Today's Reading
How is your reading coming along? We have made it through the first week of 2010 -- can you believe it? If you miss a day, forgive yourself and pick up with the next day. Really knowing the Bible is a lifetime adventure so lets stay at it, tiny steps at a time.
Genesis today is so rich that we could spend a week just on these chapters. Here are a few highlights...
1. God reveals his character to us through His names. We discover two of them in today's reading.
2. God enters a deeper covenant with Abram and changes his name to Abraham. Then God gives Sarai a new name.
3. God's requirement of Abraham in this covenant is circumcision and Abe responds obediently.
4. Sarai tries to help God along and get a family through her own manipulations. Thousands of years later, the world still reels from the conflict that started there.
Matthew includes more instructions about how to truly follow God. Which one of these means the most to you?
Psalms. David (the man after God's own heart) wonders if his problems are all his own fault. If not, he asks God for justice. Surely you have been there!
Proverbs contains the words of a parent longing for his child to know and follow God's ways. Some of you are praying that for your little ones. God bless you for it!
Questions and comments are welcome. Yours may help someone else on this journey.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
January 6
Today's Reading
Genesis. This is a vivid picture of the type of tribal conflicts in the Middle East that still make the headlines today. Notice that Abram goes after a coalition of kings using trained men from his own household. It says much about the level of their training and trust for each other.
When he returns, Abram meets a mysterious person named Melchizedek. This meeting has great significance and we will see it referred to much later this year when we read the New Testament book of Hebrews. Some scholars think that this may have been the first time in his life that Abram met another person who believed in only one true God. Everyone around him worshiped many different gods, but not Abram. He is so moved that he presents a tenth of his battle spoils to this "Prince of Salem." Salem means peace and was also the name for ancient Jerusalem. What do you think about that?
At the close of the Genesis passage, Abram enters a blood covenant with God. Remember, forgiveness of sins requires blood to be shed.
Matthew. The Sermon on the Mount shows a deeper view of God's true standard. It's not enough that we outwardly try to obey. Our hearts must be changed. Today's passage also provides great instructions for dealing with many of the issues we face in our lives.
If Psalms doesn't express your heart experience today, I'm sure you can remember a time when you were broken because of your sins and failures.
Proverbs. Wisdom is crying out for attention.
What comments or questions do you have? Dive in!
Genesis. This is a vivid picture of the type of tribal conflicts in the Middle East that still make the headlines today. Notice that Abram goes after a coalition of kings using trained men from his own household. It says much about the level of their training and trust for each other.
When he returns, Abram meets a mysterious person named Melchizedek. This meeting has great significance and we will see it referred to much later this year when we read the New Testament book of Hebrews. Some scholars think that this may have been the first time in his life that Abram met another person who believed in only one true God. Everyone around him worshiped many different gods, but not Abram. He is so moved that he presents a tenth of his battle spoils to this "Prince of Salem." Salem means peace and was also the name for ancient Jerusalem. What do you think about that?
At the close of the Genesis passage, Abram enters a blood covenant with God. Remember, forgiveness of sins requires blood to be shed.
Matthew. The Sermon on the Mount shows a deeper view of God's true standard. It's not enough that we outwardly try to obey. Our hearts must be changed. Today's passage also provides great instructions for dealing with many of the issues we face in our lives.
If Psalms doesn't express your heart experience today, I'm sure you can remember a time when you were broken because of your sins and failures.
Proverbs. Wisdom is crying out for attention.
What comments or questions do you have? Dive in!
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
January 5
Today's Reading
Genesis today is FULL of important stuff! To help you get started...
Why do you think God was so concerned about them building the tower of Babel? (modern day Iraq)
What do you think it was like for Abram to follow God to a place he had never been before?
How do you feel about Abram's lie that Sarai was his sister?
Matthew contains the Beatitudes. I heard a teacher one time who said that the best meaning of "blessed" is "the well-being of." Either way, Jesus says some important things about how we should live in the world. It's not always easy.
Psalms contrasts the life of those dedicated to God with "the wicked" in today's passage.
Proverbs. Wisdom issues us a warning.
How is your reading coming along? Questions? Comments?
Genesis today is FULL of important stuff! To help you get started...
Why do you think God was so concerned about them building the tower of Babel? (modern day Iraq)
What do you think it was like for Abram to follow God to a place he had never been before?
How do you feel about Abram's lie that Sarai was his sister?
Matthew contains the Beatitudes. I heard a teacher one time who said that the best meaning of "blessed" is "the well-being of." Either way, Jesus says some important things about how we should live in the world. It's not always easy.
