February 2nd One Year Bible Readings

~ Click on this link for today's readings ~
Exodus 15:19-17:7 ~ Matthew 22:1-33
Psalm 27:1-6 ~ Proverbs 6:20-26

Old Testament - Today in Exodus chapter 15 we read about the prophet Miriam!  You'll recall from Exodus chapter 2 that Miriam watched Pharaoh's daughter draw Moses from the Nile when he was a baby and Miriam wisely suggested that she find a Hebrew nurse for the baby (Moses' mom).  We'll read about Miriam again in Numbers chapter 12 with a very interesting interaction with Aaron, Moses & God - you can read about it now at this link.  Other female prophets we will read about in Bible include Deborah (Judges 4:4), Isaiah's wife (Isaiah 8:3), Huldah (2 Kings 22:14), Noadiah (Nehemiah 6:14), Anna (Luke 2:36) and Philips daughters (Acts 21:9).  Below is an image of Miriam's song:

Verse 26 stood out to me in this chapter: "If you will listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in his sight, obeying his commands and laws, then I will not make you suffer the diseases I sent on the Egyptians; for I am the LORD who heals you."  It seems to me that here the Israelites are getting a foreshadowing of the Laws to come.  "Listen to God - do what is right in his sight.  And you will not suffer.  I will heal you."  We'll dive more into this when we get to the Laws - but, I'll say this now and repeat it often - I do believe that the Laws for the Israelites, as we even see in this verse, were born out of compassion from God.  God wanted to preserve and care and heal his people - and imagine living in a desert for 40 years, coming out of slavery...  the laws were beneficial for your very well being and life!

Today in Exodus chapter 16 we read about Manna and Quail from heaven.   Verses 29 & 30 were powerful for me today, as God speaks about the Sabbath: ""Do they not realize that I have given them the seventh day, the Sabbath, as a day of rest? That is why I give you twice as much food on the sixth day, so there will be enough for two days. On the Sabbath day you must stay in your places. Do not pick up food from the ground on that day." So the people rested on the seventh day."   You will probably read on this blog over and over and over again about the Sabbath...  I am a huge fan of the concept!  And such a poor practitioner of it...  I honestly think the Sabbath is one of the most compassionate things God ever created for us.  And, don't get me wrong - my personal view is not legalistic in the sense of the Sabbath....  But....  personally, I think the Sabbath is just such a blessing of a gift to us.  And I think we - I - us - humans - often do such a bad job of really taking a Sabbath.  Really taking 1 day a week to really rest and relax and be with God.  Recently I read in our local newspaper about a Hasidic Jewish rapper who came through our town on tour - yes, seriously, there is a Hasidic Jewish rapper who is getting hugely popular nationally.  Anyhow, the article - in our secular newspaper - wrote about how this rapper will not perform on Fridays or Saturdays in observance of the Jewish Sabbath Law - and Hasidic Jews strongly observe most all of the Laws still today (I believe...  except for animal sacrifices - simply because there is not the Temple in Jerusalem today for the sacrifices).  Anyhow - I'm going off on some tangents here - but, the point is, that when I read about how this guy will not perform shows on the 2 best money-making nights of the week for concerts, because of his observance of the Sabbath - I dare say his love of God and his appreciation of the Sabbath - it really struck me.  And it really reminded me of how really really bad I am at truly resting and being with God 1 day a week.  And I'm not feeling guilty about this per se...  but maybe I am feeling convicted... :)   Basically - I am feeling that God is really calling me to slow down and simply rest and be with him 1 day a week.  A Sabbath. 

Verse 31 quick comment - "In time, the food became known as manna. It was white like coriander seed, and it tasted like honey cakes."  I love that manna means "What is it?"!  That is awesome...  I think you'll notice throughout our Bible readings this year that names can often be very descriptive of locations, happenings, personalities - and can even be simple questions like "What is it??" Great commentary on Exodus chapter 16 entitled "Boot Camp and "C" Rations" :) is online at bible.org at this link.  Below is "The Gathering of Manna" from 1614 by the Italian painter Guido Reni:

New Testament - Today we read in Matthew chapter 22 the Parable of the Wedding Banquet. This parable has always been so convicting to me personally. It's basically about a king preparing an amazing feast at a wedding banquet, and inviting a ton of people to come to the feast. But - the people don't accept the invitation! They are "too busy" – taking care of their fields and their businesses. And I think about this parable in my own life. Am I sometimes "too busy" to accept Jesus' invitation to be with him? Am I sometimes too focused on my work or my social life or other distractions? Do I get myself so "distracted" that I don't spend time with Jesus? And in doing this, am I missing out on an amazing spiritual feast? How about you? Do you believe that Jesus is inviting you to spend more time with him? Are you "too busy" to do so? Do you believe that spending time with Jesus will actually be an amazing spiritual feast for your soul? Will you accept Jesus' invitation to the wedding banquet?

