One Year Bible Blog

January 9th One Year Bible Readings

2009-01-09T00:00:00-03:00

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Genesis 20:1-22:24 ~ Matthew 7:15-29 ~ Psalm 9:1-12 ~ Proverbs 2:16-22
~ Click here to read today's Scripture on BibleGateway.com ~
~ Listen to today's Scripture on DailyAudioBible.com (podcast) or OneYearAudioBible.org ~

Old Testament - Today in Genesis chapter 20 we see that Abraham is not perfect (we have seen this humanness of Abraham earlier in our Genesis readings too). This should be good news for each of us! :) Abraham essentially tells Abimelech a half-truth - and yes, half-lie. The thing to remember here is that Abraham has received incredible promises from God and covenants - and yet, it is apparent that Abraham still has some fear of what will happen to him and Sarah. This imperfection of God's people is something that we will continue to see throughout our Bible readings. God uses imperfect people for his purposes. God does typically use those that love him. But, those that love God do still sin and make mistakes. God partners with imperfect people throughout history. God partners with people like you and me. Below is Flemish Northern Renaissance Painter Jan Provost's "Abraham, Sarah and the Angel" from the year 1520:

In Genesis chapter 21 we read about Sarah joyfully giving birth to Isaac when Abraham was 100 years old! Isaac's name means "he laughs" - which in part came from when Sarah laughed when God told Abraham she would have a son a year prior. We also read about Hagar and Ishmael being sent away. Verse 13 stands out when God is speaking to Abraham, as he was upset about having to send Ishmael away: "But I will make a nation of the descendants of Hagar's son because he also is your son."" Ishmael does later become the ruler of a large tribe in Paran and the Desert of Sinai, south of Israel. Then, one of Ishmael's daughter's marries Esau, Ishmael's nephew. From here the lineage of Esau becomes Arabic peoples and eventually the Muslim religion comes from this lineage. It is said that Abraham is the father of the world's three major monotheistic faiths - Jewish, Christian, and Muslim faiths. Below is an oil on canvas painting by the Spanish artist Giovanni Battista Tiepolo from 1732 titled "The Angel Succoring Hagar":

In Genesis chapter 22 Abraham's faith and obedience is tested in what most see as the climax of our readings about Abraham in Genesis. Some interesting things to note about this chapter. It is said that much of this chapter foreshadows what happens with Jesus. A father is called to sacrifice his one and only son - a son he loves so very much. The son is taken to a mountain to be sacrificed. On the mountain a "lamb" is sacrificed - a ram in place of Isaac's life - and Jesus as the "lamb" in place of our lives. Hebrews 11:19 has an interesting point to make about these readings in Genesis 22 today: "Abraham assumed that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. And in a sense, Abraham did receive his son back from the dead." Below is Rembrandt's famous painting from 1635 of the angel, Abraham and Isaac on Mount Moriah titled "The Sacrifice of Isaac" (this is a powerful painting - many commentators call Isaac a prefiguration / type of Christ, which I think this painting can help us visualize):

In verse 14 we read about the mountain where Isaac was taken and the altar was built - Mount Moriah. Mount Moriah was about 48 miles north of Beersheba, where Abraham and Isaac began their journey - so a 3 day journey at that time makes sense. Some scholars believe that Mount Moriah is the Temple Mount area of Jerusalem, where the first and second temples were located - and also where the Dome of the Rock mosque, built in 691 A.D., is now located. Tons more info on the Temple Mount area, including photos is online here - http://www.templemount.org/ Below is an aerial view of the Mount Moriah / Temple Mount area in Jerusalem today:

Bob Deffinbaugh from bible.org has yet another amazing article, this time on Genesis Chapter 22 - which goes into The Command, Abraham's Obedience, God's Provision, and God's Promise. Take 10 minutes if you can and check out this great article on this chapter titled "Final Exams" at this link here. Below is a painting of "Abraham Sacrificing Isaac" by the famous French baroque classical painter Laurent de La Hire from the year 1650:

Bible.org's commentary on Genesis chapter 20 today titled "Don't Ever Say Never" is at this link and commentary on chapter 21 titled "What Happens When Christians Mess Up?" is at this link.

New Testament - Today in Matthew chapter 7 we wrap up the Sermon on the Mount! Not a bad 3 chapters of teaching from Jesus, eh? :) Verse 20 was insightful for me today: "Yes, the way to identify a tree or a person is by the kind of fruit that is produced." I think this verse goes back to my post yesterday about how we are still to identify or perceive the types of people we come in contact with - without judging them or condemning them. And one good to way to identify someone is by the type of fruit they produce - actions they demonstrate or lives they lead. And while it may sometimes be easier to identify other people's fruit... maybe we ought to look at our own lives too. What type of fruit is your life producing? Is it life-giving fruit for those you come in contact with? And let us not forget Jesus' warning in verse 15 today about how we are to identify false teachers. Do you believe there are false teachers in our world today? What are their fruits that you will know them by?

