29 Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished.
30 He said to Jacob, Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I'm famished! (That is why he was also called Edom.)
31 Jacob replied, First sell me your birthright.
32 Look, I am about to die, Esau said. What good is the birthright to me?
33 But Jacob said, Swear to me first. So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob.
34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left. So Esau despised his birthright.
This is about settling for what you want when you want it, rather than being prepared to wait on God.
Here, Esau was so hungry, he wanted his meal immediately and was not prepared to wait. In exchange for instant access to food, immediate satisfaction of his cravings, his wants, he exchanged his birthright, the blessings that would be his as firstborn, for a bowl of stew. How often do we do that? We want something, "need" it (or we think we do), and when we don't get it from God, we go out and try to get it ourselves. It’s like I tell my children at Christmas: they may want something, but they don't necessarily need it. Our youngest son may want the latest games console, or that new game that has just been released, but he really doesn't need it.
That's probably why there is the saying that patience is a virtue (and the full version, as my family know only too well from me, is "Patience is a virtue, possess it if you can. Seldom found in woman, and never in a man!"). It takes patience to wait on God and in this fast paced world, we are used to living fast, getting immediate access to whatever we want, we are always busy, always looking for the next job, the next thing to do, and have very little time to stop and wait. That's one of the reasons why I like to go out at the weekend with my children, because it gives me time to stop and listen, to look at the world God has created and to give him the thanks and the praise , to get some rest and some time away from the computer, and to spend much needed time with my boys and girl.
But in the west, life is one big jumble at times, rushing here there and everywhere and very few of us have time to just sit and wait on God. We want everything instantly, and when our prayers don't get answered, we try and sort everything out ourselves. But just because we don't get an immediate answer to our prayers doesn't mean God hasn't heard us, or is ignoring us. Sometimes, the answer is "yes", other times we are told to wait, or we might be told the answer is "no", or "yes but not just yet". God knows what we want, and He also knows what we need, and the two are not necessarily the same. But one thing we can be sure of is that God always answers our prayers. And we need to make sure we don't exchange the future blessings of God for immediate gratification.
Tuesday 2 December 2008
Monday 1 December 2008
Genesis Chapter 24
7 The Lord, the God of heaven, who brought me out of my father's household and my native land and who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, 'To your offspring I will give this land'— he will send his angel before you so that you can get a wife for my son from there.
This is another chapter all about trusting God, because here Abraham does not want his son, Isaac, to marry a local Canaanite woman, but instead would rather she marry one of his family. So he asks God what to do about the matter, although it doesn't actually say this in this chapter but I don't believe that Abraham would have taken this action without asking God first.
How many of us would do this - stop and ask God first before taking any major decision regarding our job and career, a house purchase, marriage, children? It is so easy just to pay lip service to God, to go through the formalities, the ritual, rather than actually trust God for each and every thing we do. But Abraham is an example here of a great man of faith, someone who wants the best for his child (don't we all?) and he seeks God's advice and guidance, he asks God what to do and then he does what God says. He doesn't dismiss what God has said, or tell himself that he misheard, that God really didn't say what he thought he said. He listens and obeys, and he tells his servant exactly what to do.
The servant listens to his master, Abraham, and does exactly what is told, and then he too prays to God for guidance. He asks God to have one of the girls draw water for both him and his camels, and Rebekah is the one who does this.
It is about trusting God and about giving God the thanks and praise, because what does the servant do after meeting Rebekah? He gives praise to God. It is easy to take what God gives and then forget to give the thanks and praise. But we should thank God, give Him the praise for the healing, the provisions, the daily help, whatever it may be. In our house, we have 2 words that have to be said: "Please" when asking, and "thank you" after receiving. There are many times when I will not give one of my children what they are asking for until they say the word "please"! Yet God himself does not withhold anything from us even though at times we, I, can appear to be so ungrateful.
This is another chapter all about trusting God, because here Abraham does not want his son, Isaac, to marry a local Canaanite woman, but instead would rather she marry one of his family. So he asks God what to do about the matter, although it doesn't actually say this in this chapter but I don't believe that Abraham would have taken this action without asking God first.
How many of us would do this - stop and ask God first before taking any major decision regarding our job and career, a house purchase, marriage, children? It is so easy just to pay lip service to God, to go through the formalities, the ritual, rather than actually trust God for each and every thing we do. But Abraham is an example here of a great man of faith, someone who wants the best for his child (don't we all?) and he seeks God's advice and guidance, he asks God what to do and then he does what God says. He doesn't dismiss what God has said, or tell himself that he misheard, that God really didn't say what he thought he said. He listens and obeys, and he tells his servant exactly what to do.
The servant listens to his master, Abraham, and does exactly what is told, and then he too prays to God for guidance. He asks God to have one of the girls draw water for both him and his camels, and Rebekah is the one who does this.
It is about trusting God and about giving God the thanks and praise, because what does the servant do after meeting Rebekah? He gives praise to God. It is easy to take what God gives and then forget to give the thanks and praise. But we should thank God, give Him the praise for the healing, the provisions, the daily help, whatever it may be. In our house, we have 2 words that have to be said: "Please" when asking, and "thank you" after receiving. There are many times when I will not give one of my children what they are asking for until they say the word "please"! Yet God himself does not withhold anything from us even though at times we, I, can appear to be so ungrateful.
Thursday 27 November 2008
Genesis Chapter 23
The one thing that struck me in this chapter was verse 19:
Bring the best of the first fruits of your soil to the house of the Lord your God. Do not cook a young goat in its mother's milk.
This is firstly about giving our best to God, not the leftovers, or what we can do without, but the very best. It all goes back to the age old argument about whether we should tithe and if so, is it out of our net or gross income. I don't intend to get into an argument about that, as I know some people hold very strong views saying we should, others hold equally strong views that we shouldn't. But what I do think is that we should give our very best to God, whether that be in the form of tithes, money in the offering plate, giving to charity, helping the poor, giving our time, our effort, our skills. God deserves the best we have, not the scraps, the leftovers, the time we have left when we have wined and dined, been out on the town, enjoyed ourselves and spent up. He deserves the first fruits, the best of the harvest.
But then you read on in this chapter and it talks about not cooking a young goat in its mothers milk. At first glance, this seems completely out of context, a random comment thrown in just to confuse. But in actual fact, according to what I have read on the internet ( a great source of information!), the Lord is warning the people here against the practices of the Canaanites, who would, apparently, sacrifice young goats in the milk of their mother to appease their goddess of fertility. However, it has led to the tradition of keeping meat and milk separate that strict Jews adhere to even today, with separate fridges, cooking dishes, etc for meat and milk dishes ( a very simplistic view, I know and there is lot more behind this).
In everything God commands, He is looking out for the people, trying to warn us about things to come, to educate us, to teach us His rules. God is so just, so pure, so holy, that He would never ask someone to do something that was wrong. Here, the whole thing about the young goat is that if the Israelites were in the habit of never doing this, if it became second nature, then when they saw the Canaanites and others performing this type of sacrifice, they would never even consider doing it themselves. But God knew back in the wilderness what the people would face when they reached Canaan, so He was forearming them against this.
It is all part and parcel of being taught right from wrong. If you are taught from an early age what you can and cannot do, then this principles become part of you, they become second nature. Whereas if you are not taught that it is wrong to steal, wrong to murder, to lie, to cheat and so on, then they too become ingrained. It is hard to break the habits of a lifetime either way, which is why it is so sad to see the way things are today, with children not being taught right from wrong.
Bring the best of the first fruits of your soil to the house of the Lord your God. Do not cook a young goat in its mother's milk.
This is firstly about giving our best to God, not the leftovers, or what we can do without, but the very best. It all goes back to the age old argument about whether we should tithe and if so, is it out of our net or gross income. I don't intend to get into an argument about that, as I know some people hold very strong views saying we should, others hold equally strong views that we shouldn't. But what I do think is that we should give our very best to God, whether that be in the form of tithes, money in the offering plate, giving to charity, helping the poor, giving our time, our effort, our skills. God deserves the best we have, not the scraps, the leftovers, the time we have left when we have wined and dined, been out on the town, enjoyed ourselves and spent up. He deserves the first fruits, the best of the harvest.
But then you read on in this chapter and it talks about not cooking a young goat in its mothers milk. At first glance, this seems completely out of context, a random comment thrown in just to confuse. But in actual fact, according to what I have read on the internet ( a great source of information!), the Lord is warning the people here against the practices of the Canaanites, who would, apparently, sacrifice young goats in the milk of their mother to appease their goddess of fertility. However, it has led to the tradition of keeping meat and milk separate that strict Jews adhere to even today, with separate fridges, cooking dishes, etc for meat and milk dishes ( a very simplistic view, I know and there is lot more behind this).
In everything God commands, He is looking out for the people, trying to warn us about things to come, to educate us, to teach us His rules. God is so just, so pure, so holy, that He would never ask someone to do something that was wrong. Here, the whole thing about the young goat is that if the Israelites were in the habit of never doing this, if it became second nature, then when they saw the Canaanites and others performing this type of sacrifice, they would never even consider doing it themselves. But God knew back in the wilderness what the people would face when they reached Canaan, so He was forearming them against this.
It is all part and parcel of being taught right from wrong. If you are taught from an early age what you can and cannot do, then this principles become part of you, they become second nature. Whereas if you are not taught that it is wrong to steal, wrong to murder, to lie, to cheat and so on, then they too become ingrained. It is hard to break the habits of a lifetime either way, which is why it is so sad to see the way things are today, with children not being taught right from wrong.
Sunday 9 November 2008
Genesis chapter 22
12 Do not lay a hand on the boy, he said. Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.
To me, this is all about faith and about having idols in our heart that take the place of God.
I don't know what was going through Abraham's mind as he made this three day journey in obedience to God. Imagine, taking your son to be sacrificed, knowing you were going to be the one to kill him, and yet trusting God the while time to fulfil his promise that you would be a great nation through Isaac, the son of the promise. The test here for Abraham was whether or not he trusted God, believed in His word no matter what or whether or not his love for Isaac outweighed his love and duty and response to God.
We may never be called upon to sacrifice our children, thankfully, but we may well be called upon to give something up that is really important to us, something that is maybe so deeply ingrained in our hearts that it has become an idol, something that takes the place of God in our lives. What about that tv programme we love, that film, that person? Does our work take priority in our life or our hobbies? Would we rather go read a book than spend time with God? What is there in your life, in my life, that we put before God, the thing we have to do, see, watch, read before we have our quiet time? What about our family, do we put them before God? Or our possessions, our car, our home, our job, our clothes, our finances? Do these take priority over God?
There are things we have hidden deep in our hearts, things that maybe God does not like, does not approve of and that draw us further away from God instead of closer to Him. Like Abraham, we need to give whatever it is to God, to offer it to Him and let Him deal with it. Pretty soon, you will find the Holy Spirit is at work, changing you from within and removing that idol, those computer games, those magazine, whatever it may be, and replacing it with a love for God, a hunger that maybe wasn't there before because our hearts were full of other things.
To me, this is all about faith and about having idols in our heart that take the place of God.
I don't know what was going through Abraham's mind as he made this three day journey in obedience to God. Imagine, taking your son to be sacrificed, knowing you were going to be the one to kill him, and yet trusting God the while time to fulfil his promise that you would be a great nation through Isaac, the son of the promise. The test here for Abraham was whether or not he trusted God, believed in His word no matter what or whether or not his love for Isaac outweighed his love and duty and response to God.
We may never be called upon to sacrifice our children, thankfully, but we may well be called upon to give something up that is really important to us, something that is maybe so deeply ingrained in our hearts that it has become an idol, something that takes the place of God in our lives. What about that tv programme we love, that film, that person? Does our work take priority in our life or our hobbies? Would we rather go read a book than spend time with God? What is there in your life, in my life, that we put before God, the thing we have to do, see, watch, read before we have our quiet time? What about our family, do we put them before God? Or our possessions, our car, our home, our job, our clothes, our finances? Do these take priority over God?
There are things we have hidden deep in our hearts, things that maybe God does not like, does not approve of and that draw us further away from God instead of closer to Him. Like Abraham, we need to give whatever it is to God, to offer it to Him and let Him deal with it. Pretty soon, you will find the Holy Spirit is at work, changing you from within and removing that idol, those computer games, those magazine, whatever it may be, and replacing it with a love for God, a hunger that maybe wasn't there before because our hearts were full of other things.
Genesis chapter 21
1 Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what he had promised.
Instead of laughing because she doesn't believe God, this time Sarah is laughing because she is so happy. The one thing she thought would never happen, was absolutely impossible, had come to pass and she was the mother of a baby boy, Isaac. Sarah had waited, and waited, and waited, trusting in God, probably doubting often as she was getting older each day, and yet God was faithful, despite her doubts, to fulfil what he had promised.
Sometimes, when we get overwhelmed by life, by the things happening around us, the problems, the troubles we have, it seems like there is no one there, that no one cares and we are having to do everything ourselves. Yet God is there in the midst of all of this turmoil, and he is faithful, no matter what we may think, what we may be going through and he is are work in our lives, just as he was at work in the lives of Sarah and Abraham. God is great, God is good, he is I Am, the Lord God Almighty, Jehovah Jirah, and the Lord will provide, despite our circumstances and because of our circumstances. He is El-Shaddai, the God who is sufficient for the needs of his people.
