Good message at Church today which focused on Nehemiah. I thought I would come home and read through the whole book, and here are some insights.
Neh 1:4-5: 'When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. Then I said...'
Having been told that Jerusalem is in ruins, we might have forgiven Nehemiah for rising up in (righteous) anger and declaring his intentions for restoration right away. However, this is not what happens; first he seeks God 'for some days'. This is a great example to us of how we must not react out of the flesh, and indeed not take an opportunity just because it 'seems right'. In all major decisions we need to seek God's counsel.
Neh 2:2 '...I was very much afraid, but I said to the king'
I love this! Nehemiah is about to ask the King to release him for the restoration work. Not only that, he is actually going to ask him to supply the wood needed. He is afraid, but he does it anyway. This is just like one of Joyce Meyer's messages entitled 'do it afraid'. So often we avoid doing something we know is right because we are afraid. Whilst we mustn't rush in without God's blessing (see first scripture) we must also have the courage to do what we know is right - even if we do it afraid.
Neh 2:8 "And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the king's forest, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel".
An interesting verse. God had clearly placed Nehemiah in the right place (working for the king) to do the work he has planned for him (restoration). I mean, who else would Nehemiah know who had a forest full of wood perfect for the gate beams? Does God have you in your work environment for his purposes?
Neh 4:13: 'Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places'.
Here we see Nehemiah getting his defenses ready for an attack from the enemy. We too have an enemy (the devil) who seeks to attack us. The key point here revolves around the term 'exposed places'. In the wall, these were the lowest points, where attack was most likely and where they were most vulnerable, with their enemies being able to simply hop over the wall and enter the city. In our lives, we too have 'exposed places' - areas of weakness where our enemy the devil is most likely to attack us. Like Nehemiah we need to pre-empt these attacks and get defending. If you have a weakness in a certain area, be ready for satan's attack in that place and pre-empt it by burying scriptures in your heart. Use the sword of the spirit which is the word of God to battle the devil (just like Jesus did in the desert). For example, if you know that worry is your weakness, memorise scriptures such as Matthew 6:25 and John 14:22. Then, when you next begin to worry about something, refuse to and quote these scriptures.
Neh 6:8 'I sent him this reply: "Nothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up in your head".
This is what Nehemia said to his enemy who was threatening him and trying to worry him. What I like about it is how we see (in hindsight) that a lot of the devil's attacks at us never happen - he is, as the Bible tells us, a liar. Rather than fret over everything the devil whispers to us, perhaps we should reply with Nehemiah's words: "Nothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up in your head".
Sunday, 4 September 2011
Monday, 6 September 2010
Matthew 2
In Matthew 2 we see King Herod asking the teachers and priests where the Christ was to be born:"When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. 5"In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written:
6" 'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.'(Matt 2:4-6)
What is so clear here is the importance of knowing the scriptures - the teachers of the law knew their Old Testament, and were able to quote Michah 5:2 which answered Herod's question. All of our answers are in the Bible, and we must not let our own ignorance stop us from knowing them. Get in the word, learn it, eat it, breathe it and know the answers to life's questions!
An interesting point in verse 9 when the magi come to the 'house' where the 'child' was. This shows that this takes place some time later, as they are no longer in the inn, and Jesus is now a child, not a baby. It is suggested that it took a year or two for the magi to get to Jesus - whatever the case, it clearly wasn't on the night he was born like the nativity suggests.
In verse 13, 'an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream'. This is an intersting thought, but it seems to me to point to different stages of faith in God. When the angel told Joseph that Mary was pregnant with God's son, he appeared to him in person. After this, no doubt, Joseph's faith was sky high, and so God was able to communicate through a dream the next time, and Joseph would trust God's message.
6" 'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.'(Matt 2:4-6)
What is so clear here is the importance of knowing the scriptures - the teachers of the law knew their Old Testament, and were able to quote Michah 5:2 which answered Herod's question. All of our answers are in the Bible, and we must not let our own ignorance stop us from knowing them. Get in the word, learn it, eat it, breathe it and know the answers to life's questions!