In verse 21 we read Jesus' famous line ""give to Caesar what belongs to him. But everything that belongs to God must be given to God."  What you may not realize about the preceding verses is that the Pharisees and the supporters of Herod were trying to trap Jesus.  Per the OYB Companion commentary, The Pharisees, a religious group, opposed the Roman occupation of Palestine.  The followers of Herod - or Herodians - were a political party that supported the policies of Rome and Herod Antipas.  Normally these 2 groups did not get along at all - but they united here to try to trap Jesus.  If Jesus had said it was right to pay taxes to Caesar, the Pharisees would say he is opposed to God.  And if Jesus had said the taxes should not be paid, the Herodians would have had him arrested.  Jesus answer amazed them both...   Below is an image of the Denarius (Roman coin) of Tiberius Caesar. Tiberius (42 B.C. - A.D. 37) became Roman Emperor in A.D. 14. This would have been the picture on the coin shown to Jesus, when he asked in verse 20: "Whose picture and title are stamped on it?"

Psalms - Psalm 27 verse 13 is so beautiful - "Yet I am confident that I will see the LORD's goodness while I am here in the land of the living." Do you have this same confidence?  What are some examples of how you have seen God's goodness here in the land of the living?  What are some examples of how you are sharing God's goodness with others here in the land of the living?

Proverbs - Proverbs chapter 6 verse 23 should make each of us rejoice in this amazing blessing of reading - and learning! - from the One Year Bible here in 2008!  "For these commands and this teaching are a lamp to light the way ahead of you. The correction of discipline is the way to life."  Are you learning as you have read the Bible this past month?  Is reading the Bible each day changing your relationship with God?  Is it changing your behavior in any way?  Is reading the Bible a lamp to light the way ahead of you?  Will reading the Bible each day change the way you live the rest of your life?  Do you believe that the correction of discipline is the way to life?  Will you embrace and pray for and accept God's holy and divine correction of discipline in your life this year?

Worship God:  Somehow my reflections on the Sabbath today reminded me of the MercyMe song "I Can Only Imagine," when we'll meet our true rest and eternal Sabbath in heaven with Jesus!

Can you only imagine?  Click here for your eternal reality!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture this week: "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful." Colossians 3:15 NIV

Comments from You and Questions of the Day:  Based on God's words about the Sabbath in our Exodus readings today, do you take a Sabbath?  What do you do - or not do - on the Sabbath?  Does it bless the other 6 days of your week?  How long have you been in the habit of taking a Sabbath?  Is it hard to get in the habit?  Any other "tricks of the trade" you can share with all of us about taking a Sabbath?  Please post up any wisdom you can share about your Sabbath habits in the Comments section below!  Thanks!   You can change our weekly habits here with your Comments!  :)  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,
Mike

Comments

[liz wutzke]

habits....Lord Jesus it seems that you are after a NATURE CHANGE in us not just a habit change. I offer that prayer for each of us today... Lord change us from the inside out.. In Jesus name i pray
hugs
liz w

[Lisa]

Can you imagine.......A world where we keep the 10, and throw away man's rules as "legalism"? I heard on Focus on the Family, a professor from a large Christian college said that most students came there not knowing the 10 commandments. I believe they are God's expression of love to us and offer us protection and a right relationship with Him. However, we fall short and mercy comes running! There is nothing legalistic about these- They are the law of love- against which there is no law. Legalism is an invention of man.

[Lisa]

Or an invention of Satan, when I think of the words he spoke to Eve in the garden-always twisting the Word of God.

[John]

Psalm 27: An Exuberant Declaration of Faith

This is a song of praise to God. In the first three verses, David says that God's power is unassailable, his authority is unchalleneable. Whatever the problem, whatever the enemy, whatever the difficulty, his God is greater than all of them.
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Psalm27:4
"One thing I ask of the LORD,
this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD
and to seek him in his temple."

David wants "one" and only one thing (singlemindedness). David is saying that he wants to be at home in the presence of God all the days of his life.

"To be in God's presence is to have an attitude of appreciation and delight, tasting and seeing that the Lord is good. God's face is toward us at all times but we have a choice about whether we will face him or not. We can choose whether or not we will rejoice because of him, seek to learn from him and come to recognize his handiwork in the events of our lives and in the world he has made. For some people nearness to God is frightening; for others it is irrelevant. David longed to be at home in the presence of God." - Steve Zeisler

When we desire to be in the presence of God we get two kinds of satisfaction: Our emotional life will be satisfied by the beauty of God, and our intellectual desires will be satisfied by meditating or inquiring in his temple.

There are two kinds of protection: Protection from his enemies, and the protection that allows David to be lifted up and praise God with no fear of enemies.
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Verses 7 through 14, however, express a very different note. Here David is plaintively calling out for help. He recognizes that this world is a very dangerous, difficult place; the issues he faces threaten to overwhelm him. David's call to God suggests that he was involved in spiritual warfare. That happened in his day as well as ours.