Verse 24 is strong: "Anyone who listens to my teaching and obeys me is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock." Have you really listened to Jesus' teaching these past few days as you read through the Sermon on the Mount? And - will you now obey Jesus' teaching? Would this be wise? Would this be like building a house on solid rock? Will you stay out of the sands of sin?

Matthew 7:25 I think is an important verse for us to meditate upon in our own lives: "Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won't collapse, because it is built on rock." I never paid too much attention to this verse - I always focused on verse 24 and building a strong foundation on solid rock. But, I had lunch with a friend recently and he shared with me that this verse 25 - and verse 27 too - should be a reminder to each of us that storms will come in our lives. And I think this is so true. Sometimes we go through wonderful seasons of blessing, and we may think that storms will never come our way - but guess what, they will. If we are followers of Jesus - Jesus who endured an unimaginable storm during his passion and crucifixion - storms will come our way too. So, then, the key becomes if we know storms will come, we really should pay attention to verse 24 and build up a strong foundation of faith during the times of calm. It's kind of like the idea of saving for a rainy day - the day will come when it rains. So let us build up our faith and love in God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit today! So that when the storms of life come our way, we will not collapse, but will remain faithful to the beautiful end. My friends, the storms will come. But with Jesus, we do not need to fear them or collapse under them when they come!

Bible.org's commentary on our readings in Matthew chapter 7 today titled "Mistaken Identity" is at this link.

Psalms - Psalm 9 verse 9 stood out at me today and reminded me of Matthew 7:25 above too: "The LORD is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble." When we are in trouble, do we run to God for shelter? Or do we look elsewhere? Where will we ultimately find true peace and rest from the storms of life? Do you believe that the Bible is a haven for you in the midst of the storms of life?

Proverbs - Proverbs 2:16-19 I believe can be viewed as woman or man. There are both immoral men and women out there today who will talk flatteringly - which will lead down an incredibly dark path if we entertain the lust. Verse 20 reminds us there is another path to take: "Follow the steps of good men instead, and stay on the paths of the righteous." Will you evaluate all of all the paths that present themselves to you in your life - and stay on the paths that are taken by good men and women? Will you stay only on paths full of light, and avoid at all costs paths that lead quickly to darkness?

Worship God: Jesus' teachings about storms in Matthew today and Psalm 9:9 above both reminded me immediately of the incredible Casting Crowns song "Praise You in This Storm." I don't know what it is about all these storm songs on the radio that are resonating with me lately - MercyMe's "Bring the Rain" being another favorite song - other than I know this: It's not a matter of "if" storms will come in our life. It's a matter of "when." Storms will come. And when they do, we have the option to try to weather the storms all on our own. Or we have the option to invite God into the storms with us. Well, I believe God's already there with us in the storms even if we don't realize it - so, I think we can simply open our hearts and praise God in the storms! He will never abandon us or leave us. Even in the midst of the worst storms this fallen world might bring, God is there with us. Will you praise God in the storms?

Do you believe there is a God who is worthy of being praised even in the midst of storms in your life? Click here to get to know God of heaven and earth who is worthy of being praised in the storms!

Please join me in memorizing a verse of Scripture today:
"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock." Matthew 7:24 NIV

Comments from You and Questions of the Day: Based on the knowledge that storms will come into our life, what are you doing in your life to build a firm foundation of faith? Reading the Bible regularly? Going to church regularly? Being part of a small group or community group or Bible study with other Christians regularly? Praying regularly? What else? Do you think that storms will come to your life? Have you experienced storms in your life in the past where your faith has been your firm foundation and has gotten you through the storm? 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

January 8th One Year Bible Readings

2009-01-08T00:01:00-03:00

Genesis 18:16-19:38 ~ Matthew 6:25-7:14 ~ Psalm 8:1-9 ~ Proverbs 2:6-15
~ Click here to read today's Scripture on BibleGateway.com ~
~ Listen to today's Scripture on DailyAudioBible.com (podcast) or OneYearAudioBible.org ~

Old Testament - Today in Genesis chapter's 18 & 19 we get a great look at how God responds to intercessory prayer and also clearly see God's judgment in chapter 19. Ch. 18 Verse 17 is a powerful start to our readings: "Should I hide my plan from Abraham?" the LORD asked." I think what we see here and in the following verses is that God obviously really cares for Abraham - as a friend - and as one who has been credited as righteous because of his faith. And I do think this is an important point before we read about Abraham's intercessory prayer to God - that for intercessory prayer really to have any standing before God, we need to be in right relationship with God. If we are being disobedient to God or being unrepentant of sins or bad habits that God wants us to give up, then I think our intercessory prayer for others can lose its effectiveness. Check out James 5:16 for this point: "The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." Abraham was credited as righteous because of his faith (Genesis 15:6). Hence, his intercessory prayer was powerful and effective. Below is a portrait of Abraham by Guy Rowe - I imagine Abraham praying to God in Genesis chapter 18 in this portrait:

In verse 25 we begin to see Abraham's several requests, or intercessions, to God to spare the city of Sodom for the sake of the righteous living in the city: "Surely you wouldn't do such a thing, destroying the innocent with the guilty. Why, you would be treating the innocent and the guilty exactly the same! Surely you wouldn't do that! Should not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?"" And from here we see Abraham bringing down the number of righteous that would need to be in the city for it to be spared. I don't necessarily see what Abraham was doing here as haggling with God - but, I think he was acting out of compassion for the righteous few in the city - and surely Lot and his family were on his mind during these intercessions...

In Genesis chapter 19 there is a lot going on. And I'm sure a few things that jump out at you when you read them, and create a lot of questions in your mind. (Lot offering his two virgin daughters (v. 8) & what happened in the cave (v. 30-36), for examples) Let me recommend you take 10 minutes and read through Bob Deffinbaugh's "From City Councilman to Caveman: “What a Difference a Day Makes” (Genesis 19:1-38)" at this link at Bible.org. I think this will answer a lot of your questions on why certain things happened in this chapter, from Bob's perspective. One great quote from Bob at this link above is this: "Lot attempted to live his life in a city and then in a cave. We cannot become one with the world, but neither are we to flee from it. The proper balance between the city of Sodom and the cave is the tent of Abraham. We are to live in the world, but without becoming attached to it or conformed to it. We are to be strangers and pilgrims." I like that! How are you doing with the idea of being in the world, but not of it? Are you living in the city or in a cave? Will you seek to live in the tent of Abraham? Below is a map of the approximate area of where Sodom & Gomorrah and the Cities of the Plain (including Zoar) were thought to have been located, on the south side of the Dead Sea and now possibly under water:

One verse that immediately stood out to me in chapter 19 is verse 16: "When Lot still hesitated, the angels seized his hand and the hands of his wife and two daughters and rushed them to safety outside the city, for the LORD was merciful." What struck me in this verse is that Lot hesitated. In the previous verse, the angels say very clearly and strongly - "get out of the city! hurry! God is going to destroy it!" And yet... Lot hesitated. This jumped out at me because in our couple of previous day's readings we have seen how promptly obedient Abraham was to God's commands. When God said to get circumcised and circumcise everyone in the house - it happened that same day! And yet, here we see Lot hesitating on a very clear command from angels... And I guess I do have to ask myself, and maybe you can ask yourself too - are we more often like Abraham or Lot? Are we promptly obedient to God's will and commands for our lives? Or do we hesitate? A great thing about verse 16 above is we read that even though Lot hesitated, God was merciful. God will still show us mercy when we hesitate... the grace of God is still clearly there for we who hesitate. But, even though there is amazing grace, maybe the question still is - what are we hesitating for? What are we waiting for? Below is an image by the artist Raffaello (Italian painter and architect of the Italian High Renaissance), circa 1500, of Lot and his daughters finally fleeing Sodom, while his wife looks back and is turned into a pillar of salt:

And below is an image of verse 24: "Then the LORD rained down fire and burning sulfur from the heavens on Sodom and Gomorrah."

Bible.org's commentary on today's readings in Genesis titled "If I was God..." is at this link, and "Sin and the City" is at this link.

New Testament - Today in Matthew we continue the Sermon on the Mount! Chapter 6 verse 27 is solid science from Jesus: "Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? Of course not." Wouldn't you agree that scientific studies show that severe worrying (anxiety) can actually decrease the longevity of your life? Jesus knew his science! :) Truly... I do think you'll continue to be amazed by the scientific validity and Truth that is exhibited in the Bible over and over and over again as we read it this year!

Chapter 6 verse 34 (in image above) has always been one of my favorites to remember: "So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today." Great great truth here. I'm not sure if anyone has ever read a Dale Carnegie book about worrying? It's called "How to Stop Worrying and Start Living." It's been probably 10 years ago since I read this book. But, I remember Dale writing about how he lived his life in what he called "day-tight compartments". He used a cargo ship analogy, which I won't be able to explain here well. But, basically, Dale got to the point where he mentally segmented his time off into morning prep time, time with family over breakfast, morning work time, lunch time, afternoon work time, dinner time, family time, time to read, sleeping time. And while he was in the present time of each of these "compartments" of his day he would not worry at all about the other compartments even in that very same day! It's pretty interesting to think about... when you are at work, you focus on work and you don't daydream or worry about your personal life - but, once you are off work, you then don't worry about work at all. I don't know... maybe this Dale Carnegie "day-tight compartments" is only helpful to me... I recommend you listen to Jesus' advice on worrying before you listen to Dale or mine! :) But, if you do worry a lot, this Dale Carnegie book may very helpful for you as well.