Psalms contrasts the life of those dedicated to God with "the wicked" in today's passage.
Proverbs. Wisdom issues us a warning.
How is your reading coming along? Questions? Comments?
Monday, January 4, 2010
January 4
Today's Reading
In Genesis today, you will find the reason for, then the separation of Noah's three sons. Here are a few "clues" to help you understand how the people of the world came from them.
Japheth's descendants moved north from what we now call the Middle East. They settled in what today is Europe, including Russia. Scholars believe that modern Moscow is ancient Magog.
Ham's descendants include what we today think of as the Arab people groups. That means modern Iran and Iraq and Saudi Arabia.
Shem's descendants will ultimately include Abraham and, centuries later, Jesus. The descendants of Shem were known as Shemites, later changed to Semites. We get our term "semitic" from it -- a term used to describe them when they were primarily nomads.
Matthew's passage today shows the powerful simplicity of Jesus' call to "Follow Me!" Notice their response. The older I get, the more convicted I feel every time I think about it. Christ's love for the people was shown by what He did. People from as far away as Syria heard what He was doing and brought their sick loved ones to Him.
Psalms. God gives greater joy than any thrill we might have on this earth. The moments I share in true communion with Him are the most precious moments of my life. I long for more of those times!
Proverbs today is as if wisdom is pleading with us. Will we listen?
How is God speaking to you today?
In Genesis today, you will find the reason for, then the separation of Noah's three sons. Here are a few "clues" to help you understand how the people of the world came from them.
Japheth's descendants moved north from what we now call the Middle East. They settled in what today is Europe, including Russia. Scholars believe that modern Moscow is ancient Magog.
Ham's descendants include what we today think of as the Arab people groups. That means modern Iran and Iraq and Saudi Arabia.
Shem's descendants will ultimately include Abraham and, centuries later, Jesus. The descendants of Shem were known as Shemites, later changed to Semites. We get our term "semitic" from it -- a term used to describe them when they were primarily nomads.
Matthew's passage today shows the powerful simplicity of Jesus' call to "Follow Me!" Notice their response. The older I get, the more convicted I feel every time I think about it. Christ's love for the people was shown by what He did. People from as far away as Syria heard what He was doing and brought their sick loved ones to Him.
Psalms. God gives greater joy than any thrill we might have on this earth. The moments I share in true communion with Him are the most precious moments of my life. I long for more of those times!
Proverbs today is as if wisdom is pleading with us. Will we listen?
How is God speaking to you today?
Sunday, January 3, 2010
January 3
Today's Reading
Genesis. Our today includes a long list of people. Do you see any you recognize? C.S. Lewis had an interesting opinion on why the lifespan of people was so long back then. He said that it may have been because they lived such a relatively short time after our first parents ate from the Tree of Life. His idea was that the fruit of that tree made it difficult for people to die and that "problem" was passed down from generation to generation.
Any comments or questions about Noah and the ark?
Matthew. What do you notice about Jesus' encounter with the devil in the wilderness?
Psalms. How much do you struggle with fear? Today's Psalm reveals an area in which I need to grow. The picture of security in God's love is powerful and, truthfully, not always my experience.
Proverbs. I find it very tempting to think that life consists in my possessions. I know it's not true, but the temptation is real.
Every question is a good one. Every comment will be respected. I encourage you to jump in.
Genesis. Our today includes a long list of people. Do you see any you recognize? C.S. Lewis had an interesting opinion on why the lifespan of people was so long back then. He said that it may have been because they lived such a relatively short time after our first parents ate from the Tree of Life. His idea was that the fruit of that tree made it difficult for people to die and that "problem" was passed down from generation to generation.
Any comments or questions about Noah and the ark?
Matthew. What do you notice about Jesus' encounter with the devil in the wilderness?
Psalms. How much do you struggle with fear? Today's Psalm reveals an area in which I need to grow. The picture of security in God's love is powerful and, truthfully, not always my experience.
Proverbs. I find it very tempting to think that life consists in my possessions. I know it's not true, but the temptation is real.
Every question is a good one. Every comment will be respected. I encourage you to jump in.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
January 2
Today's Reading
So, how did your first day go? Were you on familiar territory or was it all "Greek" to you?
Genesis. IF you have time today, take a long look at Genesis 3. See how many hidden objects you can find in the story.
For instance, can you find...
Lucifer,
The Fall of humans into sin,
The Virgin Birth,
Jesus' sacrificial death,
The final judgment of Satan and sin?
They are all there. And more. Just in chapter 3.
