Yesterday I looked at 4 instances of God's grace from the previous 3 chapters in Genesis. I discussed a little about His grace and what it looks like sometimes. God's grace is simply stated in the truth that God gives us something we do not deserve and that is an act of grace. As God's chosen people today we think of God and His grace in a big way around the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. When we think of grace, we in most ways and thoughts think of His grace in a salvation and redemption way. In the chapters today we saw a few more instances of that, one being the birth of Isaac. This is a salvation act of grace in that God kept His promise to Abraham and gave him a son and blessed that son. We also saw God and His salvation grace in the scene on top of the mountain right before Isaac is sacrificed.
But God is a God of grace to all, even to those who are not chosen and will spend eternity in Hell separated from God. God giving grace to those outside of His plan is called common grace. Common grace today is defined by Jesus as God giving rain to the just and unjust and God giving everyone safety in travel, and God blessing unbelieving parents with children or big retirement accounts. Even people taking their next breath is an act of common grace by God. In the chapters we read today we saw God and His common grace shown. God providing a way out for Hagar and Ishmael and then blessing them is common grace. 22:20 and the family listing of Nahor is God showing us His common grace to people that were outside of His chosen will. So we need to see this common grace from this text as well as every day life. God and His grace is much bigger and broader than we think or imagine as His children. We need to not only thank God every day for His salvation grace or special grace but we also need to be thankful for God and His common grace. Then while we are being thankful we can introduce unbelievers to their experience of God and His common grace in their lives and equip them to take the next step to finding God and His salvation grace. Lets not miss the bigger picture of God and His grace to all, outside our little narrow self window.
Friday, January 9, 2015
Thursday, January 8, 2015
It is all about Grace- Genesis 18-20
In the Bible reading plan today we read 3 more narrative stories from the life of Abraham. One word links these 3 chapters together very clearly; grace. Let me give you 4 examples of grace from these 3 chapters that I see. These examples are only the beginning of grace but they show some grace in the clearest way. Remember, Genesis is not interested in the events for their own sake but for what they disclose about the nature of God and His purposes. These 3 narratives clearly show the nature of God and His purposes and they make know to us God is a God of grace in spite of who we are and the brokenness we show and sin we commit.
1-18:19- "For I have chosen him"
God chose Abraham to make His purposes and plan go forth. Remember, Abraham was an idolater in Ur when God chose and called him. Abraham did not worship Yahweh alone and was a broken sinful man before God called him out and made a covenant with him. God made the covenant and gave Abraham the right standing before Him. That is grace is the clearest sense, God did not have to do any of that and could have let Abraham rot in his own sin and be damned for it.
2-Getting Lot out of Sodom
Lot was a broken man who could not lead his family well. Lot was not like his uncle and a true man of faith in Yahweh. Lot was backsliding away from God when he moved his family into Sodom and even in the middle of chapter 19 tries to send his daughters into harms way. But God, in spite of all this saves him and his family from the destruction of Sodom. Again a clear act of grace shown and even told to us by God in His conversation with Abraham right before it.
3-God in His Holy Righteous judgment destroys Sodom
You might say how is this an act of grace. But think about it for a minute. God is Holy all the time and should do this to every human being who ever existed, except one, Jesus Christ. This Holy wrath of God though was poured out on the one human being who did not deserve it. That same fire and brimstone was poured out on Jesus on the cross and in grace from God, Jesus took it for US. Sodom's destruction is a clear picture of what God did to Jesus on the cross for us and WE are no better than anyone in the town of Sodom which was destroyed. Clear as day grace there.
4-Same mistake twice
How many times do we seem to commit the same sin over and over again. Abraham does when he tells Sarah to lie again and not say she is his wife. Yes they were related by blood, but more important Sarah was his wife. That is called stretching the truth which is lying. Yet God still uses this broke sinner for His purposes and keeps the covenant. Abraham breaks the covenant clear as day in chapter 20 and the covenant was only a few chapters ago in 17. Yet God in His grace keeps the covenant with Abraham and keeps His promises. Again grace in the purest sense.