As is says in my study bible, the way to bring peace to a troubled heart is to focus on God's promises and to trust him to do what he says.
If God could give Sarah a baby when she was over 100, then why do we ever doubt he can give us what we need?
Instead of laughing because she doesn't believe God, this time Sarah is laughing because she is so happy. The one thing she thought would never happen, was absolutely impossible, had come to pass and she was the mother of a baby boy, Isaac. Sarah had waited, and waited, and waited, trusting in God, probably doubting often as she was getting older each day, and yet God was faithful, despite her doubts, to fulfil what he had promised.
Sometimes, when we get overwhelmed by life, by the things happening around us, the problems, the troubles we have, it seems like there is no one there, that no one cares and we are having to do everything ourselves. Yet God is there in the midst of all of this turmoil, and he is faithful, no matter what we may think, what we may be going through and he is are work in our lives, just as he was at work in the lives of Sarah and Abraham. God is great, God is good, he is I Am, the Lord God Almighty, Jehovah Jirah, and the Lord will provide, despite our circumstances and because of our circumstances. He is El-Shaddai, the God who is sufficient for the needs of his people.
As is says in my study bible, the way to bring peace to a troubled heart is to focus on God's promises and to trust him to do what he says.
If God could give Sarah a baby when she was over 100, then why do we ever doubt he can give us what we need?
Genesis chapter 20
11 Abraham replied, I said to myself, 'There is surely no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.'
Here we have Abraham lying again to save his skin, fearing for his life and getting Sarah to tell everyone she is his sister, not his wife. Yes, technically she was his sister, since they had the same father, but different mothers, but just imagine what nearly happened to Sarah - taken as a wife by Abimelech and put into his harem along with all his other wives. All because Abraham thought that he would be killed if people found out he was Sarah's husband as she was a beautiful and desirable woman and they would want her for themselves.
It shows a lack of trust in God, a reliance on Abraham's own scheming to get him out of a tricky situation. How many of us today can say we wouldn't have done the same thing, or even that we don't do something similar by lying by omission, pretending to be someone we're not, or by trying to get out of trouble, harm, debt, marital difficulties and so on by working everything out ourselves and ignoring God? It’s a case of faith, or the lack of it here and I love the way the bible is so honest about this, because here you have one of the heroes of the Old Testament, someone who is used as an example of a man of faith in the book of Hebrews yet here he is, lying by omission and giving his own wife away to another man in an attempt to save his life. It is not the first time he has done this either, as he pulled the same trick with Pharaoh a couple of chapters ago.
A similar example is David committing adultery with Bathsheba and arranging to have her husband, Uriah, killed to avoid being found out. He is described as a man after God's own heart, despite doing these dreadful things.
I reckon this all shows how great God is and just how much he loves each one of us, and yet how little faith we can all demonstrate at times. God abhors sin in any shape or form, and will punish us accordingly for it, yet he will forgive us when we truly repent and turn to Him. He will cast the remembrance of the sin away from him as far as the east is from the west and remember it no more, which is why men like Abraham and David are remembered as great men of faith and not men who really messed up big time. It is also why each one of us can be remembered as men and women of faith, even when we mess up as we surely have done and will do again, because life isn’t about keeping a set of rules and regulations for fear of punishment, but it is about getting your heart right with God, of truly accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, the only Son of God, and about being filled with the Holy Spirit who will then help us, teach us, guide us, and change us from within to become the men and women of faith that God designed us to be.
Here we have Abraham lying again to save his skin, fearing for his life and getting Sarah to tell everyone she is his sister, not his wife. Yes, technically she was his sister, since they had the same father, but different mothers, but just imagine what nearly happened to Sarah - taken as a wife by Abimelech and put into his harem along with all his other wives. All because Abraham thought that he would be killed if people found out he was Sarah's husband as she was a beautiful and desirable woman and they would want her for themselves.
It shows a lack of trust in God, a reliance on Abraham's own scheming to get him out of a tricky situation. How many of us today can say we wouldn't have done the same thing, or even that we don't do something similar by lying by omission, pretending to be someone we're not, or by trying to get out of trouble, harm, debt, marital difficulties and so on by working everything out ourselves and ignoring God? It’s a case of faith, or the lack of it here and I love the way the bible is so honest about this, because here you have one of the heroes of the Old Testament, someone who is used as an example of a man of faith in the book of Hebrews yet here he is, lying by omission and giving his own wife away to another man in an attempt to save his life. It is not the first time he has done this either, as he pulled the same trick with Pharaoh a couple of chapters ago.
A similar example is David committing adultery with Bathsheba and arranging to have her husband, Uriah, killed to avoid being found out. He is described as a man after God's own heart, despite doing these dreadful things.
I reckon this all shows how great God is and just how much he loves each one of us, and yet how little faith we can all demonstrate at times. God abhors sin in any shape or form, and will punish us accordingly for it, yet he will forgive us when we truly repent and turn to Him. He will cast the remembrance of the sin away from him as far as the east is from the west and remember it no more, which is why men like Abraham and David are remembered as great men of faith and not men who really messed up big time. It is also why each one of us can be remembered as men and women of faith, even when we mess up as we surely have done and will do again, because life isn’t about keeping a set of rules and regulations for fear of punishment, but it is about getting your heart right with God, of truly accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, the only Son of God, and about being filled with the Holy Spirit who will then help us, teach us, guide us, and change us from within to become the men and women of faith that God designed us to be.
Genesis chapter 19
16 When he hesitated, the men grasped his hand and the hands of his wife and of his two daughters and led them safely out of the city, for the Lord was merciful to them.
It is so easy to become comfortable with our lives, with the people around us, their language and their behaviour. Life is often one big compromise as we adapt to those around us, the people we work with, our friends and our family.
Here, Lot and his family had been living in Sodom for so long that they had become used to the morals and lifestyle of the inhabitants of the city. It was no surprise to Lot when the men of the city surrounded his house demanding the two men so he offered up his two daughters if the men would leave the visitors alone.
I cannot understand that at all. I mean, how could any man do that to his own daughters ? I know there is the tradition of hospitality in the East, where it is seen as a reflection of a person's reputation but surely there are limits to how far you have to go to show hospitality?
It may well be that Lot had some grand scheme in mind whereby he could save both the men and his daughters, maybe his daughters' fiancés were with the men outside the house and he thought they would save the girls. Maybe he thought the offer of girls would put the men off (since they were interested in the men only) and they would go away. Whatever his reasoning, he had become comfortable living in Sodom, and was used to the way of life of the people there. He had compromised his principles for the sake of comfortable living.
And it is just as easy for us to do this today. Take a look around at the world we live in, with the abortions, the crime, the drugs, the rising divorce rate and children born out of wedlock. Sex is a way of life for many whether they married or unmarried, same sex partners is becoming more common, and there is just so much sin and evil in the world. We need to make a stand, to let the light of Christ shine through all that we do so that when trouble arises, people will know exactly what we believe in because we have not compromised our principles in order to lead a quiet life.
When Lot took a stand, told his daughters' fiancés what was going to happen, they did not believe him. Will people believe us when we make a stand or will they scoff too, seeing us as behaving no differently from them all this time?
It is so easy to become comfortable with our lives, with the people around us, their language and their behaviour. Life is often one big compromise as we adapt to those around us, the people we work with, our friends and our family.
Here, Lot and his family had been living in Sodom for so long that they had become used to the morals and lifestyle of the inhabitants of the city. It was no surprise to Lot when the men of the city surrounded his house demanding the two men so he offered up his two daughters if the men would leave the visitors alone.
I cannot understand that at all. I mean, how could any man do that to his own daughters ? I know there is the tradition of hospitality in the East, where it is seen as a reflection of a person's reputation but surely there are limits to how far you have to go to show hospitality?
It may well be that Lot had some grand scheme in mind whereby he could save both the men and his daughters, maybe his daughters' fiancés were with the men outside the house and he thought they would save the girls. Maybe he thought the offer of girls would put the men off (since they were interested in the men only) and they would go away. Whatever his reasoning, he had become comfortable living in Sodom, and was used to the way of life of the people there. He had compromised his principles for the sake of comfortable living.
And it is just as easy for us to do this today. Take a look around at the world we live in, with the abortions, the crime, the drugs, the rising divorce rate and children born out of wedlock. Sex is a way of life for many whether they married or unmarried, same sex partners is becoming more common, and there is just so much sin and evil in the world. We need to make a stand, to let the light of Christ shine through all that we do so that when trouble arises, people will know exactly what we believe in because we have not compromised our principles in order to lead a quiet life.
When Lot took a stand, told his daughters' fiancés what was going to happen, they did not believe him. Will people believe us when we make a stand or will they scoff too, seeing us as behaving no differently from them all this time?
Genesis chapter 18
13 Then the Lord said to Abraham, Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'Will I really have a child, now that I am old?'
14 Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year and Sarah will have a son.
15 Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, I did not laugh. But he said, Yes, you did laugh.
When we are caught out in something, the natural reaction is to lie, to cover up, to pretend that we didn't do it, say it. Here, Sarah displays all of these as she is caught out laughing to herself when she hears that this time next year she will have a baby. After all, she was 90 years old at this point and Abraham was 100, so it is understandable that she maybe thought it was all one big joke.
Yet the Lord hears this, just as he hears everything, and he asks Abraham "is anything too hard for the Lord?"
There are times when it is difficult to believe, to have faith, to really trust God that things will work out. It is easy to sink into a depression, to become some downcast, worried and anxious that it seems like you are in one big black pit that just keeps getting deeper and deeper. Yet God never changes, He is the God of yesterday, today and tomorrow. He created the universe, the sun, moon and stars out of nothing. Jesus spoke the world into existence and the Holy Spirit moved across the waters (Genesis 1). If we truly believe in the existence of God, of His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Spirit, then we have to realise that a God who can create all that we see around us from nothing is more powerful than we can ever imagine. There is nothing that he cannot do, and nothing can stop him from doing whatever he wants.
Nothing, absolutely nothing, is too hard for the Lord.
14 Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year and Sarah will have a son.
15 Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, I did not laugh. But he said, Yes, you did laugh.
When we are caught out in something, the natural reaction is to lie, to cover up, to pretend that we didn't do it, say it. Here, Sarah displays all of these as she is caught out laughing to herself when she hears that this time next year she will have a baby. After all, she was 90 years old at this point and Abraham was 100, so it is understandable that she maybe thought it was all one big joke.
Yet the Lord hears this, just as he hears everything, and he asks Abraham "is anything too hard for the Lord?"
There are times when it is difficult to believe, to have faith, to really trust God that things will work out. It is easy to sink into a depression, to become some downcast, worried and anxious that it seems like you are in one big black pit that just keeps getting deeper and deeper. Yet God never changes, He is the God of yesterday, today and tomorrow. He created the universe, the sun, moon and stars out of nothing. Jesus spoke the world into existence and the Holy Spirit moved across the waters (Genesis 1). If we truly believe in the existence of God, of His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Spirit, then we have to realise that a God who can create all that we see around us from nothing is more powerful than we can ever imagine. There is nothing that he cannot do, and nothing can stop him from doing whatever he wants.
Nothing, absolutely nothing, is too hard for the Lord.
Genesis chapter 17
1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless.
2 I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.
Here, God confirms the covenant between him and Abraham, telling him that he and Sarah will have a son, Isaac, who is the child of the promise, the covenant. Whilst Ishmael, the child of the flesh, will be blessed also, it is through Isaac that Abraham will be the father of many nations.
This is not the first time that God has talked about the covenant with Abraham. It is mentioned in chapter 12 and chapter 15, but here, it is all about to take place, with Isaac's birth foretold sometime in the next year. This is something that Abraham at the age of 100, with Sarah now 90, thought impossible. Yet nothing is impossible for God and I am reminded of God telling Moses "The Lord answered Moses, "Is the Lord's arm too short? You will now see whether or not what I say will come true for you." (Numbers 11:23).
All these chapters here are reminding me about having faith, about trusting in God, no matter what. Trust and believe, for the arm of the Lord is not too short and for Him, nothing is impossible.
2 I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.
Here, God confirms the covenant between him and Abraham, telling him that he and Sarah will have a son, Isaac, who is the child of the promise, the covenant. Whilst Ishmael, the child of the flesh, will be blessed also, it is through Isaac that Abraham will be the father of many nations.
This is not the first time that God has talked about the covenant with Abraham. It is mentioned in chapter 12 and chapter 15, but here, it is all about to take place, with Isaac's birth foretold sometime in the next year. This is something that Abraham at the age of 100, with Sarah now 90, thought impossible. Yet nothing is impossible for God and I am reminded of God telling Moses "The Lord answered Moses, "Is the Lord's arm too short? You will now see whether or not what I say will come true for you." (Numbers 11:23).
All these chapters here are reminding me about having faith, about trusting in God, no matter what. Trust and believe, for the arm of the Lord is not too short and for Him, nothing is impossible.
Oops!
I hadn't realised it was so long since I had posted, and I know I am currently reading Exodus, so I am really far behind in keeping this up to date. I'll be back in a few minutes with more chapters of Genesis.
Tuesday 14 October 2008
Genesis chapter 16
This is the sad story of how Sarai decided to take matters not her own hands to fulfil the promises of God and the problems that arose as a result, which are still being lived out today in the Middle East.