An interesting point in verse 9 when the magi come to the 'house' where the 'child' was. This shows that this takes place some time later, as they are no longer in the inn, and Jesus is now a child, not a baby. It is suggested that it took a year or two for the magi to get to Jesus - whatever the case, it clearly wasn't on the night he was born like the nativity suggests.
In verse 13, 'an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream'. This is an intersting thought, but it seems to me to point to different stages of faith in God. When the angel told Joseph that Mary was pregnant with God's son, he appeared to him in person. After this, no doubt, Joseph's faith was sky high, and so God was able to communicate through a dream the next time, and Joseph would trust God's message.
Saturday, 4 September 2010
God is doing a new thing: Matthew 1
OK, I'm a bit tired of the Old Testament, so am moving onto the new, and using Chuck Smith's C2000 Bible Study series to help me along the way too. Same as before, one chapter a day :)
Matthew 1:
The Gospel of Matthew begins with a genealogy to prove the Old Testament prophecies that Jesus came from the line of both Abraham and David (Is 11:1-5). I've never really thought there was much to glean from genealogies, but this one has proven me wrong:
Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar,
Perez the father of Hezron (Matt 1:3)
Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab,
Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, (Matt 1:5)
What is interesting in these two verses is the mention of Tamar, Rahab and Ruth. All three of these were less than virtuous women: Tamar was the woman who disguised herself as a prostitute and tricked Judah into bed, Rahab was the prostitute, and Ruth was a Moabitess, a race under a curse from God which denied them entry to the temple).
It seems, on one level, remarkable that these sort of people should be in Jesus's family line, but of course it is not: right away, even in his genealogy, Jesus is showing to us God's grace. None of us are excluded from God because of what we have done, and God can use our sins n his plan. Look where the son of God came from, and we can see that there is nothing we have done that cannot be forgiven.
Matthew 1:
The Gospel of Matthew begins with a genealogy to prove the Old Testament prophecies that Jesus came from the line of both Abraham and David (Is 11:1-5). I've never really thought there was much to glean from genealogies, but this one has proven me wrong:
Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar,
Perez the father of Hezron (Matt 1:3)
Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab,
Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, (Matt 1:5)
What is interesting in these two verses is the mention of Tamar, Rahab and Ruth. All three of these were less than virtuous women: Tamar was the woman who disguised herself as a prostitute and tricked Judah into bed, Rahab was the prostitute, and Ruth was a Moabitess, a race under a curse from God which denied them entry to the temple).
It seems, on one level, remarkable that these sort of people should be in Jesus's family line, but of course it is not: right away, even in his genealogy, Jesus is showing to us God's grace. None of us are excluded from God because of what we have done, and God can use our sins n his plan. Look where the son of God came from, and we can see that there is nothing we have done that cannot be forgiven.
Wednesday, 4 August 2010
Exodus 18: Testify
In Exodus 18 we read of Jethro, Moses's father in law, coming to visit his son in law. Moses has the opportunity to tell him all the good things God has been doing through him, and Jethro was 'deligthed to hear about all the good things the Lord had done for Israel in rescuing them from the hand of the Egyptians. He said "Praise be to the Lord, who rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and Pharso...Now I know that the Lord is greater than all other gods, for he did this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly". Then Jethro, Moses' father in law, brought a burnt offering and other sacrifices to God' (Ex 18:9-12).
Here we see how the testimony of God's goodness in our lives can bring people to God. When God does something amazing for us, we shouldn't be afraid to share it.
Here we see how the testimony of God's goodness in our lives can bring people to God. When God does something amazing for us, we shouldn't be afraid to share it.
Monday, 2 August 2010
Exodus 16: Day by Day
Carrying on from where they left off in chapter 15, 'The whole community grumbled' (Ex 16:2). Now, Joyce Meyer does a lovely bit about how this journey into the Promised Land was only a ten or eleven day hike away but took 40 years to get there: why? Because the people had a negative attitude to their situation. It's food for thought that our attitude affects our outcomes.
In verse 12 God tells Moses "I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, 'At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God'. Basically the people are moaning about not having food, and God turns around and responds to their moaning; what grace! God could have fireballed them all to death for moaning, yet actually treated their groaning like a prayer request and sorted it for them.