I pray and hope that in the reading today you can see the grace of God. This same grace is given to us today, tomorrow, next year, and for eternity. Lets rejoice in a gracious loving God who keeps His covenant with us, in spite of our broken sinful nature and committed acts of unbelief every day.
1-18:19- "For I have chosen him"
God chose Abraham to make His purposes and plan go forth. Remember, Abraham was an idolater in Ur when God chose and called him. Abraham did not worship Yahweh alone and was a broken sinful man before God called him out and made a covenant with him. God made the covenant and gave Abraham the right standing before Him. That is grace is the clearest sense, God did not have to do any of that and could have let Abraham rot in his own sin and be damned for it.
2-Getting Lot out of Sodom
Lot was a broken man who could not lead his family well. Lot was not like his uncle and a true man of faith in Yahweh. Lot was backsliding away from God when he moved his family into Sodom and even in the middle of chapter 19 tries to send his daughters into harms way. But God, in spite of all this saves him and his family from the destruction of Sodom. Again a clear act of grace shown and even told to us by God in His conversation with Abraham right before it.
3-God in His Holy Righteous judgment destroys Sodom
You might say how is this an act of grace. But think about it for a minute. God is Holy all the time and should do this to every human being who ever existed, except one, Jesus Christ. This Holy wrath of God though was poured out on the one human being who did not deserve it. That same fire and brimstone was poured out on Jesus on the cross and in grace from God, Jesus took it for US. Sodom's destruction is a clear picture of what God did to Jesus on the cross for us and WE are no better than anyone in the town of Sodom which was destroyed. Clear as day grace there.
4-Same mistake twice
How many times do we seem to commit the same sin over and over again. Abraham does when he tells Sarah to lie again and not say she is his wife. Yes they were related by blood, but more important Sarah was his wife. That is called stretching the truth which is lying. Yet God still uses this broke sinner for His purposes and keeps the covenant. Abraham breaks the covenant clear as day in chapter 20 and the covenant was only a few chapters ago in 17. Yet God in His grace keeps the covenant with Abraham and keeps His promises. Again grace in the purest sense.
I pray and hope that in the reading today you can see the grace of God. This same grace is given to us today, tomorrow, next year, and for eternity. Lets rejoice in a gracious loving God who keeps His covenant with us, in spite of our broken sinful nature and committed acts of unbelief every day.
Tuesday, January 6, 2015
Genesis 15-17
Today we are reading through some very key passages to
not only the story of Abraham, but also Genesis and the entire Biblical story
of Jesus and redemption. Genesis 15-17 deal with the covenant relationship that
God makes with Abram. Chapter 15 is the first instance of the full covenant so
I will deal with this chapter in the teaching time this coming Sunday. But
chapter 17 also gives us a bigger picture of the covenant blessings that God
will be giving to Abraham and his descendants. Chapter 17 also gives us the
covenant stipulations that Abraham must keep, one of them being the physical
ramification of circumcision. Verse 13 is a huge key to the point of this
circumcision. This act took place so that a physical marker is seen of Abraham
and his descendants’ relationship with Yahweh.
Sorry to tell you but circumcision does not mean the
same thing today. We as the church have a different type of circumcision. As Ezekiel
will show us later on, as well as many other writers, we as the church today
who have a faith in Jesus have a circumcision of the heart. Our hearts have the
marker of our relationships with Jesus. But we also need to realize something
also with this truth. We also, because our hearts are not physical, have a
physical act or marker that shows our relationship with Yahweh. We have
obedience. Abraham obeyed God and put the physical marker on himself and all
his family. When our hearts are circumcised by Jesus a change will take place
and we also should and will desire to obey Him. So just like Abraham had a
physical marker now to show the covenant between him and Yahweh, we to have
obedience as our physical marker of our covenant relationship with the same
Yahweh God. So I guess then, we need to ask ourselves, if we do not want to obey
Yahweh and His commands, are we in a covenant relationship with Him?