It is easy to decide we know best, to take matters into our own hands and try to sort things out for ourselves yet we need to have patience and to wait on God. This is often easier said than done, and I know this from personal experience as I would rather get up and do something, to sort out the problem, rather than sit back and wait.
It is a case of having faith and trusting in God no matter what is going on around us, of believing that God will fulfil whatever he promised, no matter how unlikely it may sound. And after all, since a day is as a thousand years to the Lord, that means that ten years is only 14.4 minutes…..
It is easy to decide we know best, to take matters into our own hands and try to sort things out for ourselves yet we need to have patience and to wait on God. This is often easier said than done, and I know this from personal experience as I would rather get up and do something, to sort out the problem, rather than sit back and wait.
It is a case of having faith and trusting in God no matter what is going on around us, of believing that God will fulfil whatever he promised, no matter how unlikely it may sound. And after all, since a day is as a thousand years to the Lord, that means that ten years is only 14.4 minutes…..
Genesis chapter 15
To me, these words speak volumes. After all, here is Abram who has just defeated several kings, rescued his nephew and recovered all the goods the kings had taken, and yet he is apparently afraid. He is a man who has everything going for him, and yet is still worried, upset, anxious. And God appears to him in a vision and tells him not to worry, not to be afraid for God is his shield, his very great reward.
I think this is just as true for each one of us as it was for Abram. God is our shied, our very great reward, no matter what is facing us right now. We need to be aware of Him at all times and to take everything to Him, to Jesus in prayer.
There are certain things I am facing right now and I know is would be easy to just sit and wallow in anxiety, getting all worried and upset. Yet hasn't Jesus told us to give our burdens to him?
Matthew 11:28-30 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
It is a case of turning everything over to him, really turning everything over, not just saying you will do it, and then taking it all back and continuing to worry. Because in doing this, we will find rest for our souls, since God is out shield and our very great reward.
I think this is just as true for each one of us as it was for Abram. God is our shied, our very great reward, no matter what is facing us right now. We need to be aware of Him at all times and to take everything to Him, to Jesus in prayer.
There are certain things I am facing right now and I know is would be easy to just sit and wallow in anxiety, getting all worried and upset. Yet hasn't Jesus told us to give our burdens to him?
Matthew 11:28-30 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
It is a case of turning everything over to him, really turning everything over, not just saying you will do it, and then taking it all back and continuing to worry. Because in doing this, we will find rest for our souls, since God is out shield and our very great reward.
Genesis chapter 14
There are several theories regarding Melchizedek, about whom very little is known (hence the theories!):
- He is a respected king of that region;
- Melchizedek may just have been a title for all kings of Salem at that time;
- He was Shem (this is from the Rabbinical teachings and since Shem died aged 600, this was, apparently, 13 years after the death of Sarah and 10 years after Rebecca and Isaac married);
- He was a type of Christ, so we can learn about Christ from the example of Melchizedek; and
- He was the earthly appearance in bodily form of the preincarnate Christ.
So I googled Melchizedek and found the following:
Melchizedek is not so much a name as it is a title or designation of honour. It is a position or office that has to be filled by a worthy candidate. The term is a transliteration of two Hebrew words, melek and tsedeq. The Hebrew melek means king and tsedeq means righteousness. Therefore, the term "melchizedek" means literally, "king of righteousness." Because a king is always preeminent in his jurisdiction, whoever Melchizedek was, he had to be preeminent in righteousness. He had to be the "king" of righteousness. (see http://www.biblestudy.org/basicart/who-was-melchizedek.html)
But since no one is righteous except God (Matthew 19:17 Why do you ask me about what is good? Jesus replied, There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.), that is an indication that Melchizedek was Jesus. I mean, here is Abram, chasing after these kings, rescuing Lot, recovering all the goods that have been taken and then returning home, and he just gives away one tenth of it all to a complete stranger. What is more, the king of Salem, Melchizedek, specifically goes out to meet Abram, and does not wait for Abram to come to him.
I mean, did Abram really expect to meet anyone? After all, he was on his way back from an amazing victory, having succeeded in pulling off the impossible, and was probably longing just to get back home, have a hot bath, put his feet up and have a glass of wine (or whatever he did to relax!). Yet in the middle of nowhere a king comes out to greet him, brings him some bread and wine and then blesses him.
The cynical view is, of course, that Melchizedek had heard of all that Abram had done and did not want to be the next one of Abram's "hit list" so went out to keep the peace. But then surely if this was the case, Melchizedek would have assumed that Abram and his men were worn out from the battle and would attack them himself, not go and take bread and wine?
I think this is all symbolic of Jesus. Jesus is the Son of God, he is the one who created everything, and without whom was nothing made, and he does not just sit around waiting for people to turn to him. You meet Jesus in all sorts of places and through all sorts of people, often when least expected.
Saturday 27 September 2008
Genesis chapter 13
Sometimes, it is easy to get so wrapped up in what you are doing, in work, in family, in doing things for the church, that you fail to see what is going on around you. You don't appreciate how things look from the outside and you don't realise the impact what you are doing is having on others. Or maybe it is a case of wanting to protect what you have, to look after it, nurture it, no matter what is going on outside.
Here, Lot and Abram had become so rich, had so many flocks, tens, servants and so on, that there was not enough room for both of them. The servants had taken to fighting amongst themselves - Lot's servants against Abram's servants, as each one tried to get the best land, the closest position to the water and so on. Yet there they were, surrounded by enemies on all sides, and they spent their time bickering amongst themselves.
Isn't that just like the church at times? Everyone being so busy to protect their position, their ministry, their roles that they don't realise how it looks from the outside, how non believers see it and how it gets reported in the press? There has, for instance, been a huge thing over here in the local press because someone in the congregation of a local church wrote direct to the Bishop complaining about the minister of the church. There has been such a fallout from this, with the publicity (obviously concentrating on the back biting and infighting in the church) and several church members leaving and going to another church instead. What I do know is that when the minister came, he started making changes and some people did not like it….I don't know exactly what happened apart from that, I don't need to know.
But what a reflection on the church it has all been, when all that gets reported in the press is the fighting. And then all this kerfuffle about gay bishops and the Lambeth conference. I know exactly what I think about having gay bishops and so on, but don't intend to go into that now, but all the press could talk about was the looming row in the Church of England over this very question of gay bishops.
What a message that was giving out about the church, concentrating on the disagreements, the upsets, the negative things. Where is the love we are supposed to show? What about all the work the church is doing in this country and overseas? The people being helped, the starving, the homeless, the hurting? I guess good news makes bad press.
And here with Lot and Abram, it was a similar thing. I bet all the Canaanites and Perizzites could see was the two lots of shepherds quarrelling over who got to the water first, who got that piece of land over there to graze their flocks on and so on. They were a family, uncle and nephew, and yet they were fighting all the time (or at least the servants were).
In the same way as Lot and Abram settled their differences, we in the church also need to settle our differences. It's not a case of one denomination being better than another, of one church in a town being the best one, we are all servants of God, and we have all been called in one way or another. Just because I go to an evangelical/charismatic church doesn't make me better than my neighbour, who goes to a Church of England church or vice versa. Each person is different, unique and will have different ways of worshipping, of giving praise to God. It's not a case of one way being better than another, of God only listening to our prayers if we say them in this way, or that way, of a service only being done right if we use the Book of Common Prayer, and so on. God sees into the heart of each one of us, and we need our hearts to be right with God, not man. We need to love the sinner but hate the sin, let our faith work through us, the love of God to shine out from within and to really be disciples of Jesus here on earth, not people whose disagreements are always being reported unfavourably in the press and who are continually gossiping about others, trying to maintain the status quo or improve our standing in the church.
Here, Lot and Abram had become so rich, had so many flocks, tens, servants and so on, that there was not enough room for both of them. The servants had taken to fighting amongst themselves - Lot's servants against Abram's servants, as each one tried to get the best land, the closest position to the water and so on. Yet there they were, surrounded by enemies on all sides, and they spent their time bickering amongst themselves.
Isn't that just like the church at times? Everyone being so busy to protect their position, their ministry, their roles that they don't realise how it looks from the outside, how non believers see it and how it gets reported in the press? There has, for instance, been a huge thing over here in the local press because someone in the congregation of a local church wrote direct to the Bishop complaining about the minister of the church. There has been such a fallout from this, with the publicity (obviously concentrating on the back biting and infighting in the church) and several church members leaving and going to another church instead. What I do know is that when the minister came, he started making changes and some people did not like it….I don't know exactly what happened apart from that, I don't need to know.
But what a reflection on the church it has all been, when all that gets reported in the press is the fighting. And then all this kerfuffle about gay bishops and the Lambeth conference. I know exactly what I think about having gay bishops and so on, but don't intend to go into that now, but all the press could talk about was the looming row in the Church of England over this very question of gay bishops.
What a message that was giving out about the church, concentrating on the disagreements, the upsets, the negative things. Where is the love we are supposed to show? What about all the work the church is doing in this country and overseas? The people being helped, the starving, the homeless, the hurting? I guess good news makes bad press.
And here with Lot and Abram, it was a similar thing. I bet all the Canaanites and Perizzites could see was the two lots of shepherds quarrelling over who got to the water first, who got that piece of land over there to graze their flocks on and so on. They were a family, uncle and nephew, and yet they were fighting all the time (or at least the servants were).
In the same way as Lot and Abram settled their differences, we in the church also need to settle our differences. It's not a case of one denomination being better than another, of one church in a town being the best one, we are all servants of God, and we have all been called in one way or another. Just because I go to an evangelical/charismatic church doesn't make me better than my neighbour, who goes to a Church of England church or vice versa. Each person is different, unique and will have different ways of worshipping, of giving praise to God. It's not a case of one way being better than another, of God only listening to our prayers if we say them in this way, or that way, of a service only being done right if we use the Book of Common Prayer, and so on. God sees into the heart of each one of us, and we need our hearts to be right with God, not man. We need to love the sinner but hate the sin, let our faith work through us, the love of God to shine out from within and to really be disciples of Jesus here on earth, not people whose disagreements are always being reported unfavourably in the press and who are continually gossiping about others, trying to maintain the status quo or improve our standing in the church.
Genesis chapter 12
The thing that struck me here was Abram's faith, and how it is such an example to me. Firstly, he just upped and left everything when God called him. There was no hesitation, no worrying over whether he was doing the right thing, whether or not he was imagining God has spoken to him or not. He just packed everything up and went, taking his wife, servants and family plus all the livestock, everything. Then he also made altars everywhere, as a reminder of all that God had done for him and as an act of worship.
I want a faith like that, one where there is no room for doubt, for worry, for stress, where I instinctively know when God is speaking to me and trust him implicitly, even when I don't know what is going on. I want to have altars in my life to remind me to worship, and as a recognition for all God has done for me.
Yet what a difference when Abram got to Egypt, and told Sarai to lie and say she was his sister, not his wife. OK, technically, she was his half sister, since they had the same father, but really, Abram was just trying to save his life since as Sarai's husband, his life would have been in danger because Sarai was so beautiful that Pharaoh could have killed Abram to get Sarai and Abram's riches. This shows the exact opposite of what happened when Abram packed up and went to Canaan. There, he just obeyed and trusted. But here, he relies on his own skills, his own scheming to keep out of trouble and just look at the mess that got him into. He was prepared to allow his own wife to be taken into Pharaoh's harem and to accept gifts for this as her brother.
Isn't that just like us? We have moments of great faith and then the next day, it can be completely the opposite picture as we try to do things on our own, without even bothering to ask God what to do, and end up getting in a right mess. I think there's a difference between asking God for help and guidance and in not thinking for ourselves. God gave us minds, abilities, skills and we have our own judgment. It is not a case of asking God for guidance on everything (should I have another cup of coffee, is it OK to go take a shower now, can I go shopping tomorrow, or whatever) but of seeking guidance in the things that matter. And yes, finding a parking space may well matter so I'm not criticising for asking for help in things like that. Different things are important to different people at different times.
But it is a case of always being on the same wavelength as God, of trusting in Him no matter what our personal circumstances. Not always an easy thing to do, and you only have to look at Abram to see that. One day he trusts God completely, packs up his bags and moves his entire family miles away because says so, and the next day, he schemes, plots and lies, completely ignoring God in the process.
Just like we do, as I do. It's easy to trust God when things are going well, when we have that well paid job, when the children are doing well, when whatever we do turns out well. But what about when there's no money for the bills, when we lose the well paid job, when the children misbehave and get into trouble with the authorities or fail their exams, or when we or a loved one or close friend is diagnosed with a life threatening illness? It’s not so easy to trust God in the bad times, yet we are called to do this.
I think the example of David is a great encouragement here, because there he was anointed king of Israel by Samuel, and yet he was on the run for his life from Saul for years. And yes, there were days when he was down, despondent, but each and every time he turned to God. You only have to read the psalms he wrote to realise this. He was a man after God's own heart, even though he messed up, committed adultery and had someone killed. His heart was right with God, just as Abram's was, even before he became Abraham, the father of many nations. And I think that is an example I need to follow, to make sure my heart is right with God and to be always looking to Him, to trust Him no matter what is going on around me.
I want a faith like that, one where there is no room for doubt, for worry, for stress, where I instinctively know when God is speaking to me and trust him implicitly, even when I don't know what is going on. I want to have altars in my life to remind me to worship, and as a recognition for all God has done for me.