Matthew chapter 7 verses 1 through 6 are interesting. Jesus clearly says to not judge others - but then in verse 6 he says: "Don't give what is holy to unholy people." So, my thought is that we are not to "condemn" people judgmentally - but that we are to be aware of and perceptive of other people's character traits. I don't think Jesus is calling for us to walk around blissfully thinking everyone is perfect... but he is saying don't "condemn" others for their actions. God is the only true judge of anyone's actions. I think it is still okay for us to take note of how people act or behave. Remember that 1 Thessalonians 5:21 tells us to: "Test everything." So, I do think it is okay (and even wise) to evaluate a person's character. Let me know your thoughts on this one in the Comments section below.

Bible.org's commentary on today's readings in Matthew titled "Materialism" is at this link, and "Misdirected Effort" is at this link.

Psalms - Today we read Psalm 8! Verses 3 & 4 I love: "When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers-- the moon and the stars you have set in place-- what are mortals that you should think of us, mere humans that you should care for us?" What I love about this verse is that before I had faith in Jesus, and even God, I used to always look toward the night sky and just be amazed by the stars! I would always think to myself - there is no way that this all just happened by chance. There's gotta be something bigger going on making all of this happen. The night sky was evangelizing me!! :) What a beautiful thing. Have you ever had the experience of nature, God’s creation, evangelizing you? When you are out in nature, do you offer up praise and thanks to God for His amazingly beautiful creation?

Proverbs - Proverbs chapter 2 verse 10 is amazing: "For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will fill you with joy." I like that thought that wisdom will enter your heart and then knowledge will fill you with joy! What a great proverb! Do you believe that knowledge can fill you with joy? What type of knowledge? What type of wisdom should enter your heart? Today - are you filled with joy?

Worship God: Todays readings in the Psalms and Matthew reminded me of the fantastic worship song by Delirious called "Majesty (Here I Am)." Here's a great live version of this song:

Do you know your Majesty? Click here to meet Him!

Please join me in memorizing 2 verses of Scripture today:
"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." Matthew 7:13-14 NIV

Comments from You and Questions of the Day: Back to Matthew chapter 7 verse 6: "Don't give what is holy to unholy people. Don't give pearls to swine! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you." I understand what is being said here - and I can think of specific instances in my life where this type of thing has happened. My question though for each of us is this - how do we show our friends, family, neighbors the love of God? Honestly, I have an evangelistic heart - but I don't think I really openly evangelize much. I love God so much - and it tears me up when I see my friends struggling with addictions - particularly when it seems like they are seeking God but settle for an addiction. So - I don't think this verse 6 is referring to these types of situations - people seeking God in all the wrong places. I think we are called to share the love of God with our hurting friends - with a hurting world. How do you do this? Do you pray for others? Do you give others books or Bibles? Do you send them spiritual emails? Do you invite them to church? Do you "preach the gospel at all times, and use words when only necessary?" Please let me know in the "Comments" below what you do to share the love of God with others? Thanks. 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

January 7th One Year Bible Readings

2009-01-07T00:00:00-03:00

Genesis 16:1-18:15 ~ Matthew 6:1-24 ~ Psalm 7:1-17 ~ Proverbs 2:1-5
~ Click here to read today's Scripture on BibleGateway.com ~
~ Listen to today's Scripture on DailyAudioBible.com (podcast) or OneYearAudioBible.org ~

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" is at 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 2009 so that you can spend more time "tuning in" to God and His wisdom?

Worship God: Today's readings in Genesis about Abraham entertaining angels reminds 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 me in memorizing 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

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,
Mike

January 6th One Year Bible Readings

2009-01-06T00:00:00-03:00

You are invited to join us on the One Year Bible journey in 2009! We currently have over 8,441 people in 55 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 2009 click on this link for more details and to sign up!

Genesis 13:5-15:21 ~ Matthew 5:27-48 ~ Psalm 6:1-10 ~ Proverbs 1:29-33
~ Click here to read today's Scripture on BibleGateway.com ~
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Old Testament - These are some great readings today about Abram and his faith! Chapter 13 verse 9 stood out to me today as Abram was trying to settle the arguments between his and Lot's herdsmen over pastureland: "I'll tell you what we'll do. Take your choice of any section of the land you want, and we will separate. If you want that area over there, then I'll stay here. If you want to stay in this area, then I'll move on to another place." I guess what I really like about this is Abram is giving Lot the first choice of the land. It seems like Abram is confident that he will personally be okay with whatever 2nd choice is left-over to him because he is in a relationship with God. I like this. And I hope that we each do this in my life from time to time. Think about this random example - parking spaces in a crowded mall can be hot commodities and arguments can ensue. What would it be like if we let others get the first choice and we continued on in confidence that we will be okay with whatever 2nd choice is left-over to us? Who knows - maybe we'd end up with the parking space in the boonies - and get an extra quarter mile of a walk for exercise... maybe not such a bad 2nd choice? Is it possible for us to get in the habit of letting others get the 1st choice of things whenever there is an argument about to ensue - and us being confident that 2nd choice will still be great for us - maybe in ways we don't foresee? And confident that because we are in a relationship with God? Below is an image of Abram and Lot in Genesis 13 about to part ways:

Chapter 14 verse 14 also stood out in regards to Abram's character: "When Abram learned that Lot had been captured, he called together the men born into his household, 318 of them in all. He chased after Kedorlaomer's army until he caught up with them in Dan." I don't know about you... but I'll be honest. If my nephew got captured by a band of marauding kings and their army, I'm thinking I might just let my nephew go and chalk it up to very bad luck on his part... But not Abram! When he heard the news that Lot had been captured, it looks like he did not even blink! He called together his household immediately and they were off and running after Kedorlaomer's army. Yes, they were chasing after an army... again, I'm not so sure I would do this... though, hopefully, maybe I now would if I can keep in mind Abram's character here.... What about you? Would you chase after an army? Is there maybe someone in your life who has been "captured" by something - an addiction, a sadness, some bad luck - and will you go chasing after that person and help to free them from the "army" that has ensnared them?

In verses 17 through 20 in chapter 14 we read about Melchizedek. And I definitely would like to get others opinions on this - Who was Melchizedek? The reason I ask this question is due to Hebrews Chapter 7 - click on this link to read this chapter of Hebrews. (Hebrews 7 is well worth the read at this point in our Genesis journey.) My thinking currently is that Melchizedek was a very great priest - but I don't believe he was Jesus Christ preincarnate. But, again, I'm willing to listen to others on your thoughts on this. My thoughts on this is that Hebrews 7 seems to be saying that Jesus is "like" or "in the order" of Melchizedek - but not quite saying Jesus is Melchizedek. I read there are 4 basic theories on who Melchizedek is - 1. simply a king of Salem and Abram was showing him respect, 2. Melchizedek was a standard title for the kings of Salem. 3. He was a "type of Christ" and he illustrates a lesson about Christ. or 4. He was Jesus preincarnate in a temporary body form. So - whaddya think? Below is an oil painting by Peter Paul Reubens, circa 1625, of Abram and Melchizedek meeting :

Genesis chapter 15:9-21 is the first Abrahamic Covenant. It was an unconditional divine promise to fulfill the grant of the land to Abram and his descendants. Verses 5 & 6 in chapter 15 are powerful: "Then the LORD brought Abram outside beneath the night sky and told him, "Look up into the heavens and count the stars if you can. Your descendants will be like that--too many to count!" And Abram believed the LORD, and the LORD declared him righteous because of his faith." And verse 6, the preceding sentence to this one I think is important for each of us to consider. Do we believe God's promises? What are God's promises for us? Do we have faith that God's promises for us through his son Jesus are true? Even if we've been walking with faith for a while now - are we still as "on fire" with our faith as we once were? Can we pray to God to show us his promises anew (or maybe for the first time) for our lives? Can we pray to God for faith like Abram's? It is believed that in the dark night sky of the ancient near east Abram could have seen up to 8,000 stars in the sky. Perhaps when God said the words above in verses 5 & 6 Abram saw a view of something like this below (image taken from NASA's Hubble Space telescope of the Sagittarious Star Cloud):

Bible.org's commentary on today's readings in Genesis titled "Lot Looks Out for Number One" is at this link, "The Rescue of Lot" is at this link, and "The Focal Point of Abram's Faith" is at this link.

New Testament - Matthew 5:27-30 are Jesus' teachings about adultery. And really I think these teachings, along with many others in the Sermon on the Mount, are even more so about what is going on inside our hearts. Jesus discusses how the law says clearly how we are "not to do" something - it's very apparent and very "exterior" if we commit a sin like adultery. Jesus says that the exterior/apparent/obvious sin is wrong for sure - but Jesus is equally as concerned with what's going on in the "interior" - inside our hearts. Jesus proposes that if we have looked at someone lustfully with our "interior", we have committed the same sin as if we had actually committed adultery on the "exterior." Do you see how Jesus' teachings in today's readings are really focusing on the condition of our hearts? How is the condition of your heart today when it comes to these teachings?