Monday, January 5, 2015
Genesis 12-14
Today we get to read the beginning of the story of Abraham.
In the first 3 chapters we read today he is still called Abram. There is a lot
going on in the text with 3 different stories connected in these 3 chapters. I
find 2 great truths coming today among many that I would like to point out.
These 2 truths seem to come up in my life continually and the more I desire
Jesus or commit acts of unbelief in Him, the more they become real to me.
First, in chapter 12 God makes a promise to Abram about the
land and giving it to him. But when the famine shows up Abram does not trust
God and goes to Egypt, where He commits another act of unbelief and has his
wife lie. To make matters worse later on in the story, when Pharaoh gives Abram
gifts in 12:16, one of the gifts he gives is a servant named Hagar. But how
many times in my life do I do the same thing as Abram. I commit a sin and make
it worse by committing more sin and more sin rather than trust God first. Or I
could repent of my first sin and have faith in God rather than sin the more and
try to fix it myself. I can never fix my own sin, only God can. Abram in
chapter 12 is giving us a negative action for us to see and respond differently
than he does.
The second application I find in my life when I desire God
and obey what he wants is the truth about loving others and experiencing God
deeper blessing. So Abram gets back from Egypt, he does not make the mistake
this time and loves Lot and gives him his pick of the land. Lot chooses the
better half, but God in spite of this, blesses Abram and reminds him of God’s
promise from Chapter 12. I also find that when I take a seemingly sacrificial step
of faith in God, He is even fuller of blessings and faithful responses to me.
God wants us to take these steps of extreme faith in Him, because He is willing
and desires to bless us, spiritually and sometimes physically, above and beyond
what we think or can imagine.
Sunday, January 4, 2015
Genesis 10-11
These thoughts come courtesy of my beloved. I have never let her thoughts in my blog so today is a great day to start. These thoughts come from our daily Bible reading.
How many times have you read the story of the Tower of
Babel? Or heard it told? I cannot even count how many times I have and yet, I
learn new things in each reading. God gives me new insights. The people came
together to build a tower to the Heavens, to prove themselves best. And God, in
his wisdom scattered them, giving them different languages…..humbled them.
How often have you heard that famous little colloquialism,
“God helps those who help themselves.” You won’t find that in the Bible because
it’s not there. But how often do we act
as though it’s true? Trying our hardest to work our way into God’s favor, doing
good works, we act like those in Babel, believing that through our hard work,
we can build our way to God. I’m so
thankful that this isn’t the case. God offers me grace and forgiveness and all
that he requires of me is to ask. To humble my heart and admit my wrong doing.
To admit I am weak, a sinner. I needed this reminder today and most days; that
although I’m going to mess up, God still loves me and desires me in his
presence, not through my own work but through belief in Him.
Saturday, January 3, 2015
Gensis 6-9
This is the same blog as the Bible reading discussion on my church's website. Most days I will post the same in both places but other times when I am not the one writing for the discussion, my blog will be different especially on quotable Friday's.
Today we are to read the story of Noah. Many of us know this story from Sunday School or other children's Bible clubs so it is very familiar to us. There was even a movie made in 2014 about the story of Noah but half way through strayed big time from the Biblical text. I want to do a few things today on the discussion for us. I will point out an application from the story of Noah but then, like I will attempt to do many times throughout each month, give some layout structure and some of the exegesis so you can interpret the reading and understand some of it on your own. In doing this I will point out themes that start and carry though to other readings, I might talk topics or key words that appear in the text, or I might even focus on a character in the story and show the plot or conflict around them and the Hero God. So here are 3 keys to helping unlock this passage as well as future readings.