Yet what a difference when Abram got to Egypt, and told Sarai to lie and say she was his sister, not his wife. OK, technically, she was his half sister, since they had the same father, but really, Abram was just trying to save his life since as Sarai's husband, his life would have been in danger because Sarai was so beautiful that Pharaoh could have killed Abram to get Sarai and Abram's riches. This shows the exact opposite of what happened when Abram packed up and went to Canaan. There, he just obeyed and trusted. But here, he relies on his own skills, his own scheming to keep out of trouble and just look at the mess that got him into. He was prepared to allow his own wife to be taken into Pharaoh's harem and to accept gifts for this as her brother.
Isn't that just like us? We have moments of great faith and then the next day, it can be completely the opposite picture as we try to do things on our own, without even bothering to ask God what to do, and end up getting in a right mess. I think there's a difference between asking God for help and guidance and in not thinking for ourselves. God gave us minds, abilities, skills and we have our own judgment. It is not a case of asking God for guidance on everything (should I have another cup of coffee, is it OK to go take a shower now, can I go shopping tomorrow, or whatever) but of seeking guidance in the things that matter. And yes, finding a parking space may well matter so I'm not criticising for asking for help in things like that. Different things are important to different people at different times.
But it is a case of always being on the same wavelength as God, of trusting in Him no matter what our personal circumstances. Not always an easy thing to do, and you only have to look at Abram to see that. One day he trusts God completely, packs up his bags and moves his entire family miles away because says so, and the next day, he schemes, plots and lies, completely ignoring God in the process.
Just like we do, as I do. It's easy to trust God when things are going well, when we have that well paid job, when the children are doing well, when whatever we do turns out well. But what about when there's no money for the bills, when we lose the well paid job, when the children misbehave and get into trouble with the authorities or fail their exams, or when we or a loved one or close friend is diagnosed with a life threatening illness? It’s not so easy to trust God in the bad times, yet we are called to do this.
I think the example of David is a great encouragement here, because there he was anointed king of Israel by Samuel, and yet he was on the run for his life from Saul for years. And yes, there were days when he was down, despondent, but each and every time he turned to God. You only have to read the psalms he wrote to realise this. He was a man after God's own heart, even though he messed up, committed adultery and had someone killed. His heart was right with God, just as Abram's was, even before he became Abraham, the father of many nations. And I think that is an example I need to follow, to make sure my heart is right with God and to be always looking to Him, to trust Him no matter what is going on around me.
Genesis chapter 11
Here, fairly soon after a catastrophic flood that destroyed everyone except Noah and his family, men have turned away from God. Noah walked with God, he was considered righteous and presumably taught his children about God so they would walk in his footsteps. Yet here we are, several generations later, and men decide to build a great tower to make a name for themselves, to show how important they are, how successful, how wealthy. It is not a case of building a monument to God, to thank him for all that He has done. No, it is a tower to impress people with the strength and might of the men who designed and built it, to show off their abilities and all they can do.
So God comes down to take a look. He doesn't just look from heaven and see what is going on, He comes down and takes a closer look, to see right into each man's heart, to examine their motives, their reasons. He sees that the men are building this tower to impress others with their achievements and takes action accordingly by giving each one a different language, because if men can't understand one another, how can they work together to build a tower?
In the same way, we each build towers, monuments, in our own lives. We may wear designer clothes, have a big house in its own grounds, the latest and most expensive car, a high powered city job or run a very successful business, be a world famous artist or writer, but all that we have comes from God. He is the one who gave us the ability to write, to paint, to be good with numbers, be a whizz on the stock market, the skills to be an engineer, businessman/woman, and it is to Him the thanks are due. Yes, we may well have done the work, studied hard and passed the exams, gained the qualifications, married into money, scrimped and saved over the years and now are sitting back enjoying the money in the bank, but God is the one we should be thanking.
So when I sit back and congratulate myself on something that I think I have done well, I need to remember that God is the one who gave me the gifts, God is the one who gave me the ideas, the skills, and without him, I have nothing.
So God comes down to take a look. He doesn't just look from heaven and see what is going on, He comes down and takes a closer look, to see right into each man's heart, to examine their motives, their reasons. He sees that the men are building this tower to impress others with their achievements and takes action accordingly by giving each one a different language, because if men can't understand one another, how can they work together to build a tower?
In the same way, we each build towers, monuments, in our own lives. We may wear designer clothes, have a big house in its own grounds, the latest and most expensive car, a high powered city job or run a very successful business, be a world famous artist or writer, but all that we have comes from God. He is the one who gave us the ability to write, to paint, to be good with numbers, be a whizz on the stock market, the skills to be an engineer, businessman/woman, and it is to Him the thanks are due. Yes, we may well have done the work, studied hard and passed the exams, gained the qualifications, married into money, scrimped and saved over the years and now are sitting back enjoying the money in the bank, but God is the one we should be thanking.
So when I sit back and congratulate myself on something that I think I have done well, I need to remember that God is the one who gave me the gifts, God is the one who gave me the ideas, the skills, and without him, I have nothing.
Saturday 20 September 2008
Genesis chapter 10
The bible is full of chapters like this which are a list of names, details of who had which sons and so on. You look at this and your eyes glaze over at times (or at least mine do!) but they are full of interesting little snippets of information scattered here and there. For instance, there is the snippet here about the son of Cush, Nimrod, being a great warrior, a mighty hunter before the Lord. Some think he may be the founder of the Babylonian Empire.
Then there is the detail about Peleg, the son of Eber, who was the son of Arphaxad, one of the sons of Shem. If you read Luke 3, it gives the genealogy of Jesus where in verses 35 and 36 we are told:
….the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech….
Showing that Jesus was descended from Shem.
I think the thing that is amazing here is that this book was written by Moses, but there was no way Moses was around in the time of Shem, Noah and the flood. So God would have given these details to Moses. God remembered who was the son of whom, how many children so and so had, what became of their sons and daughters , every detail was remembered and pertinent facts given to Moses.
It just shows what care and attention God takes over each one of us, how concerned He is with every aspect of our lives, and how He remembers us.
The names of all believers are written in the Lamb's book of Life, and having just read in Malachi about the book of remembrance (Malachi 3:16 Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honoured his name.) it is amazing to think that my name is written up there too, maybe with details such as daughter of…., who went to ….. and did such and such. We are not just names and numbers amongst millions, billions of other people, to God we are unique, each one different, each one special and each one loved.
Then there is the detail about Peleg, the son of Eber, who was the son of Arphaxad, one of the sons of Shem. If you read Luke 3, it gives the genealogy of Jesus where in verses 35 and 36 we are told:
….the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech….
Showing that Jesus was descended from Shem.
I think the thing that is amazing here is that this book was written by Moses, but there was no way Moses was around in the time of Shem, Noah and the flood. So God would have given these details to Moses. God remembered who was the son of whom, how many children so and so had, what became of their sons and daughters , every detail was remembered and pertinent facts given to Moses.
It just shows what care and attention God takes over each one of us, how concerned He is with every aspect of our lives, and how He remembers us.
The names of all believers are written in the Lamb's book of Life, and having just read in Malachi about the book of remembrance (Malachi 3:16 Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honoured his name.) it is amazing to think that my name is written up there too, maybe with details such as daughter of…., who went to ….. and did such and such. We are not just names and numbers amongst millions, billions of other people, to God we are unique, each one different, each one special and each one loved.
Genesis chapter 9
I love this symbol of the rainbow being a reminder of God's promise that never again will there be a worldwide flood that destroys all life. It is a sign not just for Noah and his family, but for every generation, so it is for our ancestors, our parents, our siblings, our own families, husbands, wives, children, grandchildren and so on. A promise for eternity. It is a reminder today of exactly what God has promised, a reminder of the sinful ways of the earth that led to the flood in the first place, and a reminder of God promising never to do the same again.
The thing here, though, is that because God is omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent, He knew then , when he spoke to Noah, just how the world would turn out, and that eventually, it would be just as bad, if not worse, than in Noah's day. You only have to take a look around to realise that the world is not a good place to be at times. There is the rising crime rate, the gun crime, the knife crime, homosexuality is seen as a normal way of life by many, abortion is ever increasing and seen as just another form of contraception, children are abused by the very people supposed to be taking care of the, the sex trade is flourishing, there are more people held in slavery nowadays than when it was abolished, and more Christians have died for their faith in the last 100 years than in the whole 1900 years before then. But God knew this when He made the promise to Noah. He knew how we would turn out, He knew about the innocent being harmed or killed, the wars, the genocide, the famines, the greed of those in power, and yet He still made the promise.
I just think this is such an awesome symbol of God's love, that He knew how we would turn out and still He promised He would not destroy the world by flood again. Would I tell my sons that they would never be grounded again, knowing full well that later today, tomorrow, next week, they would be fighting, losing their tempers and physically hurting each other? I don't think so, even though I love them to pieces, because they have to have ground rules, boundaries across which they should not step.
It makes me wonder why God promised this. I mean, knowing just how the world would turn out…. But then He would also have known that there were many who would turn to Him, who would become Christians, acknowledging His Son as their Lord and Saviour. As Peter says in 2
Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
We are being given the time to turn to God. And I am so thankful for this, because I know my family is not yet saved.
The thing here, though, is that because God is omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent, He knew then , when he spoke to Noah, just how the world would turn out, and that eventually, it would be just as bad, if not worse, than in Noah's day. You only have to take a look around to realise that the world is not a good place to be at times. There is the rising crime rate, the gun crime, the knife crime, homosexuality is seen as a normal way of life by many, abortion is ever increasing and seen as just another form of contraception, children are abused by the very people supposed to be taking care of the, the sex trade is flourishing, there are more people held in slavery nowadays than when it was abolished, and more Christians have died for their faith in the last 100 years than in the whole 1900 years before then. But God knew this when He made the promise to Noah. He knew how we would turn out, He knew about the innocent being harmed or killed, the wars, the genocide, the famines, the greed of those in power, and yet He still made the promise.
I just think this is such an awesome symbol of God's love, that He knew how we would turn out and still He promised He would not destroy the world by flood again. Would I tell my sons that they would never be grounded again, knowing full well that later today, tomorrow, next week, they would be fighting, losing their tempers and physically hurting each other? I don't think so, even though I love them to pieces, because they have to have ground rules, boundaries across which they should not step.
It makes me wonder why God promised this. I mean, knowing just how the world would turn out…. But then He would also have known that there were many who would turn to Him, who would become Christians, acknowledging His Son as their Lord and Saviour. As Peter says in 2
Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
We are being given the time to turn to God. And I am so thankful for this, because I know my family is not yet saved.
Genesis chapter 8
I love the way Noah waits on God. I mean, there they are, having been cooped up in the ark for months on end and the rain stops, the waters gradually recede until they can see the land. What a temptation that must have been, to just jump out of the ark and step onto the ground. OK, it might not have been much of a temptation at first, as the land was drying, when they could see it was all muddy and that they would likely get stuck in the mud at the very least. But what about when it looked like it was completely dry, when the earth started drying up and cracking? Then they must have thought it was safe to go out. But no, they waited on God to let them know, through the birds, whether it was the right time to leave the ark.
It is easy to jump in, to think we know the time is right, that we are ready, and yet God knows whether the ground is soft, squishy and muddy, too wet to walk on in safety, or if it is completely dry, a safe path to take. Noah was careful to wait on God, and this I think is an example to us all. I know there are times when I think I know what God wants me to do, and want to rush in and get the job started. But sometimes, it is a matter of waiting, of having patience, and letting God set the timetable not me. Not necessarily an easy thing to do these days, in this fast paced world where everything has to be instantaneous.
It is easy to jump in, to think we know the time is right, that we are ready, and yet God knows whether the ground is soft, squishy and muddy, too wet to walk on in safety, or if it is completely dry, a safe path to take. Noah was careful to wait on God, and this I think is an example to us all. I know there are times when I think I know what God wants me to do, and want to rush in and get the job started. But sometimes, it is a matter of waiting, of having patience, and letting God set the timetable not me. Not necessarily an easy thing to do these days, in this fast paced world where everything has to be instantaneous.
Genesis chapter 7
Only Noah was found to be righteous. Not Shem, Ham and Japheth and their wives and children, not Noah's wife. Just Noah. But because of Noah, they were all saved.
I often wonder what will happen to my family, because they do not believe, and yet reading this, maybe the way I live my life, as badly as I do at times, maybe my example will help to save them, just as Noah's lifestyle saved the lives of his wife and children. Does the way I live my life reflect my faith, let the glory of God shine through? Or does it show people how I can say one thing and yet do another?
We need to make sure as Christians that our walk and out talk line up. It is no good saying one thing, and doing another. Like those pastors who preach against adultery and are then found to have had numerous affairs.
After all, Noah messed up as we'll find out in the next chapter when he gets drunk. It’s not a case of always doing right, because after all, what person can say they ever did that? The only one who can is Jesus. But it is a case of trying to do God's will at all times, of setting our sights above the things of this earth, not behaving like everyone else, drinking, taking drugs, sleeping around, being filled with gossip, pride, selfishness, anxiety, but instead being filled with the Holy Spirit, letting His peace fill our whole bodies and minds and hearts.
I often wonder what will happen to my family, because they do not believe, and yet reading this, maybe the way I live my life, as badly as I do at times, maybe my example will help to save them, just as Noah's lifestyle saved the lives of his wife and children. Does the way I live my life reflect my faith, let the glory of God shine through? Or does it show people how I can say one thing and yet do another?