I know these can be seen as "hard teachings." Please note that I do not believe that Jesus is advocating self-mutilation in these readings - he is being figurative, not literal, in his speech about gouging out an eye or cutting off a hand. (someone can be blind and still lust) But he wants the point to be made very strongly. These teachings are obviously important for us to meditate on and learn from and obey. I am sure we all know it is true that what we "think" can often become what we "do". So, it seems to me that Jesus is trying to stop us from even committing sin at the "thinking" level, because it may later manifest itself into action. Or - even if it does not manifest itself into action the thinking of the sin can actually affect us just adversely as much as the actual doing of the sin. Let us not let our minds wander into cloudy territory, but let us keep our minds clean and focused on Jesus, His Kingdom, and His Righteousness. Jesus' teachings today in Matthew 5 can certainly keep us from cloudy thinking and the confusion of internal sin:

I do actually want to say a few more things about the whole adultery / lust issue brought up in today's readings. And it is this - probably many of us have struggled with lust, or are struggling with lust right now. I have. And I know many of my friends who have. I am very saddened by many things I have seen and heard and experienced over the years. However sad I am or have been though, I am sure God grieves for us so much more. I guess I just want to encourage anyone now who is reading this that might be struggling with lust or pornography or adultery or pre-marital sex etc. - there truly is freedom from what you are struggling with. And that freedom ultimately only is found in the healing love of Jesus. I just pray that you will do everything you can to allow Jesus to free you from what's enslaved you - seek professional counseling, find an accountability partner, confess your sins, read empowering books about freedom from what you are struggling with, avoid R-rated movies or Hollywood entertainment magazines if you need to, avoid situations or locations that will tempt you, and above all pray to Jesus and ask for healing continually. He will heal you. It may take time. But Jesus will heal you. God bless you as you work your way out of this and into amazing freedom! God will get you there! Let the healing begin!

FYI on a great book I read recently by Lauren Winner, with a title that may alarm you, but don't worry, it is by an evangelical Episcopalian author and is well done! "Real Sex: The Naked Truth about Chastity" - I read this book and was profoundly impacted by it. It is a great overview of God's plan for sex within the boundary of marriage and chastity outside of marriage. I'd say the book is probably best for 20 or 30 somethings. I'm not sure that I'd give it to teens. 40+ single somethings could get a lot out of it too. If you are single and in your 20s or 30s or know someone who is, please check this book out. Lauren is also author of "Girl Meets God," a great book about her being raised Jewish but then coming to faith in Christ in her early 20's. She's a good author!

Bible.org's commentary on today's readings in Matthew titled "Flames of Desire" is at this link, "Avoiding the Sin of Adultery" is at this link, and "Jesus and the Law of Retaliation (Lex Talionis)" is at this link.

Psalms - As I read Psalm 6, it seems very penitential to me - like David was making a confession of sins and praying for forgiveness from God. As you read through these verses, have you ever felt like this? I have. And it ain't fun. But, it's part of the healing process. I do think we need to allow ourselves to get fully broken before God before we get fully healed. We can't mask over or hide from God what's really going on - we have got to put it all out there on the table before God, for him to be able to truly fix it. However - there is great encouragement and confidence from David in this Psalm in verse 9: "The LORD has heard my plea; the LORD will answer my prayer." The Lord will hear your plea! The Lord will answer your prayer! Please plea and pray to him if you need to. He will listen and answer.

Proverbs - Proverbs 1 verse 31 is a strong teaching to consider: "That is why they must eat the bitter fruit of living their own way. They must experience the full terror of the path they have chosen." I guess what jumped out at me is the simple word "path." Such a simple word... but a profound one. Every single day there seem to be various paths in front of us. Various options. Choices we can make. Paths we can take. Paths that can lead to light and life. Paths that can lead to full terror. What type of path are you on now? Are you on the right path? Who is leading you down this path? Is it God? I'll close with one of my favorite Proverbs, that I have memorized and repeat to myself often, which also discusses paths - Proverbs 3:5-6: "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." Let us pray for straight paths today!

Worship God: Our Matthew Chapter 5 readings on lust seems an appropriate point to share with you this phenomenal song by Rebecca St. James that she wrote for her future husband called "Wait for Me":

Do you know that God is waiting for you? Click here and wait no more!

Please join me in memorizing 2 verses of Scripture today:
"You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." Matthew 5:27-28 NIV

Comments from You and Questions of the Day: Based on our readings in Matthew chapter 5 today about lust, are there any good books or websites you can recommend related to achieving victory in this area of our lives? Or any habits or practices of yours that you are comfortable sharing about how you avoid the sin of lust in your 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,
Mike

January 5th One Year Bible Readings

2009-01-05T00:00:00-03:00

You are invited to join us on the One Year Bible journey in 2009! We currently have over 8,315 people in 55 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 2009 click on this link for more details and to sign up!

