~ Click on this link for today's readings ~
Genesis 42:18-43:34 ~ Matthew 13:47-14:12
Psalm 18:16-36 ~ Proverbs 4:7-10
Hi everyone. One day sabbatical today on the posting. :) I'll be back on track tomorrow. A few links and a brief Psalms reflection below. Comments from you on today's readings are very welcome!
Bible.org's commentary on Genesis chapter 42 titled "The Proper Use of Power" is at this link.
Bible.org's commentary on the Parables of Matthew chapter 13 is at this link.
Psalms - Great verses today for us to meditate upon in Psalm 18 verses 25 through 27 - "To the faithful you show yourself faithful; to those with integrity you show integrity. To the pure you show yourself pure, but to the wicked you show yourself hostile. You rescue those who are humble, but you humiliate the proud." I really love verse 28 - "LORD, you have brought light to my life; my God, you light up my darkness." Has Jesus brought light into your life? Does God light up your darkness?
Comments from you - What verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings? Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!
Grace,
Mike
Matt 13:52
He said to them, "Therefore every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old."
I was adamant about this when I was searching for a church body to join. It was hard enough to find an expository Bible teaching church, but to find one that emphasized the links between Old and New Testament and the tightly woven flow of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation made the search even more difficult.
Sidenote: I understand the difficulty of non-believer's when it comes to the Bible. All my life, I found any tme I picked up the Bible - it just seemed illogical and a mess of poorly written stories. Eighteen months ago, when I was seeking the Truth and God, the Bible seemed to make a little more sense. After being indwelt by the Holy Spirit, I was shocked at how clear most of the Scripture became before my formerly "clouded" eyes.
Ok, yes I still need to check out commentaries and take in other's comments: like this blog - but the main outline from Genesis to Revelations "I get" now. Before salvation, it just seemed a disjointed mess.
Posted by: John | January 20, 2006 at 10:58 PM
Good on ya mike! You need a break..... i shudder to think of all the work you do for us and the lord by writing these blogs! Thanks.
Posted by: Andrew W | January 21, 2006 at 04:32 AM
Even our Lord would go out from among the people to be alone with His Father God for a while to 'recharge'.
Posted by: Terry Mitchell | January 21, 2006 at 09:51 AM
Some verses from Psalm 18 caught my attention today. I have a rather rambling post in my trackback above and a question about (spiritual) war. If anyone has time to give some feedback, I would appreciate it.
Posted by: Andrew B | January 21, 2006 at 12:03 PM
Genesis 42:18-43:34
A particular verse has not jumped out at me today but what has caught my eye is a state of mind has guilt. Joseph’s brothers are totally filled with guilt and thus paranoid. They consistently second guess and put a “spin” on every misstep they make with this unknown ruler. Unknown to them but they are known to him.
They said to one other, "Surely we're being punished because of our brother, because we saw how distressed he was when he cried to us for mercy, but we refused to listen. That is why this distress has come on us!"
(Genesis 42:21 NET.)
Twenty plus years loaded with guilt times ten. This is a picture of man outside of Jesus Christ spinning the events of their lives trying to get a hold of their culpability by any means necessary. However, unless man deals in Truth, guilt, whether true guilt or false, guilt will remain burdening the carrier.
By mercy and love, truth and fidelity [to God and man--not by sacrificial offerings], iniquity is purged out of the heart, and by the reverent, worshipful fear of the Lord men depart from and avoid evil.
(Proverbs 16:6 AMP)
Jesus calls to everyone to exchange the yoke of guilt to His yoke.
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.] Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart, and you will find rest (relief and ease and refreshment and recreation and blessed quiet) for your souls. [Jer. 6:16.] For My yoke is wholesome (useful, good--not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing, but comfortable, gracious, and pleasant), and My burden is light and easy to be borne.
(Matthew 11:28-30 AMP)
Grace and peace,
Ramona
Posted by: Ramona | January 21, 2006 at 01:12 PM
Matt 13: 47-48
I love the Greek language. Personally, I think Greek was chosen as the language for the New Testament because of the exactness of the words "in Greek". We have one word "love" - the Greeks have 23 words that mean "love" in varying contexts.
Some may know this, but I just found it out - the "net" in verse 47 is (GK.)"sagene" meaning dragnet, seine net, or trawling net. The size of the net was immense and the catch was all- inclusive.
"During this era in which good and evil exist together, God will tolerate evil. But there is coming a time when He will separate those who are subjects of the King from those who are not. Little by little, imperceptibly and silently, God's net is moving through the seas of time and bringing all men onto the shores of eternity for that inevitable separation. The net draws in all kinds of fish; it is indiscriminating. So, as verse 47 says, the Kingdom of heaven is like a net that moves silently through the sea of life. By the time people awaken to what God is doing, they will have already been brought to the shore to be separated." - John MacArthur
In Matt 4:19 the casting net (Gk. amphiblestron) has a positive feel as the Apostles are to use it as "fisherman of men". This dragnet in v. 47-48 is a net used to facilitate judgement.
Posted by: John | January 21, 2006 at 03:13 PM
John,
Between this fishing parable and (yesterday's?) about the wheat and weeds, I've been thinking about how much time we waste trying to judge and separate. Too much attention is given to details and divisions that are not ours to attend. God will sort when the time comes; until then we're better off getting about the business of being the Body of Christ... with a generous spirit.
(I'm not making any accusations toward you; I'm just running a train of thought from your comment.)
Posted by: Bald Man | January 21, 2006 at 10:45 PM
hi, pretty inspirational words, also was wondering, who took the photo? thx
Posted by: | April 30, 2007 at 01:46 AM