We need to make sure as Christians that our walk and out talk line up. It is no good saying one thing, and doing another. Like those pastors who preach against adultery and are then found to have had numerous affairs.
After all, Noah messed up as we'll find out in the next chapter when he gets drunk. It’s not a case of always doing right, because after all, what person can say they ever did that? The only one who can is Jesus. But it is a case of trying to do God's will at all times, of setting our sights above the things of this earth, not behaving like everyone else, drinking, taking drugs, sleeping around, being filled with gossip, pride, selfishness, anxiety, but instead being filled with the Holy Spirit, letting His peace fill our whole bodies and minds and hearts.
Genesis chapter 6
There must have been millions of people on the earth by this time, and yet only Noah found favour with God. He was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time and he walked with God. Just like Enoch, who walked in close fellowship with God.
The thing that strikes me here, is that a close walk with God is essential , vital. Yes, there will be times when we mess up, when everything goes wrong and we don't know which way to turn, but if we have a close walk with God, we will know that we can turn to Him, place everything in His hands. It’s a case of knowing instinctively what God would want us to do in any given situation, of having such a prayer life, knowing God in such a way that like the four creatures in Ezekiel 1:19-21 When the living creatures moved, the wheels beside them moved; and when the living creatures rose from the ground, the wheels also rose. Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, and the wheels would rise along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. When the creatures moved, they also moved; when the creatures stood still, they also stood still; and when the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels rose along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels
I want that in my life, to know instinctively what God wants me to do no matter what, to be able to move in the Spirit, knowing I am walking in the will of God and doing what he would have me do. I bet that was how Noah and Enoch lived their lives. Spending their days gong about their everyday business and yet being in continual communion with God, instinctively knowing His will for them at any given moment in time.
I have such a long way to go, there are so many things that I let get in the way of this, and often, it needs to be a conscious decision to let god into my life, But it shouldn't be, it should be instinctive, natural, the one thing that I do automatically above all else. So it is a case of getting my priorities right, of getting the perspective right, of getting my heart right with God and I need to work on it. As Paul says:
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Because when we start to do that, then everything else will fall into place naturally.
The thing that strikes me here, is that a close walk with God is essential , vital. Yes, there will be times when we mess up, when everything goes wrong and we don't know which way to turn, but if we have a close walk with God, we will know that we can turn to Him, place everything in His hands. It’s a case of knowing instinctively what God would want us to do in any given situation, of having such a prayer life, knowing God in such a way that like the four creatures in Ezekiel 1:19-21 When the living creatures moved, the wheels beside them moved; and when the living creatures rose from the ground, the wheels also rose. Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, and the wheels would rise along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. When the creatures moved, they also moved; when the creatures stood still, they also stood still; and when the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels rose along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels
I want that in my life, to know instinctively what God wants me to do no matter what, to be able to move in the Spirit, knowing I am walking in the will of God and doing what he would have me do. I bet that was how Noah and Enoch lived their lives. Spending their days gong about their everyday business and yet being in continual communion with God, instinctively knowing His will for them at any given moment in time.
I have such a long way to go, there are so many things that I let get in the way of this, and often, it needs to be a conscious decision to let god into my life, But it shouldn't be, it should be instinctive, natural, the one thing that I do automatically above all else. So it is a case of getting my priorities right, of getting the perspective right, of getting my heart right with God and I need to work on it. As Paul says:
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Because when we start to do that, then everything else will fall into place naturally.
Genesis chapter 5
Whilst this is a seemingly boring list of Adam's descendants, I love how the bible throws in little snippets of information that really make you wish you knew more of the story. Here, for instance, are a few verses concerning Enoch, who became the father of Methuselah when he was 65. He walked with God for 300 years after that and then he was no more, because God took him away.
Imagine that! He had such a close walk with God that instead of dying, like everyone else, God just took him up to heaven to continue the conversation in person! I just think that is amazing, and that is the sort of walk I want. Not the hurried few minutes here and there, my mind busy elsewhere, but a deep and lasting relationship where God knows what I am thinking (which I know He does anyway) and I know what God is thinking, when we spend time just being together, soaking in his presence.
Yet it is so difficult in this busy world to find the time, to stop and make a conscious decision to spend time with God instead of finishing off that piece of work , doing that chore, watching that tv programme or reading that book. There are only so many hours in a day and there is so much to do, so many things that need my attention, it is a case of really having to focus, to get my priorities right, because after all, what could be more important than spending time with God, the Creator of the Universe, the Lord God Almighty, Jehovah-Jirah? Because surely, if I get that right, if I make God my priority, then everything else will flow from there.
Imagine that! He had such a close walk with God that instead of dying, like everyone else, God just took him up to heaven to continue the conversation in person! I just think that is amazing, and that is the sort of walk I want. Not the hurried few minutes here and there, my mind busy elsewhere, but a deep and lasting relationship where God knows what I am thinking (which I know He does anyway) and I know what God is thinking, when we spend time just being together, soaking in his presence.
Yet it is so difficult in this busy world to find the time, to stop and make a conscious decision to spend time with God instead of finishing off that piece of work , doing that chore, watching that tv programme or reading that book. There are only so many hours in a day and there is so much to do, so many things that need my attention, it is a case of really having to focus, to get my priorities right, because after all, what could be more important than spending time with God, the Creator of the Universe, the Lord God Almighty, Jehovah-Jirah? Because surely, if I get that right, if I make God my priority, then everything else will flow from there.
Monday 8 September 2008
Genesis chapter 4
It doesn't actually say in the bible why Cain's offering was not acceptable to God. I think, though, this is a case of Cain's heart not being right with God.
Amos 5: 21-24 “I hate all your show and pretence— the hypocrisy of your religious festivals and solemn assemblies. I will not accept your burnt offerings and grain offerings. I won’t even notice all your choice peace offerings. Away with your noisy hymns of praise! I will not listen to the music of your harps. Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice, an endless river of righteous living."
It’s not something that just happened with Cain, either. Throughout time, many have been guilty of giving half heartedly to God, of paying lip service to worship on a Sunday morning, their minds busy elsewhere whilst their lips are singing. God doesn't ask for part of us, a snippet on a Sunday morning, a few minutes here and there during the week. He wants all of us, body, mind and soul:
Mark 12: 33 To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.
Maybe Cain had been having a really bad day. Maybe his crops had failed, he'd run out of seed and fertiliser, maybe he'd just had enough of scrimping and scraping in the ground to make a living, to grow food and provide for his family. We all have days like that. When whatever we do just takes far longer than we expect, when we hit problem after problem, when everything that could go wrong does, the car breaks down, we're late for a meeting, we forget a deadline, the children are being really obnoxious and disobedient, we are left to do everything ourselves and no one even considers offering to help, etc. But it is how we deal with days like that which distinguishes us from nonbelievers, or should do.
We need to take everything, no matter how big or small, to God, to turn to Him in prayer when we are having that rubbish day and when things go really well. God is not just God of our good days, but He is also God in our bad times. Conversely, it is not just a case of turning to God when things go wrong but of giving Him the praise and glory when things go well. We need to get our hearts right with God, to put Him first in our lives, not second, third, or even further down the list.
Cain didn't do this. He allowed his mood to colour his reactions, let his temper take over, with the result that he killed his own brother. A temper is a very powerful thing, and we can do things when in a real temper that we would never dream of doing normally. When we lose control like that anything can happen. But if we are walking with God, talk with him daily, spend time in prayer and bible study, then this is less likely to happen, because our thoughts and mind will naturally be set on the things of heaven and not of this world. If Cain had been closer to God, maybe things would have turned our differently.
Isaiah 12:2 Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.
Amos 5: 21-24 “I hate all your show and pretence— the hypocrisy of your religious festivals and solemn assemblies. I will not accept your burnt offerings and grain offerings. I won’t even notice all your choice peace offerings. Away with your noisy hymns of praise! I will not listen to the music of your harps. Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice, an endless river of righteous living."
It’s not something that just happened with Cain, either. Throughout time, many have been guilty of giving half heartedly to God, of paying lip service to worship on a Sunday morning, their minds busy elsewhere whilst their lips are singing. God doesn't ask for part of us, a snippet on a Sunday morning, a few minutes here and there during the week. He wants all of us, body, mind and soul:
Mark 12: 33 To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.
Maybe Cain had been having a really bad day. Maybe his crops had failed, he'd run out of seed and fertiliser, maybe he'd just had enough of scrimping and scraping in the ground to make a living, to grow food and provide for his family. We all have days like that. When whatever we do just takes far longer than we expect, when we hit problem after problem, when everything that could go wrong does, the car breaks down, we're late for a meeting, we forget a deadline, the children are being really obnoxious and disobedient, we are left to do everything ourselves and no one even considers offering to help, etc. But it is how we deal with days like that which distinguishes us from nonbelievers, or should do.
We need to take everything, no matter how big or small, to God, to turn to Him in prayer when we are having that rubbish day and when things go really well. God is not just God of our good days, but He is also God in our bad times. Conversely, it is not just a case of turning to God when things go wrong but of giving Him the praise and glory when things go well. We need to get our hearts right with God, to put Him first in our lives, not second, third, or even further down the list.
Cain didn't do this. He allowed his mood to colour his reactions, let his temper take over, with the result that he killed his own brother. A temper is a very powerful thing, and we can do things when in a real temper that we would never dream of doing normally. When we lose control like that anything can happen. But if we are walking with God, talk with him daily, spend time in prayer and bible study, then this is less likely to happen, because our thoughts and mind will naturally be set on the things of heaven and not of this world. If Cain had been closer to God, maybe things would have turned our differently.
Isaiah 12:2 Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.
Genesis chapter 3
Interesting to see how man blamed the woman, and she blamed the serpent. No one standing up and accepting responsibility for making the decision to eat the apple in the first place. It reminds me of two of my boys who aggravate each other something rotten. The 17 year old has been known on many an occasion to say "he made me do it" after he has just hit his 11 year old brother, blaming his younger brother when he loses his temper and resorts to physical violence.
We each have to take responsibility for our own actions. You can’t turn around and say that Eve was the one who made you eat the apple when you had to make a conscious decision to reach out your hand, take the apple and have a bite. Eve was not the one involved in that decision making process, even though she may have been the one trying to persuade you to eat the apple. It was your choice. Similarly, Eve can’t blame the serpent for her choosing to believe his lies and take a bite of the apple.
Both the man and the woman, Adam and Eve, had a close relationship with God, probably far closer than most of us. Yet they were both tempted by the thought of being like God, of knowing good and evil, being all powerful all seeing, all knowing. They gave no thought to what they could lose, only to what they might gain. Sometimes, the price we pay to gain something is not worth it and you only have to look at the price Adam and Eve paid to realise that.
The other thing I never really appreciated before, is that it says in verse 6 "she also gave some to her husband who was with her." It's not a case of Eve wandering around in the garden all on her own, no way. She was with her husband, they were together, so when the serpent spoke to Eve, Adam was right there beside her listening to every word. What a cop out to try and blame Eve when he knew exactly what had been going on and what had been said. He is just as much a party to the sin as Eve was and pretending ignorance, closing his eyes and his mind to the truth is not going to change matters.
It is easy to put the blame on others, to try and make ourselves look good, be the innocent party and whitewash our actions. But really, we are each just as guilty as both Adam and Eve every single time we sin and every single time we try to excuse it by blaming someone else, our circumstances, the economic situation, our lack of this, our need for the other, the weather, the time of year/month/week/day, our employer, our unemployment, the man in the moon, etc.
We need to get real with ourselves, others and God, and admit when we have done wrong, take responsibility when we mess up and stop trying to blame anyone and everyone else.
We each have to take responsibility for our own actions. You can’t turn around and say that Eve was the one who made you eat the apple when you had to make a conscious decision to reach out your hand, take the apple and have a bite. Eve was not the one involved in that decision making process, even though she may have been the one trying to persuade you to eat the apple. It was your choice. Similarly, Eve can’t blame the serpent for her choosing to believe his lies and take a bite of the apple.
Both the man and the woman, Adam and Eve, had a close relationship with God, probably far closer than most of us. Yet they were both tempted by the thought of being like God, of knowing good and evil, being all powerful all seeing, all knowing. They gave no thought to what they could lose, only to what they might gain. Sometimes, the price we pay to gain something is not worth it and you only have to look at the price Adam and Eve paid to realise that.
The other thing I never really appreciated before, is that it says in verse 6 "she also gave some to her husband who was with her." It's not a case of Eve wandering around in the garden all on her own, no way. She was with her husband, they were together, so when the serpent spoke to Eve, Adam was right there beside her listening to every word. What a cop out to try and blame Eve when he knew exactly what had been going on and what had been said. He is just as much a party to the sin as Eve was and pretending ignorance, closing his eyes and his mind to the truth is not going to change matters.
It is easy to put the blame on others, to try and make ourselves look good, be the innocent party and whitewash our actions. But really, we are each just as guilty as both Adam and Eve every single time we sin and every single time we try to excuse it by blaming someone else, our circumstances, the economic situation, our lack of this, our need for the other, the weather, the time of year/month/week/day, our employer, our unemployment, the man in the moon, etc.
