Jesus was not biologically related to Joseph.  My Pastor said that Mary’s line is also traceable back to David, but I wasn’t able to locate this linage in scripture.  I did read that Luke’s account is from Mary’s line all the way back to Adam and Eve, but when I checked this out, it went from Joseph too.  

For me the more interesting thing is that His family line also includes prostitutes, adulterers, violent men and other sinners!  God in His Grace and mercy can use any and all people!  It’s about Him, and what He is able to do in spite of our sinfulness.  How exciting to know that He can use me in spite of my sinfulness too!

cut and paste

We were without internet, so I wasn't able to post my thoughts and comments about each days readings.  I did keep up with a word doc and will cut and paste them in as seperate posts according to their date.