God then provides food for everyone, with one stipulation: "No-one is to keep any of it until morning" (Ex 16:19). What stands out here is the importance of a day by day relationship with God - he will give you everything you need for today, so stop worrying about tomorrow, stop regretting yesterday, and focus on today.
Just a small point, but the Manna God gave the people was a honey tasting pancake. I think there's something in that: God wants us to enjoy life, and the fact that he gave them something sweet rather than savoury suggests he is a God of joy.
Finally, Moses tells the people to "Take an omer of manna and keep it for the generations to come" (Ex 16:32). In this verse we see yet another example of the altar building principle; when God does something big for you, buy or make a physical symbol of it to remind you of his goodness.
In verse 12 God tells Moses "I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, 'At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God'. Basically the people are moaning about not having food, and God turns around and responds to their moaning; what grace! God could have fireballed them all to death for moaning, yet actually treated their groaning like a prayer request and sorted it for them.
God then provides food for everyone, with one stipulation: "No-one is to keep any of it until morning" (Ex 16:19). What stands out here is the importance of a day by day relationship with God - he will give you everything you need for today, so stop worrying about tomorrow, stop regretting yesterday, and focus on today.
Just a small point, but the Manna God gave the people was a honey tasting pancake. I think there's something in that: God wants us to enjoy life, and the fact that he gave them something sweet rather than savoury suggests he is a God of joy.
Finally, Moses tells the people to "Take an omer of manna and keep it for the generations to come" (Ex 16:32). In this verse we see yet another example of the altar building principle; when God does something big for you, buy or make a physical symbol of it to remind you of his goodness.
Sunday, 1 August 2010
Exodus 15: Let God take the lead
Well I’m back! A two month hiatus from the blog, but rest assured I’ve been reading my daily chapter throughout that whole time (just one day missed I think), and simply got a bit bogged down at work and didn’t put the time in on the net. However, it’s the summer holidays now, so there’s no excuse not to kick start the blog again.
Exodus 15 gives us a very simple message in the song of Moses and Miriam:
“In your unfailing love you will lead
The people you have redeemed,
In your strength you will guide them
To your holy dwelling” (Ex 15:13-14)
God will lead us! We don’t need to stress about which way to go, just follow his leading! How wonderful to know that God has a plan, a road laid out for us.
The next verse is not so positive, yet a very accurate portrayal of human nature. Fresh from being set free from the Egyptians, Moses is leading the Israelites through the desert and they are struggling to find water. We then read in Ex 15:24 ‘So the people grumbled’. What a joke! God has just miraculously freed his people and now their attitude has turned negative and they’re moaning. Sadly, I can relate all too well to that, and it brings me back to the message of building an altar – we need to remember our past victories with God, to encourage us for our current situation.
Exodus 15 gives us a very simple message in the song of Moses and Miriam:
“In your unfailing love you will lead
The people you have redeemed,
In your strength you will guide them
To your holy dwelling” (Ex 15:13-14)
God will lead us! We don’t need to stress about which way to go, just follow his leading! How wonderful to know that God has a plan, a road laid out for us.
The next verse is not so positive, yet a very accurate portrayal of human nature. Fresh from being set free from the Egyptians, Moses is leading the Israelites through the desert and they are struggling to find water. We then read in Ex 15:24 ‘So the people grumbled’. What a joke! God has just miraculously freed his people and now their attitude has turned negative and they’re moaning. Sadly, I can relate all too well to that, and it brings me back to the message of building an altar – we need to remember our past victories with God, to encourage us for our current situation.
Saturday, 29 May 2010
Exodus 14: God proves himself in the hard times
In Exodus 14 we see God tell Moses that everything he and his people are going through is all so that the "Egyptians will know that I am God" (Ex 14:4). In the hard times we must trust that God will bring us through and, when he does, it will glorify him.
A bit later, in verse 7, Pharaoh "took siz hundred of the best chariots" (Ex 14:7) to attack the Israelites. In the natural, this would have looked dead scary, but in the spiritual it was nothing to fear as God was going to protect his people. We need to take our eyes off the natural and lift them to the spiritual reality of the situation: we serve a mighty God.
However, the Israelites did see it in the natural and "were terrified and cried out to God" (Ex 14:10). Why didn't they remember God's saving them from the plagues before? We need to learn from their mistake and remember God's acts of the past and not worry about what's going on right now. By focusing on God's faithfulness in the past, we can face crises with confidence rather than fear and complaining.