David asks two things in this second part of the Psalm: Hear me and Teach me.

Then he contrasts the dark situation he is in with his enemies, and yet - David is confident - he has faith. David will confidently wait for the Lord to act out of his goodness in the land of the living.

Summary: God is sovereign, and singlemindedly I want to be in his presence always, followed by a plea for hearing Him and for teching him. Then realizing the situation is dire, David waits confidently for the Lord. David is patient - (a fruit of the Spirit).

[John]

Proverbs 6:20-26

Warning Against Adultery

Full circle back the warnings regaridng a seductress (or substiture "sin" or "satan")

If the parents are believers the commands they issue are rooted in the Word of God. Take these words (of God) and:

"Bind them upon your heart forever;
fasten them around your neck.

When you walk, they will guide you;
when you sleep, they will watch over you;
when you awake, they will speak to you."

Keep them close and permanent. In proverbs 1 wisdom provided direction, protection, and meditation. This is paralleled here guiding, watching and speaking to you. Thus wisdom and God's word (commands) are one and the same.

God's word is illumination for you and provide you a way of life.

Stay away from the seductress (sin) - stay away from the lies, the apparent pleasure of the moment, do not be controlled by your senses no matter how alluring. Be guided by your heart for God and His Word.

Lest you be reduced to insignifacance as a common piece of bread. Lest you lose your (way of) life in the Lord. Satan has not changed. when one becomes a believer and God does not allow you to be killed by satan - satan turns to corruption. If he can corrupt you - your withness and testimony are discredited. Your sharing of the Gospel is ignored and you are branded a hypocrite. Worse yet - your guilt makes you hide from the Lord (remember Adam right after tasting the fruit) and your christian walk is stymied.

[John]

Matt 29-32

"Jesus replied, "You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. But about the resurrection of the dead—have you not read what God said to you, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not the God of the dead but of the living."

When a skeptic argues about the Bible, it does not matter if they are brilliant and worldly qualified in such matters. They will be in error either by a little or a lot, because they do not "know" Scripture nor the "power" of God.

Because they do not "know" God (they reject him) they cannot know His authoratative power. Because they do not know God - a veil is over their eyes and like Paul says - " the preaching of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing". They just will not be able to see it - until they give a heartfelt plea to God to reveal the Truth to them.

The Sadducees are such - Jesus answered there supposed trick question. but then Jesus says - ' Hey, but that is not even the point. the point is - you (Sadducees) do not believe in the Resuurection. Have you not read Ex3:6. "I am" (always was, was then, and always will be) the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. dudes - they are alive (resurrected). God is not the God of the dead - but the LIVING. When we believe and receive - we have eternal lie NOW - that is who God is the God of: people who have eternal life.'

[John]

Exodus 17
Water From the Rock

Another foreshadowing of Christ:

Christ is the Rock. Rock in Hebrew is tsür - this is a rocky wall or cliff a large boulder - this is no small pebble, but a large imposing mighty rock. That is how Christ is being symbolized here in these verses.

The rock is to be struck once and it will split. Christ died - was struck once and only once(crucified and died).

The rock will split and water will come out in abundance to drink. Christ died and yes, blood and water did gush out when he was pierced. But there is something more here. Washing of water always symbolizes God's Word. Drinking of Water symbolizes the Holy Spirit. When Christ died - for those that believed - the Holy Spirit came into them and it was in abundance.

God provides for His people - then and now.

[John]

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2008

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February

I'm pretty sure I take a Sabbath. I visit with my mother on Sunday’s and we spend our time talking and catching up on the week. There’s no TV, no cell phone, just the two of us spending time together. Sometimes we don’t even have to be talking. When the weather is nice I take her dog (Annie) for a walk and the two of us spend that time in quietness together. I so enjoy walking with Annie because it gives me time to be with God, to think and to meditate. Dog's have a way of relaxing the soul, but then that shouldn't surprise us; after all dog spelled backwards is God.

I remember the blue laws; when nothing was allowed to be open on Sundays. There was a store in my area by the name of "Two Guys". It was a department store similar to Walmart, Kmart or Target only it wasn’t a chain, it was the only one. They started opening on Sunday. We all thought that was terrible! And the local media was all over it. The controversy lasted for weeks but it didn't take long before “Two Guys” set a precedent and it wasn’t too long after that that we too were patronizing them on Sunday. It is so easy to get sucked into not observing the Sabbath. I long for those days when people stayed home to be with family, to spend quiet time and to be with God. We need the Sabbath so very badly today.

I just finished reading an article in “Intouch Magazine” titled, “This Noisy Life” by: Joseph Bentz. It’s not about the Sabbath, but I think the article can provide help in keeping the Sabbath. Here is a web link to the online version of the magazine: http://www.intouch.org/site/c.dhKHIXPKIuE/b.3763877/. The article starts on page 18.

Yours in Christ
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