#1- Historical writing vs. Theological writing
Genesis, along with the rest of Scripture is concerned and writing for and about God, not for an historically accurate date keeping fact book. Yes the story of Noah is in history and the writer wants us to know this is a true historical story. He does this by including times and days and counts. But the writer and God, are more focused on showing God and His interactions with the people, in this case Noah. So this story, along with every other narrative in the Bible, is a story about God and written to showcase God and is done in a great way setting it in an historical timeframe without focusing on the historical details to much. So we need to read this like it was intended. Do not get caught up in the time and setting details. It is not important what year this happened in or what the world was like with the technology or how the governments and ruling powers acted. What is important is God and His interactions with Noah. So do not get hung up on the details and feel like you need the details to read the narrative.
#2- Covenant
Chapter 9 in the story of Noah gives us the first clear cut covenant between God and man. Yes, God made a covenant with Adam and Eve in Genesis 3 and there is even a possible covenant with Eden and the earth in Genesis 2 but in the story of Noah God uses the word covenant. Covenants with God are a key theme not only in the book of Genesis but the entire Scriptures. Covenants is how God relates to man and is a key component in our relationship with God. We will see more this year of covenants like, the Abrahamic, Mosaic, Davidic, and finally the New Covenant. Keep your eyes out also for covenant language of God and His relationship with man. We will dive more into covenants later as we study Genesis (I will be preaching on Genesis 15 next Sunday), Exodus, Deuteronomy, 2 Samuel, Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Hebrews to name a few places.
#3-"This is the account" (record, lineage, family)
These simple four words help us understand the structure of the book of Genesis. These words are used 11 times in the book to break up sections of the story (2:4, 5:1, 6:9, 10:1, 11:10, 11:27, 25:12, 25:19, 36:1, 36:9, 37:2). So Genesis consists of a prologue which is 1:1-2:3 and then the rest of the book can be divided up in these 11 parts. Each part is about a particular family unit and as the story progresses God draws himself closer to that particular family unity in many ways. Here are the 11 family units; Heavens and earth, Adam, Noah, Noah's 3 sons, Shem, Terah and extension to Abram, Ishmael, Isaac, Esau, Edomites, Jacob. This structure will help us understand the book a little better and also see how God and His relationship changes more with each family unit. This will help reveal more about the nature of God and His purpose with mankind. This is a great tool in understanding the text so be on the lookout for more structure help like this as we read farther along in the story of God in His Word.
So just a note on some application that I love from the story of Noah. Genesis 6:7 concludes some of God's thoughts on His creation. God has had enough and is tired and sick of His creation rebellion against Him and living in unbelief. God decides that He will wipe everything off the face of the earth and start over. Then immediately after this confession of God and His regret of the sinful nature of mankind, God chooses Noah. Verse 8 states, Noah however found favor in the eyes of God. God chooses Noah. The Scriptures never say anything positive about Noah up to this point and it only gives a picture of the sinfulness of man. But in spite of all that God chooses Noah to save and then in verse 9 it states that Noah walks in righteousness. Where does this righteousness come from? This righteousness comes from God and His favor with Noah. Noah becomes righteous because God chose Him favorably. WOW! I love this truth and picture from Noah because it gives me hope in my sinful state. God chose to save me also through the blood of Jesus and as now given me the same righteousness that He gave Noah. Our God is an awesome God who never changes and is still in the business of choosing people for righteousness and salvation. Because of this righteousness then also Noah, had faith in God and obeyed God and was saved. Simple, we also need to have faith in God obey God and He will save us and give us righteousness, just like Noah.
Today we are to read the story of Noah. Many of us know this story from Sunday School or other children's Bible clubs so it is very familiar to us. There was even a movie made in 2014 about the story of Noah but half way through strayed big time from the Biblical text. I want to do a few things today on the discussion for us. I will point out an application from the story of Noah but then, like I will attempt to do many times throughout each month, give some layout structure and some of the exegesis so you can interpret the reading and understand some of it on your own. In doing this I will point out themes that start and carry though to other readings, I might talk topics or key words that appear in the text, or I might even focus on a character in the story and show the plot or conflict around them and the Hero God. So here are 3 keys to helping unlock this passage as well as future readings.