A bit later, in verse 7, Pharaoh "took siz hundred of the best chariots" (Ex 14:7) to attack the Israelites. In the natural, this would have looked dead scary, but in the spiritual it was nothing to fear as God was going to protect his people. We need to take our eyes off the natural and lift them to the spiritual reality of the situation: we serve a mighty God.
However, the Israelites did see it in the natural and "were terrified and cried out to God" (Ex 14:10). Why didn't they remember God's saving them from the plagues before? We need to learn from their mistake and remember God's acts of the past and not worry about what's going on right now. By focusing on God's faithfulness in the past, we can face crises with confidence rather than fear and complaining.
Friday, 21 May 2010
An epiphany!
On the 19th April I wrote this:
I know my salvation is secure, no matter what - when I die I am going to heaven. However, I strive earnestly (calling on God's help) to live a God honouring life day to day. When I mess up, as we all inevitably do (and as Joseph is here), I often worry about the possible consequences of my mistakes bringing everything crashing down around me. I still don't fully have peace about God not only forgiving us, but protecting us from the possible worst case scenario consequences of our actions. For example, Joseph was out of line here, being deceitful and certainly not Godly, but God didn't bring his whole kingdom falling down around him. I think it probably has something to do with God looking at the heart, but I don't have any clear answer. Much of the Bible talks about the consequences of our sin, but if everything we did wrong was punished in a worse case scenario sort of way, surely no-one would live in victory? Perhaps it's the heart that counts: if you are trying to do the right thing and mess up, God forgives and covers you from getting into trouble? But then what happens when you stop doing something you know was wrong: will God protect you from the consequences of it? Let me try and think of a good example: I download films, which is illegal. Let's say I stop because I am convicted it was wrong: will God protect me from the consequences of the copyright owners finding and prosecuting me?
Well today I had an epiphany and feel like God gave me the answer. In Psalm 103 it says:
The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
Slow to anger, abounding in love.
He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbour his anger forever;
he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavesn are aabout the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children
so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;
for he knows how we are formed
he remembers that we are dust (Psalm 103 8-15)
All I can say is WOW! This, to me, proves that God will cover up the possible consequences of our sin if our hearts are right, and that just blows me away! It's not a license to sin, because then our hearts wouldn't be right and he would let us fall (possibly), but if we are right inside, then he will protect us from the consequences of our sins being discovered! You don't know how much that means to me right now!
I know my salvation is secure, no matter what - when I die I am going to heaven. However, I strive earnestly (calling on God's help) to live a God honouring life day to day. When I mess up, as we all inevitably do (and as Joseph is here), I often worry about the possible consequences of my mistakes bringing everything crashing down around me. I still don't fully have peace about God not only forgiving us, but protecting us from the possible worst case scenario consequences of our actions. For example, Joseph was out of line here, being deceitful and certainly not Godly, but God didn't bring his whole kingdom falling down around him. I think it probably has something to do with God looking at the heart, but I don't have any clear answer. Much of the Bible talks about the consequences of our sin, but if everything we did wrong was punished in a worse case scenario sort of way, surely no-one would live in victory? Perhaps it's the heart that counts: if you are trying to do the right thing and mess up, God forgives and covers you from getting into trouble? But then what happens when you stop doing something you know was wrong: will God protect you from the consequences of it? Let me try and think of a good example: I download films, which is illegal. Let's say I stop because I am convicted it was wrong: will God protect me from the consequences of the copyright owners finding and prosecuting me?
Well today I had an epiphany and feel like God gave me the answer. In Psalm 103 it says:
The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
Slow to anger, abounding in love.
He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbour his anger forever;
he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavesn are aabout the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children
so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;
for he knows how we are formed
he remembers that we are dust (Psalm 103 8-15)
All I can say is WOW! This, to me, proves that God will cover up the possible consequences of our sin if our hearts are right, and that just blows me away! It's not a license to sin, because then our hearts wouldn't be right and he would let us fall (possibly), but if we are right inside, then he will protect us from the consequences of our sins being discovered! You don't know how much that means to me right now!