Matthew. Revelation describes Satan as a dragon waiting before Mary as she gave birth, with the desire to consume Jesus. Here, he used the political manipulations of an insecure king. It's a tragic story, but one which clearly shows that we are in a life and death conflict.
Psalms. I have heard some of the scoffings of the scoffers. Have you? Their harsh judgment of Christ and His people used to make me defensive. I'm learning that God isn't too concerned about them, though. That gives me the freedom to love the ones I know and simply pray for them.
Proverbs. God's wisdom is meant to be first taught in the home.
Want to talk about it? Leave your questions and comments, then keep following along.
So, how did your first day go? Were you on familiar territory or was it all "Greek" to you?
Genesis. IF you have time today, take a long look at Genesis 3. See how many hidden objects you can find in the story.
For instance, can you find...
Lucifer,
The Fall of humans into sin,
The Virgin Birth,
Jesus' sacrificial death,
The final judgment of Satan and sin?
They are all there. And more. Just in chapter 3.
Matthew. Revelation describes Satan as a dragon waiting before Mary as she gave birth, with the desire to consume Jesus. Here, he used the political manipulations of an insecure king. It's a tragic story, but one which clearly shows that we are in a life and death conflict.
Psalms. I have heard some of the scoffings of the scoffers. Have you? Their harsh judgment of Christ and His people used to make me defensive. I'm learning that God isn't too concerned about them, though. That gives me the freedom to love the ones I know and simply pray for them.
Proverbs. God's wisdom is meant to be first taught in the home.
Want to talk about it? Leave your questions and comments, then keep following along.
Friday, January 1, 2010
January 1
Today's Reading
Genesis. The first book of the Bible is attributed to Moses, who wrote approximately 2600-2700 years after the arrival of humans on the planet (based on the timing listed in the Bible). Why is Moses the one who wrote it down? Early civilization didn't have written communication so history was passed down verbally from one generation to the next. For whatever reason -- probably because he believed that God wanted him to -- Moses preserved that history in written form.
Today's Genesis passage is the original story of creation in Chapter 1 followed by a more extensive retelling of a portion of it in Chapter 2.
Matthew. Matthew was a Tax Collector who started following Jesus during His earthly ministry. Even though Mark, the next Gospel in your New Testament, was written earlier, Matthew is found first. Why? The entire Old Testament exclaimed, in different ways, "Messiah is coming!" Matthew, from a Jewish point of view, declared, "He's here!"
Psalms. Remember that Psalms was the hymnbook for God's people for hundreds of years. I encourage you to read it aloud as praise and prayer unto God. I was struck today by this verse: "3 They are like trees planted along the riverbank,
bearing fruit each season.
Their leaves never wither,
and they prosper in all they do." Ezekiel, Zechariah and Revelation all have vivid imagery about the river flowing from God's throne and yielding fruit all along its banks. It is fitting that Psalms begins with the same word picture.
Proverbs. Today's passage is, I think, the clearest explanation of the reason for Proverbs. Read it slowly. Soak it in.
That's about it. At least until you start making comments and asking questions. Come back often and follow the discussion.
Genesis. The first book of the Bible is attributed to Moses, who wrote approximately 2600-2700 years after the arrival of humans on the planet (based on the timing listed in the Bible). Why is Moses the one who wrote it down? Early civilization didn't have written communication so history was passed down verbally from one generation to the next. For whatever reason -- probably because he believed that God wanted him to -- Moses preserved that history in written form.
Today's Genesis passage is the original story of creation in Chapter 1 followed by a more extensive retelling of a portion of it in Chapter 2.
Matthew. Matthew was a Tax Collector who started following Jesus during His earthly ministry. Even though Mark, the next Gospel in your New Testament, was written earlier, Matthew is found first. Why? The entire Old Testament exclaimed, in different ways, "Messiah is coming!" Matthew, from a Jewish point of view, declared, "He's here!"
Psalms. Remember that Psalms was the hymnbook for God's people for hundreds of years. I encourage you to read it aloud as praise and prayer unto God. I was struck today by this verse: "3 They are like trees planted along the riverbank,
bearing fruit each season.
Their leaves never wither,
and they prosper in all they do." Ezekiel, Zechariah and Revelation all have vivid imagery about the river flowing from God's throne and yielding fruit all along its banks. It is fitting that Psalms begins with the same word picture.
Proverbs. Today's passage is, I think, the clearest explanation of the reason for Proverbs. Read it slowly. Soak it in.
That's about it. At least until you start making comments and asking questions. Come back often and follow the discussion.
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