We need to get real with ourselves, others and God, and admit when we have done wrong, take responsibility when we mess up and stop trying to blame anyone and everyone else.
Genesis chapter 2
I really struggle at times to take time off work. Life seems so busy, there are accounts to do, tax returns, letters to writes, payrolls to run, Vat Returns to complete - I lead such an exciting life! Then there are the weekly church notices, which recently I have been doing on Sunday morning, getting up extra early so I have enough time to do them. All this doesn't include the time I want to spend on Photoshop, creating, designing, just messing around and what about spending time with the family, taking the children out for the day? There are tags to make, papers to create, places to see, photographs to take, where does the time go and how can I fit everything in?
Yet look at what God did in six days - he created:
1. Heavens and earth, day and night;
2. Sky;
3. Land and seas, vegetation;
4. Sun, moon, stars;
5. Fish and birds;
6. Animals, man and woman.
And on the seventh day, God rested.
On the seventh day He rested (I'm repeating that because I don't think I ever really read this and take it in!). He didn't try and squeeze in another set of accounts, or try and tidy up the office, he didn't carry on and try to finish off that job for Mr A or Mrs B. No, he rested. He might have just fooled around with Jesus and the Holy Spirit, read a book, done a jigsaw, gone out for the day, or just sat in his chair not doing anything in particular. Whatever it was he did, he was resting, just resting. Not thinking about his "to do" list, or what was going to happen tomorrow, or about how he should have done this, that or the other whilst creating everything. Nope, he just rested.
And whilst there's a little voice telling me that he deserved to rest after all that work creating the heavens and earth, sun, moon and stars, seas and sky, and so on, it also tells me that I'm not working hard enough, that I don't deserve time off, time away from the computer, because after all, what have I done that could possibly compare with what God did? Well, the voice is right in one respect, how can what I do possibly compare with what God did?
But God gave us a day of rest, he thought it so important that it was one of the Ten Commandments. So the voice telling me to carry on working can go take a running jump, because my God has said we need to rest,. And if we spend all our time working, how can we possibly have the time to fully appreciate all that God has blessed us with?
Yet look at what God did in six days - he created:
1. Heavens and earth, day and night;
2. Sky;
3. Land and seas, vegetation;
4. Sun, moon, stars;
5. Fish and birds;
6. Animals, man and woman.
And on the seventh day, God rested.
On the seventh day He rested (I'm repeating that because I don't think I ever really read this and take it in!). He didn't try and squeeze in another set of accounts, or try and tidy up the office, he didn't carry on and try to finish off that job for Mr A or Mrs B. No, he rested. He might have just fooled around with Jesus and the Holy Spirit, read a book, done a jigsaw, gone out for the day, or just sat in his chair not doing anything in particular. Whatever it was he did, he was resting, just resting. Not thinking about his "to do" list, or what was going to happen tomorrow, or about how he should have done this, that or the other whilst creating everything. Nope, he just rested.
And whilst there's a little voice telling me that he deserved to rest after all that work creating the heavens and earth, sun, moon and stars, seas and sky, and so on, it also tells me that I'm not working hard enough, that I don't deserve time off, time away from the computer, because after all, what have I done that could possibly compare with what God did? Well, the voice is right in one respect, how can what I do possibly compare with what God did?
But God gave us a day of rest, he thought it so important that it was one of the Ten Commandments. So the voice telling me to carry on working can go take a running jump, because my God has said we need to rest,. And if we spend all our time working, how can we possibly have the time to fully appreciate all that God has blessed us with?
Tuesday 2 September 2008
Genesis chapter 1
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
In the beginning, there was nothing except God and then he created the heavens and the earth.
It always amazes me how people think the universe just happened, and that there is no Creator, no design. It surely takes a much bigger leap of faith to believe there is no God who created the Universe, than it does to believe there is a God?
I reckon people deliberately block their minds to the thought that God exists, that He is real, because then they would have to rethink their lives, the way they act, the things they do and say. After all, if God exists, and the bible is true, then the end of the world is coming, there is going to be judgment and there is a heaven and a hell…. It is easier to ignore all this, to refuse to accept that God exists than it is to change your way of life, your behaviour. And yet the consequences of doing this, of refusing to accept that there is a God who loves each one of us so very much, are catastrophic. I mean, who would really want to spend eternity in the lake of fire? Not me for sure, but that is what people are facing when they reject God.
So, going back to the creation, this is what was created on each of the six days:
1. Heavens and earth, day and night;
2. Sky;
3. Land and seas, vegetation;
4. Sun, moon, stars;
5. Fish and birds;
6. Animals, man and woman.
And on the seventh day, God rested.
That, I think just shows the importance of having a day of rest. Not just because God did, but because it gives us a rest, a break from work. Our bodies have time to recover from whatever we have been doing through the week, and we can spend the day with family, friends, go out for the day, stay in, read a book, mess on the computer, just veg in front of the tv, whatever. We can also take time out to praise God, to give Him the thanks for all that has gone on in the week, and to just worship.
In the beginning, there was nothing except God and then he created the heavens and the earth.
It always amazes me how people think the universe just happened, and that there is no Creator, no design. It surely takes a much bigger leap of faith to believe there is no God who created the Universe, than it does to believe there is a God?
I reckon people deliberately block their minds to the thought that God exists, that He is real, because then they would have to rethink their lives, the way they act, the things they do and say. After all, if God exists, and the bible is true, then the end of the world is coming, there is going to be judgment and there is a heaven and a hell…. It is easier to ignore all this, to refuse to accept that God exists than it is to change your way of life, your behaviour. And yet the consequences of doing this, of refusing to accept that there is a God who loves each one of us so very much, are catastrophic. I mean, who would really want to spend eternity in the lake of fire? Not me for sure, but that is what people are facing when they reject God.
So, going back to the creation, this is what was created on each of the six days:
1. Heavens and earth, day and night;
2. Sky;
3. Land and seas, vegetation;
4. Sun, moon, stars;
5. Fish and birds;
6. Animals, man and woman.
And on the seventh day, God rested.
That, I think just shows the importance of having a day of rest. Not just because God did, but because it gives us a rest, a break from work. Our bodies have time to recover from whatever we have been doing through the week, and we can spend the day with family, friends, go out for the day, stay in, read a book, mess on the computer, just veg in front of the tv, whatever. We can also take time out to praise God, to give Him the thanks for all that has gone on in the week, and to just worship.
Holidays are over
Well, we returned from holiday late Saturday, I spent 2 days washing all the dirty laundry (where did it all come from?!!!) and the boys are now back at school so I am getting into a routine again. I have shamefully neglected posting here these past two weeks, so am about to start with Genesis. Feel free to grab a bible and read along. I'd love to hear what you think about this book.
Monday 1 September 2008
Wednesday 20 August 2008
Old Testament
Well, having now finished the Book of Malachi, it's a case of starting all over again with Genesis. I have several chapters already done and will be posting these over the next few days. Mind you, not that anyone is actually reading these, but I know I enjoy writing these, and am learning about Blogger in the meantime as well as HTML, so maybe, if you do stumble across this blog at some point in the future, it'll help you get as much fun out of the OT as I do!
Thursday 14 August 2008
Malachi chapter 4
1 Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and that day that is coming will set them on fire, says the Lord Almighty. Not a root or a branch will be left to them.
2 But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall.
Have you ever watching calves frolicking in the sun? Seen new born animals jumping around as they get used to four legs? Watched children as they come out from school running to their parents?
I love the sense of freedom these verses bring, of how we will be like calves leaping in the sun. I love a sunny day, when you can feel the sun shining on your face, feel the breeze in the air and know that everything is wonderful.
That is just what these verses remind me of, the sense of freedom we have with Jesus. Not the freedom to do as we want, no matter what the consequences but the freedom to do all things in the Spirit, to be the person God always designed us to be, to fulfil our potential and be sons and daughters of God. Wonderful!
Malachi chapter 3
Firstly, the two messengers, the first being John the Baptist, the second Jesus. John the Baptist prepared the people ready for the coming Messiah, just as Malachi prepared the people for the news of the Messiah here.
When Jesus was on earth the first time, He went to the Temple and caused mayhem when he overturned the tables, threw the moneylenders out, and the Pharisees, the teachers of the day, plotted to have him killed. The Pharisees undoubtedly had a hard time with Jesus, not knowing what he was going to do, what he was going to say, and ale to come up with answers for every question they threw at him. They could not endure the day of his coming even when he was coming to save, not to judge. But when Jesus returns, He will be coming to judge. It won't be a nice welcoming party and then everyone goes home reminiscing about what a lovely time they had. Jesus is returning with an army, just see what is says in Revelation 19:
11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war.
12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no-one knows but he himself.
13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.
14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.
15 Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron sceptre. He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.
It is easy to get lost in the thought of Jesus returning, the Saviour of the world, Lord of Lord, King of Kings, and I know it will be an awesome time. Yet for many, it will be a time of judgement, a time of reaping what they have been sowing, and it is something that many people choose not to even think about. Jesus will be treading the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God, and those who do not have their name written in the Lamb's Book of Life (the ones who are not listed in the scroll of remembrance here in Malachi?) will not be spared.
The return of Jesus is only good news for believers. For those who choose not to believe, who turn their backs on God, who follow false religions, false gods, who worship fame, money, sex, drugs, and all those other things that fill this world, they will not be able to endure the day of his coming.
This is the reason we need to tell others about Jesus, to let them know, through our words, our actions, the way we live our lives exactly who Jesus is and what he has done for each and every one of us. Time is running out. We are living in the end days and seeing bible prophecy come true before our very eyes.
The return of Jesus is imminent - and where do you stand? Is your name written in the Lamb's book of life, on the scroll of remembrance that Malachi talks about?
When Jesus was on earth the first time, He went to the Temple and caused mayhem when he overturned the tables, threw the moneylenders out, and the Pharisees, the teachers of the day, plotted to have him killed. The Pharisees undoubtedly had a hard time with Jesus, not knowing what he was going to do, what he was going to say, and ale to come up with answers for every question they threw at him. They could not endure the day of his coming even when he was coming to save, not to judge. But when Jesus returns, He will be coming to judge. It won't be a nice welcoming party and then everyone goes home reminiscing about what a lovely time they had. Jesus is returning with an army, just see what is says in Revelation 19:
11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war.
12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no-one knows but he himself.
13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.
14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.
15 Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron sceptre. He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.
It is easy to get lost in the thought of Jesus returning, the Saviour of the world, Lord of Lord, King of Kings, and I know it will be an awesome time. Yet for many, it will be a time of judgement, a time of reaping what they have been sowing, and it is something that many people choose not to even think about. Jesus will be treading the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God, and those who do not have their name written in the Lamb's Book of Life (the ones who are not listed in the scroll of remembrance here in Malachi?) will not be spared.
The return of Jesus is only good news for believers. For those who choose not to believe, who turn their backs on God, who follow false religions, false gods, who worship fame, money, sex, drugs, and all those other things that fill this world, they will not be able to endure the day of his coming.
This is the reason we need to tell others about Jesus, to let them know, through our words, our actions, the way we live our lives exactly who Jesus is and what he has done for each and every one of us. Time is running out. We are living in the end days and seeing bible prophecy come true before our very eyes.
The return of Jesus is imminent - and where do you stand? Is your name written in the Lamb's book of life, on the scroll of remembrance that Malachi talks about?
Malachi chapter 2
An indictment against the priests and against unfaithfulness to God and to their marriage vows.
But just take a look at verse 7:
For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, and from his mouth men should seek instruction— because he is the messenger of the Lord Almighty.
A priest is the messenger of the Lord Almighty! That is such an awesome responsibility, to know that you are responsible for passing on the good news of the gospel because you are the messenger of the Lord. But I actually think that this doesn't just apply to priests - each of us believers has been given the great commission (Matthew 28: 19-20 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.). That means that we each have a responsibility to pass on the good news, to let others know about Jesus, and so we too are the messengers of the Lord. We shouldn't let embarrassment, nervousness, uncertainty of the words to use, to let others know. After all, how would you feel if you got to heaven and found out a close friend, relative or neighbour, or even a passing acquaintance was not there because you failed to open your mouth?
I know I am as guilty of this as anyone if not more so. I would far rather use the written word than to actually get up and say something, especially when there are more than one or two people there. But we are messengers of the Lord, we have been entrusted why Jesus with the privilege and task of letting others know about Him, and do you really want to let him down?
But just take a look at verse 7:
For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, and from his mouth men should seek instruction— because he is the messenger of the Lord Almighty.
A priest is the messenger of the Lord Almighty! That is such an awesome responsibility, to know that you are responsible for passing on the good news of the gospel because you are the messenger of the Lord. But I actually think that this doesn't just apply to priests - each of us believers has been given the great commission (Matthew 28: 19-20 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.). That means that we each have a responsibility to pass on the good news, to let others know about Jesus, and so we too are the messengers of the Lord. We shouldn't let embarrassment, nervousness, uncertainty of the words to use, to let others know. After all, how would you feel if you got to heaven and found out a close friend, relative or neighbour, or even a passing acquaintance was not there because you failed to open your mouth?
I know I am as guilty of this as anyone if not more so. I would far rather use the written word than to actually get up and say something, especially when there are more than one or two people there. But we are messengers of the Lord, we have been entrusted why Jesus with the privilege and task of letting others know about Him, and do you really want to let him down?