Tuesday, 18 May 2010
Exodus 11&12: Don't put up with it any longer
Earlier on in Exodus we saw the cocky Pharaoh put off getting rid of the plague until 'tomorrow'. Here in Exodus 12 we see the plagues have moved on, and this time it is the plague of the death of first-born children. When this happens, Pharaoh has a change of heart and 'During the night...summoned Moses and Aaron and said "Up! Leave my people". (Ex 12:21) What a massive contrast to his previous attitude, where we decided (along with John Ortberg) that Pharaoh was just putting up with something he could handle. Now that's all changed, and something so bad has happened he needs to act. It makes me think about how hard times push us to God, but also how they may be avoidable if we would just come to God in the first place.
In Exoduse 12:36 we read how 'The Lord had made the Egyptians favourably disposed towards the peopel, and they gave them what they asked for'. Basically the Egyptian people are here giving the Israelites silver and gold, even though their children had all just died as a direct result of the curse brought upon them by them. This shows how we shouldn't look at the circumstances - if God wants to bless us he will do it, whatever the situation.
In Exoduse 12:36 we read how 'The Lord had made the Egyptians favourably disposed towards the peopel, and they gave them what they asked for'. Basically the Egyptian people are here giving the Israelites silver and gold, even though their children had all just died as a direct result of the curse brought upon them by them. This shows how we shouldn't look at the circumstances - if God wants to bless us he will do it, whatever the situation.
Monday, 17 May 2010
Exodus 10: Humble yourself before God does it for you!
A nice verse in Exoud 10:2, where God tells Moses he is doing lots of amazing things so 'that you may tell your chidren and grandchildren how I dealt harshly with the Egyptians and how I performed my signs among them, and that you may know that I am the Lord'. The notes in my Bible say 'It is important to tell our children aout God's work in our past and to help them see what he is doing right now.' Just a simple, but very valid point I thought.
Also in Exodus 10 we see a message from God to Pharaoh: 'How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me?>' As we go on to learn in the new testament, God is definitely a God who gives us opportunities to humble ourselves, and if we don't take them he humbles us himself. Now take my warning: don't leave it to him, but do it yourself!
Also in Exodus 10 we see a message from God to Pharaoh: 'How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me?>' As we go on to learn in the new testament, God is definitely a God who gives us opportunities to humble ourselves, and if we don't take them he humbles us himself. Now take my warning: don't leave it to him, but do it yourself!
Sunday, 16 May 2010
Exodus 9: God is gracious
OK, in reply to the 30,000 emails, I'm still here, reading my Bible every day, but I've drifted off from being online so apologies for that!
Exodus 9 sees Pharaoh still at odds with God and his messengers, Moses and Aaron. In verses 15-17 we see God say 'For by now I could have streched out my hand and struck you and your people with plague that would have wiped you off the earth. But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth'. What I love here is how God is merciful and patient, and gives Pharaoh lots of chances. We serve a God who is merciful and will give us chances and more chances!
Later in the chapter, God warns people to avoid his wrath by getting their animals out of the way. In verse 20 we see that 'those officials of Pharaoh who feared the word of the Lord hurried to bring their slaves and their livestock inside'. Here we see God giving the bad guys a chance to avoid punishment, showing he is not out to get us, but just wants us to learn his lesson. He is gracious and gives us chances!
Finally, in verse 34 we read how 'when Paraoh saw that the rain and hail had stopped, he sinned again'. This verse warns us not to fall into sin when we are not in a disaster. Don't go luke warm when nothing bad is happening, but stay faithful to God throughout.
Exodus 9 sees Pharaoh still at odds with God and his messengers, Moses and Aaron. In verses 15-17 we see God say 'For by now I could have streched out my hand and struck you and your people with plague that would have wiped you off the earth. But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth'. What I love here is how God is merciful and patient, and gives Pharaoh lots of chances. We serve a God who is merciful and will give us chances and more chances!
Later in the chapter, God warns people to avoid his wrath by getting their animals out of the way. In verse 20 we see that 'those officials of Pharaoh who feared the word of the Lord hurried to bring their slaves and their livestock inside'. Here we see God giving the bad guys a chance to avoid punishment, showing he is not out to get us, but just wants us to learn his lesson. He is gracious and gives us chances!