Genesis 11:1-13:4 ~ Matthew 5:1-26 ~ Psalm 5:1-12 ~ Proverbs 1:24-28
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Old Testament - Today in Genesis chapter 11 we read about the tower of Babel! You can view the location of the tower at a high level below:

I probably should not confess this, but I will - verse 4 made me smile and laugh at myself a bit, which really shouldn't be funny. This verse reminded me of myself at times: "Let's build a great city with a tower that reaches to the skies--a monument to our greatness!" This verse is obviously not one that made God happy, as we see in subsequent verses. And I guess I have to ask myself - are there times my life or areas of my life where I am attempting to build something that will be a "monument to my greatness"? And I'm afraid that the answer is too often yes. Or it surely has been in the past. I pray that I'm turning over the desire to "be great" over to God more and more these days. I pray that I am not seeking glory for myself - but seeking glory for God. But, I am afraid that sometimes I revert back to wanting to build a "monument to my greatness" in my work or volunteer activities or maybe even personal relationships. And this is pride. It was this pride that brought about the building of the tower of Babel - and it was because of pride that God stopped the building of the tower by giving the human race different languages. In your life today - are you seeking to build monuments of greatness for yourself? Or are you instead seeking to only glorify God? Below is an oil on panel painting of the "Tower of Babel" by Pieter Bruegel, circa 1563:

Today is a big day in our readings! We are introduced to Abram & Sarai! Genesis chapter 12 is significant in that it transitions our Old Testament readings from being about the world at large to being primarily about a specific man, Abram, his family, and his descendants. Verses 2 and 3 are an amazing promise from God to Abraham: "I will cause you to become the father of a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and I will make you a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you." This is a powerful promise that we will see played out throughout the rest of our Old Testament readings - and into the New Testament this promise continues and is fulfilled in Jesus - and continues in us as spiritual descendants of Abram today. I heard somewhere once that one way to paraphrase this promise is "I will bless you, so that you will be a blessing to others." And I think about that today for our own lives. If we have been blessed by God, is it possible that we have been blessed in part so that we will be a blessing to others? Do you believe that you been blessed by God? Are you passing along that blessing to others in your life?

The brief story of Abram and Sarai in Egypt is a foreshadowing of what we will see later in Genesis and into Exodus - the descendents of Abram going into Egypt to escape a severe famine - and then ultimately leaving Egypt to the north "with all their household and belongings" (verse 20). I also was intrigued in our Matthew readings a couple of days ago that Jesus as a child went into Egypt, when Mary & Joseph fled Herod's decree to kill all boys 2 & under around Bethlehem. Egypt plays quite a supporting role in the Bible! Below is a map of Abram's journey that we read about today:

Bible.org's commentary on today's readings in Genesis titled "The Unity of Unbelief" is at this link, "The Call of Abram" is at this link, and "When Faith Fails" is at this link.

New Testament - Okay... as I said above, today is a big day my friends! We are starting the Sermon on the Mount! Whoo-hoo! (are you cheering here with me?? :) And as we do, let me encourage you in a few ways on what we'll be reading here. First of all, personally, these 3 chapters of Matthew (5, 6, 7) have been transformative for me over the years. Before I had faith in Jesus, I would continually read these chapters and I kept thinking to myself - "This guy has got some wisdom! I like what he's saying!" And I do believe that the Spirit was no doubt working on me as I read these chapters. So, I do ask that you would be sensitive to the Spirit as you read The Sermon on the Mount. What is the Spirit speaking to you as you read? Which verses are really jumping out at you - maybe making you think about some areas of your life that might need some tidying up... I know that this happens to me every time I read the Sermon on the Mount. It's probably because of reading chapter 5 today, and the Beatitudes, that I went into my pride / Tower of Babel thing above... :)

Here's my other big request for you as you read through the Sermon on the Mount - and really all of the gospels. Try to experience what you are reading as something more than just "historical" teachings or "historical" readings. Try to envision yourself maybe down at your local park and maybe imagine that Jesus was actually at that park surrounded by a bunch of your neighbors and imagine that you heard Jesus actually saying these words to you and your neighbors - today. Would this change your perception of what you are reading? Or, maybe imagine that indeed Jesus is not just at your local park - but in your very home saying these words to you. And truly - He is - as you are reading the Bible you are hearing directly from Jesus. I just want to encourage you that the words you read here in the Sermon on the Mount are incredible spiritual food. And I don't think we can come back to these 3 chapters of Matthew often enough. I pray that you will let the Spirit of Jesus speak directly into your mind and your heart as you read and meditate on the meanings of these 3 chapters of the gospel of Matthew...