#1- Historical writing vs. Theological writing
Genesis, along with the rest of Scripture is concerned and writing for and about God, not for an historically accurate date keeping fact book. Yes the story of Noah is in history and the writer wants us to know this is a true historical story. He does this by including times and days and counts. But the writer and God, are more focused on showing God and His interactions with the people, in this case Noah. So this story, along with every other narrative in the Bible, is a story about God and written to showcase God and is done in a great way setting it in an historical timeframe without focusing on the historical details to much. So we need to read this like it was intended. Do not get caught up in the time and setting details. It is not important what year this happened in or what the world was like with the technology or how the governments and ruling powers acted. What is important is God and His interactions with Noah. So do not get hung up on the details and feel like you need the details to read the narrative.
#2- Covenant
Chapter 9 in the story of Noah gives us the first clear cut covenant between God and man. Yes, God made a covenant with Adam and Eve in Genesis 3 and there is even a possible covenant with Eden and the earth in Genesis 2 but in the story of Noah God uses the word covenant. Covenants with God are a key theme not only in the book of Genesis but the entire Scriptures. Covenants is how God relates to man and is a key component in our relationship with God. We will see more this year of covenants like, the Abrahamic, Mosaic, Davidic, and finally the New Covenant. Keep your eyes out also for covenant language of God and His relationship with man. We will dive more into covenants later as we study Genesis (I will be preaching on Genesis 15 next Sunday), Exodus, Deuteronomy, 2 Samuel, Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Hebrews to name a few places.
#3-"This is the account" (record, lineage, family)
These simple four words help us understand the structure of the book of Genesis. These words are used 11 times in the book to break up sections of the story (2:4, 5:1, 6:9, 10:1, 11:10, 11:27, 25:12, 25:19, 36:1, 36:9, 37:2). So Genesis consists of a prologue which is 1:1-2:3 and then the rest of the book can be divided up in these 11 parts. Each part is about a particular family unit and as the story progresses God draws himself closer to that particular family unity in many ways. Here are the 11 family units; Heavens and earth, Adam, Noah, Noah's 3 sons, Shem, Terah and extension to Abram, Ishmael, Isaac, Esau, Edomites, Jacob. This structure will help us understand the book a little better and also see how God and His relationship changes more with each family unit. This will help reveal more about the nature of God and His purpose with mankind. This is a great tool in understanding the text so be on the lookout for more structure help like this as we read farther along in the story of God in His Word.
So just a note on some application that I love from the story of Noah. Genesis 6:7 concludes some of God's thoughts on His creation. God has had enough and is tired and sick of His creation rebellion against Him and living in unbelief. God decides that He will wipe everything off the face of the earth and start over. Then immediately after this confession of God and His regret of the sinful nature of mankind, God chooses Noah. Verse 8 states, Noah however found favor in the eyes of God. God chooses Noah. The Scriptures never say anything positive about Noah up to this point and it only gives a picture of the sinfulness of man. But in spite of all that God chooses Noah to save and then in verse 9 it states that Noah walks in righteousness. Where does this righteousness come from? This righteousness comes from God and His favor with Noah. Noah becomes righteous because God chose Him favorably. WOW! I love this truth and picture from Noah because it gives me hope in my sinful state. God chose to save me also through the blood of Jesus and as now given me the same righteousness that He gave Noah. Our God is an awesome God who never changes and is still in the business of choosing people for righteousness and salvation. Because of this righteousness then also Noah, had faith in God and obeyed God and was saved. Simple, we also need to have faith in God obey God and He will save us and give us righteousness, just like Noah.
Thursday, January 1, 2015
Happy New Year
I have decided to make 3 resolutions this year and only 3 people will be able to tell me if I keep these resolutions; God, my beloved, and my doctor.
My first resolution is to love the Word of God better and have more confidence in its power at work.
My second resolution is to love my wife more and with more grace than I ever have. I always have plenty of room to grow in my marriage and union with her.
My third resolution is to love my body better. I want to exercise more and eat healthier this year than I did last year. I am not getting any older and can use all the help I can get in living healthier.