Finally, in verse 34 we read how 'when Paraoh saw that the rain and hail had stopped, he sinned again'. This verse warns us not to fall into sin when we are not in a disaster. Don't go luke warm when nothing bad is happening, but stay faithful to God throughout.
Thursday, 6 May 2010
Exodus 5 - 8: Do it today!
Nothing much from Exodus 5,6 and 7, but chapter 8 has proven fruitful. In this chapter we see Pharaoh under seige by a plague of frogs. He eventually agrees to let Moses and the Israelites leave the land, and Moses asks him when he wants the frogs to disappear, to which Pharaoh replies "Tomorrow" (Ex 8:10).
John Ortberg, in 'God Is Closer than you Think', writes about just how crazy this reply of Pharaoh's was; here's a whole nation completely weighed down by frogs everywhere and yet the main man doesn't want to get rid of them right away. Why? Ortberg argues it is because they are bearable,and claims that people will always put up with things whilst they can. He says we become anaesthatised to our own sins and bad habits because they are bearable, and calls us to evaluate our lives and cut off all the bits that are bad, not just put up with them because we can.
John Ortberg, in 'God Is Closer than you Think', writes about just how crazy this reply of Pharaoh's was; here's a whole nation completely weighed down by frogs everywhere and yet the main man doesn't want to get rid of them right away. Why? Ortberg argues it is because they are bearable,and claims that people will always put up with things whilst they can. He says we become anaesthatised to our own sins and bad habits because they are bearable, and calls us to evaluate our lives and cut off all the bits that are bad, not just put up with them because we can.
Wednesday, 5 May 2010
Exodus 4: God adapts his plan
This whole chapter just blows me away. God tells Moses to take His message to Phaoraoh, and Moses replies with "I have never been eloquent..." (Ex 4:10). Basically he's telling God 'I can't do it- you've got the wrong guy'. Now, for me, God has every right to flip out here, but instead says "What about your brother Aaron...He will speak to the people for you" (Ex 4:16).
Again, we see a God of mercy, who here adapts his plan to Moses wouldn't have to go through with something he couldn't handle. I truly believe that God will do the same for us if we only ask, so let's get asking!
Again, we see a God of mercy, who here adapts his plan to Moses wouldn't have to go through with something he couldn't handle. I truly believe that God will do the same for us if we only ask, so let's get asking!
Monday, 3 May 2010
Exodus 3: Pour it out to the Lord
In Exodus 3 we hear the word of God saying "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out...and I am concerned...so I have come to rescue them". (Ex 3:7/8). To me this scripture highlights the importance of pouring our hearts out to God, letting him know everything, and trusting that he will hear and respond.
Later we see an amazing act of mercy from God towards Moses, who responds to his instruction about confrongting Pharaoh with "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh?" (Ex 3:11). God could have flipped his lid here, but instead comforted Moses that he would be with him. In many ways, Moses is the most influential and close to God man in the Bible (second to Jesus), and yet we see his frailty and fear here. God is merciful!
Tuesday, 27 April 2010
Exodus 2: A little baby
Exodus 2 has to contain one of the nicest stories in the Bible. It's Egypt, and Hebrew babies are being killed, so Moses' mum pops him in a basket and floats him down the river. God only knows (literally) what she was hoping for, but it couldn't have worked out much better. Downriver, the princess of Egypt finds him and decides to raise him as her own, and Moses's mother sticks her head up, being told by the princess "Take this baby and nurse him for me, and I will pay you". (Ex 2:9) What a stunning scripture: when God has a plan for you, nothing will stop that blessing!
Later on we see Moses 'Glancing this way and that and seeing no-one, he killed the Egyptian' (Ex 2:12) Now here's a man with a dodgy past - literally a murderer, but God still used him in a mighty way: nothing is too big for God to handle and forgive!
Finally in this chapter, the Hebrews were groaning in their slavery and 'God heard their groaning' (Ex 2:24). God hears our prayers, so if you have a need, pray about it and believe that he will hear and deliver you.