Malachi chapter 1
Where does the time go? I posted last Friday, I turned around and blinked and it is already Thursday! I used to think if I had an extra hour every day and an extra day in every week, I'd get everything done. I now realise that 25/8 just wouldn't be enough - I need 48/14 to even stand a chance of getting anything done!
Anyhow, enough of that, here's chapter 1 of Malachi, a book that is full of precious gems.
Well, if ever you thought that God was just a god of the Jews, then take another look at this chapter, because it is as clear as day that God is a god of both Jews and Gentiles. In fact, here He is making the point that the worship He was getting from the Gentiles was better than that of the Jews.
The priests were offering up animals that were blind, lame, crippled and diseased. They paid no attention to the laws of Moses that spoke of giving the first of the harvest, the firstborn, the best. God doesn't want the leftovers, the scraps, the things that we know are no good and not as valuable.
Everything, absolutely everything, we have comes from God. He created the earth, the sun, moon and stars, Jesus was there speaking the world into existence as the Holy Spirit moved across the waters (which, on an aside, shows teamwork, and the benefits of working together!). If you truly believe in the God who created everything there is around us, then doesn't He deserve the best you have to offer, because without him, what do you have that will last?
He deserves the best of:
This was in direct contrast to other nations, where God was worshipped wholeheartedly, He was given the honour and praise that is His right, and from the rising to the setting of the sun, His name was great amongst the nations. And reading this again, I don't think this is necessarily in Malachi's time either that the comparison was made between the worship of the Jews and that of the Gentiles. I think this applies just as much today as then, because God is a god of the past, present and future, and time holds no bars for Him.
Anyhow, enough of that, here's chapter 1 of Malachi, a book that is full of precious gems.
Well, if ever you thought that God was just a god of the Jews, then take another look at this chapter, because it is as clear as day that God is a god of both Jews and Gentiles. In fact, here He is making the point that the worship He was getting from the Gentiles was better than that of the Jews.
The priests were offering up animals that were blind, lame, crippled and diseased. They paid no attention to the laws of Moses that spoke of giving the first of the harvest, the firstborn, the best. God doesn't want the leftovers, the scraps, the things that we know are no good and not as valuable.
Everything, absolutely everything, we have comes from God. He created the earth, the sun, moon and stars, Jesus was there speaking the world into existence as the Holy Spirit moved across the waters (which, on an aside, shows teamwork, and the benefits of working together!). If you truly believe in the God who created everything there is around us, then doesn't He deserve the best you have to offer, because without him, what do you have that will last?
He deserves the best of:
- Our time - not a few rushed minutes here and there as we go about our daily business, work, college, school, bringing up the family and so on, or a quick prayer last thing at night before we go to sleep;
- Our money - and yes, this is a controversial subject with some choosing to tithe and others not, but either way, if we are called to give money, then we should do it as an offering to God, not begrudgingly, thinking all the time of what we could have spent the money on if only we didn't have to give to such and such;
- Our efforts - whatever we do we should do it as if we are doing it for God, with a cheerful heart. So whether we are cleaning toilets, or governing the country, or just sitting at our computers, or doing the weekly shopping, we should do it as if God is right before us (which He is anyway), and do the best possible job;
- Our worship and praise - it's not a case of turning up on Sunday morning, singing a few songs whilst our minds are busy working out what we are going to be doing later in the day, in the coming week, or thinking back on what has happened, or dwelling on our problems and concerns. How can we worship God is our minds are busy elsewhere? When we are only paying lip service to the words in the hymns/songs, when we listen to the sermon but don't hear it? And what about the rest of the week? Would others know form our behaviour that we are Christians, or are we consumed by this world and all that is in it, so that there is no difference between us and a non believer?
- Our thoughts, our behaviour - God has a direct link to each one of us and can see into our hearts, our minds. He knows exactly what we are thinking, what we have done, what we are planning on doing, He knows the past, present and future. It’s not a case of moderating our thoughts like we do our behaviour, but of allowing God, through the Holy Spirit, to change us from within so that we become more like Jesus, and gradually, we will have no need to censor our thoughts, our behaviour, because it will be second nature to do as God wills. God wants the very best for us, is He is not going to do anything to us that will harm us.
This was in direct contrast to other nations, where God was worshipped wholeheartedly, He was given the honour and praise that is His right, and from the rising to the setting of the sun, His name was great amongst the nations. And reading this again, I don't think this is necessarily in Malachi's time either that the comparison was made between the worship of the Jews and that of the Gentiles. I think this applies just as much today as then, because God is a god of the past, present and future, and time holds no bars for Him.
Friday 8 August 2008
Malachi - Introduction
After Zechariah, comes Malachi, the last book in the Old Testament.
It is unknown at what time Malachi prophesied; but, it is certain that Malachi's desire was for the Israelites to renew their covenant relationship with God. A spirit of worldliness prevailed among the Israelites just as it does in our communities today. Malachi pointed out the sins that separated the Israelites from experiencing the blessings of God and he appealed to them to repent (Malachi 3:7).
In chapter 1, Malachi first pleaded with Israel to return in full repentance to the Lord who loved them.
Then, in chapter 2, he appealed to the priests, pointing out their hypocrisy.
And, in chapter 3, he prophesied of both the coming Messiah and John the Baptist probably 400 years before the Christian era:
Behold, I will send My messenger, and he shall prepare the way before Me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come (3:1; Luke 7:27).
Finally, like other prophets before him, Malachi foretold the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord (Malachi 4:5), when all the proud . . . and all that do wickedly will be destroyed.
But unto you that fear (reverence) My Name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in His wings (4:1-2).
But unto you that fear (reverence) My Name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in His wings (4:1-2).
Zechariah Chapter 14
Well, this is the final chapter of Zechariah where he foretells of the day of the Lord, when there is no night or day, so it must be as referred to in Revelation 21:23:
The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.
This will be the time when Jesus returns, when there is only one Lord and everyone worships him. Only God's people will escape punishment, and Jerusalem will be the place where all nations go to worship. Jerusalem will be restored, and it will be so holy, that even the cooking pots and pans are holy!
Imagine what a promise of hope this would have been to the Jews who had returned to rebuild the city and the Temple. There were only a few of them, they were under constant threat of attack from their enemies, the city, the walls, the temple were in a dreadful state and they needed manpower, materials and perseverance. Really, nothing has changed since Zechariah wrote these words some 2,500 years ago, The Jews are a small nation, surrounded by enemies under constant threat of attack. Jerusalem is all split up, and there is no immediate prospect of rebuilding the Temple, although plans are in place.
These words are just as much a promise to the Jews of today as they were to the Jews in Zechariah's time. The Lord will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and his name the only name.
Zechariah chapter 13
After reading chapter 12, and how the Jews will look on him whom they pierced and mourn as if for an only son, to read verse 1 here is awesome. On that day, the day when they look on Jesus, a fountain will be opened to the house of David and its inhabitants to cleanse them from their sin and impurity.
This is a never ending fountain of love and mercy, grace and forgiveness, and it will never run out. It is not a case of first come first served, if you miss the fountain when it first opens, you have missed your chance. No, it is for all time and for all peoples. It is the Living Water, Jesus Christ, through whom we are all forgiven, all cleansed, though many people deliberately choose not to accept this free gift of salvation.
The chapter goes on to talk about idols and false prophets, about how they will be removed form the land, bit the false prophets and the spirit of impurity that came with them. This is not just true of the land in the time of Zechariah, because there are many false prophets in these days, seeking to mislead, turn people away from God instead of towards Him. It is a case of always being on the alert, reading our bibles to make sure we know the word of God and know when someone is not speaking the truth from the scriptures. I sit here and think of the various types of gospel that are being propounded today, how if you haven't got something, it is because you don't have enough faith. Try telling that to the starving in Africa, the women in the Sudan who daily face the threat of rape when they go to collect firewood for their family.
There is a house nearby that has recently placed signs outside offering tarot and spirit reading. It is on the main road, where loads of cars and lorries pass by each day, and yet I get a chill every time we drive past. People are hungry for God, yet they are searching in all the wrong places. Tarot cards and spirit readings are from the enemy, satan, the father of lies, and are not from God. I know a spiritualist/medium, who is a lovely woman, and yet she is mixed up with this and makes her living from it. I may well be the only Christian she knows, yet how often do we talk about this?
Then the promise that a remnant, a third will be saved. On the one hand, a third is not a lot, but on the other hand, who really deserves to be saved anyway? God is so gracious, so living, so merciful, and yet so pure and holy, that our sins have separated us from Him and it is only through Jesus that we can freely approach the throne of God, and have eternal life. He is so good, so awesome, so magnificent, that I am overwhelmed by all that He has done and is doing in my life. I just pray my family will open their eyes and see what they are missing out on before it is too late.
This is a never ending fountain of love and mercy, grace and forgiveness, and it will never run out. It is not a case of first come first served, if you miss the fountain when it first opens, you have missed your chance. No, it is for all time and for all peoples. It is the Living Water, Jesus Christ, through whom we are all forgiven, all cleansed, though many people deliberately choose not to accept this free gift of salvation.
The chapter goes on to talk about idols and false prophets, about how they will be removed form the land, bit the false prophets and the spirit of impurity that came with them. This is not just true of the land in the time of Zechariah, because there are many false prophets in these days, seeking to mislead, turn people away from God instead of towards Him. It is a case of always being on the alert, reading our bibles to make sure we know the word of God and know when someone is not speaking the truth from the scriptures. I sit here and think of the various types of gospel that are being propounded today, how if you haven't got something, it is because you don't have enough faith. Try telling that to the starving in Africa, the women in the Sudan who daily face the threat of rape when they go to collect firewood for their family.
There is a house nearby that has recently placed signs outside offering tarot and spirit reading. It is on the main road, where loads of cars and lorries pass by each day, and yet I get a chill every time we drive past. People are hungry for God, yet they are searching in all the wrong places. Tarot cards and spirit readings are from the enemy, satan, the father of lies, and are not from God. I know a spiritualist/medium, who is a lovely woman, and yet she is mixed up with this and makes her living from it. I may well be the only Christian she knows, yet how often do we talk about this?
Then the promise that a remnant, a third will be saved. On the one hand, a third is not a lot, but on the other hand, who really deserves to be saved anyway? God is so gracious, so living, so merciful, and yet so pure and holy, that our sins have separated us from Him and it is only through Jesus that we can freely approach the throne of God, and have eternal life. He is so good, so awesome, so magnificent, that I am overwhelmed by all that He has done and is doing in my life. I just pray my family will open their eyes and see what they are missing out on before it is too late.
Tuesday 5 August 2008
Zechariah chapter 12
One day, everyone will know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Not just Christians, but all unbelievers, they too will come to realise just what they have been turning their backs on all this time. But by then, it will be too late for many of them as their hearts will have become so hardened. I worry about my family, because they do not know Jesus, and yet it is all in God's hands, in His timing and I am trusting in Him that one day they will believe. After all, if a day is as a thousand years to the Lord, then ten years is only quarter of an hour (well 14.4 minutes to be exact!), so there is plenty of time….
But just read these words about a pouring out of the Holy Spirit. I read these and am reminded of Lakeland, Dudley, Wales, all that is happening in the world around us as there is real move of the Holy Spirit, if only we have the eyes to see. We are seeing bible prophecy being fulfilled before our very eyes and there are things happening now, like the plans to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem, that will only happen in the End Times.
But verse 10 here I think is full of such promise, with the outpouring of the Spirit, but such sorrow, when the Jews, the house of David and Jerusalem, look on Jesus and realise what really happened 2,000 years ago. When they look on the one they pierced, Jesus, they will mourn as if for an only child and grieve bitterly. How sorrowful that day will be - imagine looking the scars on Jesus' hands, his feet, and knowing that your ancestors were the ones that actually put the scars there. And yes, I know that we are each responsible for the scars because it is our sins, my sins, the sins of each one of us, that led to this, but the other aspect to this is how the Jews will feel when they acknowledge Jesus. Imagine knowing how you would feel, knowing that someone actually died because your ancestors refused to recognise who he was and deliberately plotted and schemed to kill him. I'm not for one minute saying the Jews are worse than anyone else, that this is all their fault. After all, it is because of all the mean and horrible things I have done that Jesus died, that he now carries those scars. But this is like last year, when people apologised for the slave trade and the harm that our ancestors did to those in Africa and other nations.
Like it says in verse 10, they will grieve bitterly as one grieves for a firstborn son.
But just read these words about a pouring out of the Holy Spirit. I read these and am reminded of Lakeland, Dudley, Wales, all that is happening in the world around us as there is real move of the Holy Spirit, if only we have the eyes to see. We are seeing bible prophecy being fulfilled before our very eyes and there are things happening now, like the plans to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem, that will only happen in the End Times.
But verse 10 here I think is full of such promise, with the outpouring of the Spirit, but such sorrow, when the Jews, the house of David and Jerusalem, look on Jesus and realise what really happened 2,000 years ago. When they look on the one they pierced, Jesus, they will mourn as if for an only child and grieve bitterly. How sorrowful that day will be - imagine looking the scars on Jesus' hands, his feet, and knowing that your ancestors were the ones that actually put the scars there. And yes, I know that we are each responsible for the scars because it is our sins, my sins, the sins of each one of us, that led to this, but the other aspect to this is how the Jews will feel when they acknowledge Jesus. Imagine knowing how you would feel, knowing that someone actually died because your ancestors refused to recognise who he was and deliberately plotted and schemed to kill him. I'm not for one minute saying the Jews are worse than anyone else, that this is all their fault. After all, it is because of all the mean and horrible things I have done that Jesus died, that he now carries those scars. But this is like last year, when people apologised for the slave trade and the harm that our ancestors did to those in Africa and other nations.