We read the Beatitudes today! I would love to share with you the Beatitudes from Eugene Peterson's paraphrase of the Bible called The Message. I really like the way he looks at the Beatitudes -
""You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.
"You're blessed when you feel you've lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.
"You're blessed when you're content with just who you are--no more, no less. That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought.
"You're blessed when you've worked up a good appetite for God. He's food and drink in the best meal you'll ever eat.
"You're blessed when you care. At the moment of being "carefull,' you find yourselves cared for.
"You're blessed when you get your inside world--your mind and heart--put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.
"You're blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That's when you discover who you really are, and your place in God's family.
"You're blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God's kingdom." - Matthew 5:3-10 The Message

I know verses 17 & 18 probably are interpreted in different ways - but a friend of mine has encouraged me when in doubt, just stick to the text, which is wise. So, let's look at the Jesus' words here in this text - "Don't misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to fulfill them. I assure you, until heaven and earth disappear, even the smallest detail of God's law will remain until its purpose is achieved." What does the reading of this text say to you?

And now that we've looked at the text... I need to dive into a commentary on these verses... :) I'm quoting this from Tyndale's One Year Bible Companion book - which I have found to be a very helpful commentary to our daily readings: "In the Old Testament, there were 3 categories of law: ceremonial, civil, and moral. 1. The ceremonial law was related specifically to Israel's worship. Its primary purpose was to point forward to Jesus Christ; these laws are therefore no longer necessary after Jesus' death and resurrection. However, the principles behind these laws - to worship and love a holy God - still apply. 2. The civil law applied to daily living in Israel and these laws cannot be followed specifically today in our modern society and culture. But the principles behind theses laws are timeless and should guide our conduct. 3. The moral law (such as the Ten Commandments) is the direct command of God, and requires obedience. The moral law reveals the nature and will of God, and it still applies today." So, there you have it from one evangelical commentary. I know probably different people reading this blog are going to interpret these verses a bit differently. This framework of these 3 categories of laws above and their fulfillment in Jesus I personally have found helpful and agree with. One other commentary I found related to these verses says this: "Christ does not terminate the law. Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid; we establish the law. (Romans 3:31) The law will always be there to point out what sin is, but the law is not the focus, Christ is the focus. Only He can cleanse, and sanctify and change the heart and mind." Again, I know this can be a hot topic to say the least. I'm sure some comments will go up on this, which is great. Favor I have to ask everyone - are there any good books or studies or websites that you can recommend that discuss Jesus & his relation to the Old Testament law? I'm definitely interested in studying more on this in 2008. Thanks for posting up in the Comments section below some recommendations!

Bible.org's commentary on our readings today in Matthew titled "The Beatitudes" is at this link and "A Pinch of Salt in the Recipe for Persecution" is at this link.

Psalms - I love Psalm 5 verse 3: "Listen to my voice in the morning, LORD. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly." This is a great reminder to pray in the mornings - before we start the hustle and bustle of the day. I know that many of you are reading the One Year Bible readings in the morning, which I think is a great way to start your day! I do see a huge positive difference in my day if I do pray to God in the morning and pray specifically about the upcoming day - and pray for others that I will interact with that day as well. Praise God for the morning!

Actually, while I'm talking about the morning here, let me go off on a tangent if you don't mind... :) I honestly have lived much of my life as a "night owl." I went to bed late and woke up late. And I had all kinds of good "reasons" of why I was a night owl. But, I will be honest here - I don't think being a night owl was good for me. I honestly believe there is so much wisdom in the old adage of "early to bed, early to rise, helps make a person healthy, wealthy and wise." I personally think that being a night owl was a lack of discipline on my part. I don't mean to say all this to make you other night owls out there feel guilty... :) But, I do want to encourage you, in that if you think you are stuck being a night owl the rest of your life, I don't think it is true. I believe you can make the transition to being a morning person. I am an example of someone who has transitioned from being a late-night person to an early-to-bed person. (well, yes, I'm still a bit in the transition phase sometimes it seems...) And I am here to tell you, mornings rock! Early mornings are so beautiful and peaceful! They really are an amazing time of the day to connect with God... Praise God for the morning!

Proverbs - Our readings in Proverbs 1:24-28 today is a great reminder to not ignore an opportunity to gain wisdom when the opportunity comes, or we may regret it later. Is wisdom knocking on your door today? Will you let Wisdom enter in?

Worship God: Psalm 5:3 reminded me of the wonderful worship song "A New Hallelujah" by Michael W. Smith:

Can you sing "A New Hallelujah" to God? Click here to sing!

Please join me in memorizing 2 verses of Scripture today:
"You are the light of the world. Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:14,16 NIV

Comments from You and Questions of the Day: Based on our Psalm 5 reading today, what do you do in the morning to set your mind and heart on God? Is it prayer, reading the Bible, reading other devotions? If you wouldn't mind posting up in the Comments section below, I'd love to hear what others are doing? It always encourages me - and oftentimes gives me other ideas of things I might want to be doing as well. Thanks! 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