Monday, 26 April 2010
Exodus 1: Time to leave
Exodus 1:12 tells us an interesting fact about the persecuted Israelites in Egypt: 'the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread'. As the notes in my Bible so eloquently say, 'when we are burdened or mistreated it can make us stronger and develop qualities in us that will prepare us for the future'.
Later in the chapter we see Midwives going against Pharaoh and not killing the Hebrew babies. They lied to Pharaoh, saying they just weren't getting there in time to do it, and God 'gave them families of their own' (vs 21). What jumps out at me here is how God is not looking for ways to punish (which he could have done for the lying), but to bless, which he did for saving the babies.
Later in the chapter we see Midwives going against Pharaoh and not killing the Hebrew babies. They lied to Pharaoh, saying they just weren't getting there in time to do it, and God 'gave them families of their own' (vs 21). What jumps out at me here is how God is not looking for ways to punish (which he could have done for the lying), but to bless, which he did for saving the babies.
Sunday, 25 April 2010
Genesis: an introduction
OK truth is I am being really slack, but here's the intro I wrote about Genesis:
Genesis is one of those books of the Bible that I have to admit having some negative feelings about, at least early on in my faith. Of all the 66 books that make up the old and new testament, it is this one that I had become majorly numb to. Are you, like me, numb to the wonders of the book of Genesis? It begins with the Sunday School that goes over the stories of creation and Noah and the flood a hundred times, sending you home with a hundred worksheets to colour in. Next are the children’s Bibles, with their multicoloured pictorial representations, again so often giving Noah and creation the big focus. And of course, who can forget the musical Joseph and his Technicolour Dreamcoat, whose audio cassette my mother played to death, to the point where I knew many of the songs word for word. Yet for all its childish vivacity, as a young-in-faith adult Christian I remember finding very little of interest in Genesis, or indeed much of the Old Testament. It seemed to be somehow removed from the loving God, father of Jesus, who I was learning to know in my own faith. The Old Testament in general was something I all but ignored for a good ten years in my Christian walk; I just didn’t get how the God shown there matched up with the one I knew. However, over the last year or two, I have begun to see the beauty of the Old Testament, and through intent study have discovered that it is just as important, just as relevant, and just as fantastic as the New Testament, and so began my journey into Genesis.
Genesis (greek for ‘birth’ or ‘origin’) is where it all began, a historical account of the first days. The oldest copies we currently have are those found among the Dead Sea Scrolls, dating from between 150BC and AD 70. It tells the true stories of creation, Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph, and was itself written by Moses around 1450-1410 BC.
There is a lot to learn in Genesis, and there was barely a chapter that didn’t have some powerful message for me to learn. What I began to see as I studied, was that God was consistently presenting the same values and messages through the different people that the book focuses on; these points are just as relevant to today’s world as they were back then, so let me get on with showing them to you!
Genesis is one of those books of the Bible that I have to admit having some negative feelings about, at least early on in my faith. Of all the 66 books that make up the old and new testament, it is this one that I had become majorly numb to. Are you, like me, numb to the wonders of the book of Genesis? It begins with the Sunday School that goes over the stories of creation and Noah and the flood a hundred times, sending you home with a hundred worksheets to colour in. Next are the children’s Bibles, with their multicoloured pictorial representations, again so often giving Noah and creation the big focus. And of course, who can forget the musical Joseph and his Technicolour Dreamcoat, whose audio cassette my mother played to death, to the point where I knew many of the songs word for word. Yet for all its childish vivacity, as a young-in-faith adult Christian I remember finding very little of interest in Genesis, or indeed much of the Old Testament. It seemed to be somehow removed from the loving God, father of Jesus, who I was learning to know in my own faith. The Old Testament in general was something I all but ignored for a good ten years in my Christian walk; I just didn’t get how the God shown there matched up with the one I knew. However, over the last year or two, I have begun to see the beauty of the Old Testament, and through intent study have discovered that it is just as important, just as relevant, and just as fantastic as the New Testament, and so began my journey into Genesis.
Genesis (greek for ‘birth’ or ‘origin’) is where it all began, a historical account of the first days. The oldest copies we currently have are those found among the Dead Sea Scrolls, dating from between 150BC and AD 70. It tells the true stories of creation, Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph, and was itself written by Moses around 1450-1410 BC.