But now on to the good stuff of my blog, the Bible reading plan thoughts...
First Day of the Bible Reading Plan
Today is New Years Day. Today marks the first day of the new Year. Today gives a chance for new beginnings, new habits, and a chance to right last years wrongs. Today also marks the first day of the Bible reading plan. Today we are to read Genesis 1 and 2. "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the Earth". This is the firsts sentence in the Bible and one of the most important to know by heart. This first sentence of Genesis is only 7 words in Hebrew but it can teach us 7 important truths that should impact and change us for the new year and for life. Think about these 7 truths and ponder them all year as the Bible is read daily.
#1-God exists.
The first essential truth to understand so that we can please God, is knowing that He exists.
#2-God existed before there was a universe and He will exist even after this world passes away.
#3-God is the main character.
The Bible is about God, written by God, and tells us what we need to know concerning God. As we read the Bible this year remember that God, in three persons, is the main character and the point is for us to know Him as the main player.
#4-God as Creator did what no human could do.
The Hebrew word for "to create" is bara. This word implies the divine and has no human character, quality, or trait in the meaning. As Creator God is in control and we are the created.
#5-God is mysterious.
When, how, why, where, and what, are all the questions that this first verse should bring us about the existence of God. But knowing God is mysterious should give us joy and hope in that fact He is way beyond our understanding, yet He loves us all the same through this mystery.
#6-God is THE Creator of the heavens and the earth.
He does not just modify pre-existing matter but calls matter into being out of nothing.
#7-God is not dependent on the universe.
We depend on God for everything as the created and God is outside of our control. God is sovereign and beyond anything that we can imagine and we can depend on that, not the other way around.
Lets think about these 7 truths all year long as we read about God and begin to get a glimpse of Him from His Word. I pray these 7 truths change you for the better this New Year.
My first resolution is to love the Word of God better and have more confidence in its power at work.
My second resolution is to love my wife more and with more grace than I ever have. I always have plenty of room to grow in my marriage and union with her.
My third resolution is to love my body better. I want to exercise more and eat healthier this year than I did last year. I am not getting any older and can use all the help I can get in living healthier.
But now on to the good stuff of my blog, the Bible reading plan thoughts...
First Day of the Bible Reading Plan
Today is New Years Day. Today marks the first day of the new Year. Today gives a chance for new beginnings, new habits, and a chance to right last years wrongs. Today also marks the first day of the Bible reading plan. Today we are to read Genesis 1 and 2. "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the Earth". This is the firsts sentence in the Bible and one of the most important to know by heart. This first sentence of Genesis is only 7 words in Hebrew but it can teach us 7 important truths that should impact and change us for the new year and for life. Think about these 7 truths and ponder them all year as the Bible is read daily.
#1-God exists.
The first essential truth to understand so that we can please God, is knowing that He exists.
#2-God existed before there was a universe and He will exist even after this world passes away.
#3-God is the main character.
The Bible is about God, written by God, and tells us what we need to know concerning God. As we read the Bible this year remember that God, in three persons, is the main character and the point is for us to know Him as the main player.
#4-God as Creator did what no human could do.
The Hebrew word for "to create" is bara. This word implies the divine and has no human character, quality, or trait in the meaning. As Creator God is in control and we are the created.
#5-God is mysterious.
When, how, why, where, and what, are all the questions that this first verse should bring us about the existence of God. But knowing God is mysterious should give us joy and hope in that fact He is way beyond our understanding, yet He loves us all the same through this mystery.
#6-God is THE Creator of the heavens and the earth.
He does not just modify pre-existing matter but calls matter into being out of nothing.
#7-God is not dependent on the universe.
We depend on God for everything as the created and God is outside of our control. God is sovereign and beyond anything that we can imagine and we can depend on that, not the other way around.
Lets think about these 7 truths all year long as we read about God and begin to get a glimpse of Him from His Word. I pray these 7 truths change you for the better this New Year.
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