There is a lot to learn in Genesis, and there was barely a chapter that didn’t have some powerful message for me to learn. What I began to see as I studied, was that God was consistently presenting the same values and messages through the different people that the book focuses on; these points are just as relevant to today’s world as they were back then, so let me get on with showing them to you!
Thursday, 22 April 2010
Genesis 50: It is finished!
Well today marks the first landmark of this blog, in that the end of Genesis has been reached (literally the end of the beginning!) It's a nice feeling to have read and taken online notes on 50 chapters of the Bible, and after today we are propelled into the depths of Exodus. I think I will come up with some sort of 'the main 6 things I learnt from Genesis' blog, but for today here are the notes on Chapter 50.
Only one thing really jumps out. When Joseph is talking to his brothers, he says to them "Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God?" (Gen 50:20). What he is saying is, in essence, 'don't worry, I am not out to get revenge on you for what you did to me'. I like the way he doesn't say 'you don't deserve any punishment', but simply announces that it is God's place to judge and punish. We hear it a lot, but God truly is our vindicator, and if we leave those who hurt us in his hands we will be blessed.
Only one thing really jumps out. When Joseph is talking to his brothers, he says to them "Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God?" (Gen 50:20). What he is saying is, in essence, 'don't worry, I am not out to get revenge on you for what you did to me'. I like the way he doesn't say 'you don't deserve any punishment', but simply announces that it is God's place to judge and punish. We hear it a lot, but God truly is our vindicator, and if we leave those who hurt us in his hands we will be blessed.
Wednesday, 21 April 2010
Genesis 46 - 49
Had an interesting time with God this morning, and really felt him telling me to slow down in the day. As a teacher, I am always cramming work in, working through break and lunch, doing two things at once etc etc, and I felt God say that I won't hear his still small voice if I'm so hectic, so to take things at a calmer pace.
Genesis 46-48 didn't really speak to me, but boy did chapter 49. In it we see Jacob blessing his sons before he dies. Of particular interest was the blessing for Judah: 'Your brothers will praise you; your hand will be on the neck of your enemies, your father's sons will bow down to you...the sceptre will not depart from Judah...he will wash his garments in wine (gen 49:8-11).
This is by far the best blessing of the lot, and it's interesting simply because Judah was the one who convinced his brothers to sell Joseph into slavery (Gen 37). Later on he has sex with what he believes to be a prostitute. My point: he's a sinner, a low down rotten sinner! So why does he get that big blessing? Maybe it's because he turned all that around, and in Gen 44 was the one who offered himself up for the sins of his brothers. Whatever the reason, is this not proof of a God who will forgive you your sins and bless you mightily if you turn from your sins and start doing what is right? I think so!
Genesis 46-48 didn't really speak to me, but boy did chapter 49. In it we see Jacob blessing his sons before he dies. Of particular interest was the blessing for Judah: 'Your brothers will praise you; your hand will be on the neck of your enemies, your father's sons will bow down to you...the sceptre will not depart from Judah...he will wash his garments in wine (gen 49:8-11).
This is by far the best blessing of the lot, and it's interesting simply because Judah was the one who convinced his brothers to sell Joseph into slavery (Gen 37). Later on he has sex with what he believes to be a prostitute. My point: he's a sinner, a low down rotten sinner! So why does he get that big blessing? Maybe it's because he turned all that around, and in Gen 44 was the one who offered himself up for the sins of his brothers. Whatever the reason, is this not proof of a God who will forgive you your sins and bless you mightily if you turn from your sins and start doing what is right? I think so!
Tuesday, 20 April 2010
Genesis 45: Trust God!
It seems the same old themes are coming through time and time again in Genesis, and chapter 45 is no different. In this chapter we see Joseph reveal himself to his brothers, and in verse 8 he tells them "It was not you who sent me here, but God". This just blows me away: thrown down a well, sold into slavery, falsely accused and imprisoned, and able to turn to those who were to blame and tell them 'you meant it for harm, but God turned it to good'. WOW! So how do we apply that to our own lives? We need to trust God in whatever our circumstances; whether we're in the well or the palace, the mountain or the valley, trust God! What a challenge, but what a great one to embark upon, a life full of trust, no matter what comes our way.
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