Like it says in verse 10, they will grieve bitterly as one grieves for a firstborn son.
Sunday 3 August 2008
Zechariah Chapter 11
Zechariah 11:10 -13 Then I took my staff called Favour and broke it, revoking the covenant I had made with all the nations. It was revoked on that day, and so the afflicted of the flock who were watching me knew it was the word of the Lord. I told them, If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it. So they paid me thirty pieces of silver. And the Lord said to me, Throw it to the potter— the handsome price at which they priced me! So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord to the potter.
30 pieces of silver, the price of a slave gored by an ox, was the value placed on Jesus by the Pharisees. Judas, when he realised exactly what he had done, threw the money at the Pharisees:
Matthew 27: 6-10
The chief priests picked up the coins and said, It is against the law to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money. So they decided to use the money to buy the potter's field as a burial place for foreigners. That is why it has been called the Field of Blood to this day. Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: They took the thirty silver coins, the price set on him by the people of Israel, and they used them to buy the potter's field, as the Lord commanded me.
Coincidence or prophesy? I just think it is so amazing when you read something like this in Zechariah, and then see it actually happen in the New Testament.
But the while point of this chapter is the difference between a god and a bad shepherd and Zechariah has to act it out before the people. He makes two staffs, one called Favour, and the other called Union, and then breaks them in two, to show that God's covenant between him and his chosen people was broken (Favour) and that there is no unity between Israel and Judah (Union). And the thing is, these covenants were broken by the people, not by God, because the people, the Jews had turned away from God and started worshipping false gods. When Jesus, the Messiah, Came, the people, the Pharisees, rejected him, and he was betrayed for 30 pieces of silver, no more than a slave was worth.
The chapter is also a warning to worthless shepherds, those who lead nations, people, churches, who do not care for the flock underneath them. This is like governments who are out to feather their own nests, who accept bribes, oppress the poor and do not seek justice. It is a warning for church leaders, who draw people away from God by their words, their preaching, their lifestyles. Being a leader is a position of great responsibility and not something that should be undertaken lightly.
30 pieces of silver, the price of a slave gored by an ox, was the value placed on Jesus by the Pharisees. Judas, when he realised exactly what he had done, threw the money at the Pharisees:
Matthew 27: 6-10
The chief priests picked up the coins and said, It is against the law to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money. So they decided to use the money to buy the potter's field as a burial place for foreigners. That is why it has been called the Field of Blood to this day. Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: They took the thirty silver coins, the price set on him by the people of Israel, and they used them to buy the potter's field, as the Lord commanded me.
Coincidence or prophesy? I just think it is so amazing when you read something like this in Zechariah, and then see it actually happen in the New Testament.
But the while point of this chapter is the difference between a god and a bad shepherd and Zechariah has to act it out before the people. He makes two staffs, one called Favour, and the other called Union, and then breaks them in two, to show that God's covenant between him and his chosen people was broken (Favour) and that there is no unity between Israel and Judah (Union). And the thing is, these covenants were broken by the people, not by God, because the people, the Jews had turned away from God and started worshipping false gods. When Jesus, the Messiah, Came, the people, the Pharisees, rejected him, and he was betrayed for 30 pieces of silver, no more than a slave was worth.
The chapter is also a warning to worthless shepherds, those who lead nations, people, churches, who do not care for the flock underneath them. This is like governments who are out to feather their own nests, who accept bribes, oppress the poor and do not seek justice. It is a warning for church leaders, who draw people away from God by their words, their preaching, their lifestyles. Being a leader is a position of great responsibility and not something that should be undertaken lightly.
Zechariah chapter 10
People in authority, MP's, government ministers, local Councillors, pastors, priests, teachers, business leaders, the police, have such a responsibility under God that I don't think many of them truly appreciate that they will be held to account for how they use the power they hold. It is not just a case of priests, pastors, ministers, church leaders, being held to account for how they have led the congregation, the church, but those in positions of authority, no matter who they are, will be judged by God for how they dealt with people, how they led them in the good times and the bad.
People in authority have such a responsibility and many of them do not even realise it. They go into politics, business as a career move, a way of making money, not appreciating the full consequences of what they are doing. Yes, there are many who do realise the significance, and how they will be held to account, but you only have to look around at the number of politicians using the media to try and portray things in the best possible light, who very rarely answer a question but just confuse you with waffle, and who seek to bury bad news.
In these verses, God is criticising the leaders of Judah and Israel for leading his people astray. The people followed the example of the leaders, the priests, the teachers, and did as they saw. This is one very good reason why we as Christians should be seen to "walk the talk" and let our lifestyles match up with our words, our profession of faith. We too will be held accountable if our way of life causes someone else to stumble.
Jesus is the shepherd, the cornerstone, the tent peg and it is so sad that billions of people today do not realise this. There is so much evidence that Jesus Christ lived, died, was buried and rose again and yet people even doubt his very existence. I think I read somewhere that there is more evidence for the life of Jesus than for that of Shakespeare! And yes, the cynical may say that it was all a Roman plot, or a scheme devised by the disciples who stole Jesus' body and there is no real proof. But if that is the case, why did every single disciple refuse to deny the resurrection? All of them except John were martyred, having their heads chopped off, being crucified and goodness knows what else, but not one of them denied the resurrection, or confessed it was all a lie. I can't think of many people who would suffer an excruciating death because of a lie - they would only do that if it was the truth. After all, if you're lying there about to be tortured or killed in some really painful way, you are going to try and get out of it, and admitting the resurrection was a scam would be the one thing that your torturers/executioners would want to hear. But not one of the disciples ever admitted that. Would you go to your death because of a lie or would you admit the truth? The fact that none of the disciples ever said that Jesus did not rise from the dead has got to be proof it really happened. Nothing else explains it.
And then in verse 6, God has compassion on the people of Judah and Israel, they are reunited as one people, restored, and it is as if God had never rejected them in the first place, because He is the Lord their God, our God, my God, and He will answer them, you and me.
People in authority have such a responsibility and many of them do not even realise it. They go into politics, business as a career move, a way of making money, not appreciating the full consequences of what they are doing. Yes, there are many who do realise the significance, and how they will be held to account, but you only have to look around at the number of politicians using the media to try and portray things in the best possible light, who very rarely answer a question but just confuse you with waffle, and who seek to bury bad news.
In these verses, God is criticising the leaders of Judah and Israel for leading his people astray. The people followed the example of the leaders, the priests, the teachers, and did as they saw. This is one very good reason why we as Christians should be seen to "walk the talk" and let our lifestyles match up with our words, our profession of faith. We too will be held accountable if our way of life causes someone else to stumble.
Jesus is the shepherd, the cornerstone, the tent peg and it is so sad that billions of people today do not realise this. There is so much evidence that Jesus Christ lived, died, was buried and rose again and yet people even doubt his very existence. I think I read somewhere that there is more evidence for the life of Jesus than for that of Shakespeare! And yes, the cynical may say that it was all a Roman plot, or a scheme devised by the disciples who stole Jesus' body and there is no real proof. But if that is the case, why did every single disciple refuse to deny the resurrection? All of them except John were martyred, having their heads chopped off, being crucified and goodness knows what else, but not one of them denied the resurrection, or confessed it was all a lie. I can't think of many people who would suffer an excruciating death because of a lie - they would only do that if it was the truth. After all, if you're lying there about to be tortured or killed in some really painful way, you are going to try and get out of it, and admitting the resurrection was a scam would be the one thing that your torturers/executioners would want to hear. But not one of the disciples ever admitted that. Would you go to your death because of a lie or would you admit the truth? The fact that none of the disciples ever said that Jesus did not rise from the dead has got to be proof it really happened. Nothing else explains it.
And then in verse 6, God has compassion on the people of Judah and Israel, they are reunited as one people, restored, and it is as if God had never rejected them in the first place, because He is the Lord their God, our God, my God, and He will answer them, you and me.
Zechariah Chapter 9
As well as the doom and gloom prophesied for Aram and Damascus, Hamath, Tyre and Sidon, this chapter is also all about the Messiah, Jesus Christ.
It is amazing to think that these words were written some 500 years or more before Jesus was born, and yet it all came to pass just as it is written in verse 9. then in verse 10, this prophesy has yet to be fulfilled. I love the way the bible does that - like a huge Persian carpet with everything fitting together into one beautiful pattern. You can examine the detail here, the pattern there, but it is not until you step back and look at the whole thing, the whole bible, that you get the full picture. How can you understand the grace and mercy of God, the great sacrifice He made for us, if you do not read the New Testament, and how can you appreciate just how deeply and steadfastly he loves us, without reading the Old Testament? They fit together like pieces of a jigsaw, and the picture on the jigsaw is Jesus.
It is amazing to think that these words were written some 500 years or more before Jesus was born, and yet it all came to pass just as it is written in verse 9. then in verse 10, this prophesy has yet to be fulfilled. I love the way the bible does that - like a huge Persian carpet with everything fitting together into one beautiful pattern. You can examine the detail here, the pattern there, but it is not until you step back and look at the whole thing, the whole bible, that you get the full picture. How can you understand the grace and mercy of God, the great sacrifice He made for us, if you do not read the New Testament, and how can you appreciate just how deeply and steadfastly he loves us, without reading the Old Testament? They fit together like pieces of a jigsaw, and the picture on the jigsaw is Jesus.
Zechariah Chapter 8
2-3 This is what the Lord Almighty says: I am very jealous for Zion; I am burning with jealousy for her. This is what the Lord says: I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the Lord Almighty will be called the Holy Mountain.
7-8 This is what the Lord Almighty says: I will save my people from the countries of the east and the west. I will bring them back to live in Jerusalem; they will be my people, and I will be faithful and righteous to them as their God.
This is how God feels about Jerusalem, about His people, His chosen nation (which includes us believers as descendants of Abraham) and how one day, Jesus will come to live in Jerusalem, the city he died for. He is passionate about us - sometimes that is hard to believe. After all, I know myself pretty well and sometimes, I don't like me, when I get cross and crabby, when I take out my stress and anxiety on others without meaning too, when I have no time for anyone else because I am so busy. I look in the mirror and wonder how anyone can be passionate about me, but it is just how God feels about each one of us believers.
He created us, designed every strand of our hair, every molecule on our body, the colour of our eyes, our height, the shape of our nose, our mouths, and face, anything and everything about us, He knew before we were born just how we would be. He sees us and sees someone who is beautiful, even on the inside, because we have been washed clean. He sees us as clothed in white robes of righteousness because of the sacrifice Jesus made for each and every one of us.
And one day, God and Jesus will be living in Jerusalem - just check out Revelation 21 for this. In that day, it will be as described here, people will be able to sit out in the sun, children will be able to play, it will be a safe place to live. Who can say that at the moment about Jerusalem with the news of the recent bombings and suicide bulldozer attacks and the like?
So this chapter is full of encouragement for the people, who had returned to Jerusalem, seen the devastation and were overwhelmed by the magnitude of the task ahead of them. I get like that frequently, especially with the tax credit deadline at the end of this month and the amount of work I have to get through by then. But it is a case of remembering that anything is possible for God, and with God on our side, how can we fail?
7-8 This is what the Lord Almighty says: I will save my people from the countries of the east and the west. I will bring them back to live in Jerusalem; they will be my people, and I will be faithful and righteous to them as their God.
This is how God feels about Jerusalem, about His people, His chosen nation (which includes us believers as descendants of Abraham) and how one day, Jesus will come to live in Jerusalem, the city he died for. He is passionate about us - sometimes that is hard to believe. After all, I know myself pretty well and sometimes, I don't like me, when I get cross and crabby, when I take out my stress and anxiety on others without meaning too, when I have no time for anyone else because I am so busy. I look in the mirror and wonder how anyone can be passionate about me, but it is just how God feels about each one of us believers.
He created us, designed every strand of our hair, every molecule on our body, the colour of our eyes, our height, the shape of our nose, our mouths, and face, anything and everything about us, He knew before we were born just how we would be. He sees us and sees someone who is beautiful, even on the inside, because we have been washed clean. He sees us as clothed in white robes of righteousness because of the sacrifice Jesus made for each and every one of us.
And one day, God and Jesus will be living in Jerusalem - just check out Revelation 21 for this. In that day, it will be as described here, people will be able to sit out in the sun, children will be able to play, it will be a safe place to live. Who can say that at the moment about Jerusalem with the news of the recent bombings and suicide bulldozer attacks and the like?
So this chapter is full of encouragement for the people, who had returned to Jerusalem, seen the devastation and were overwhelmed by the magnitude of the task ahead of them. I get like that frequently, especially with the tax credit deadline at the end of this month and the amount of work I have to get through by then. But it is a case of remembering that anything is possible for God, and with God on our side, how can we fail?
Zechariah Chapter 7
What do you really feel when you go to church on Sunday? Is it a case of turning up because that's just what you do on Sunday, because all your friends go, your colleagues, business associates? Is it a case of going to impress the neighbours as to how holy your are, how good and righteous, how faithful? Or do you go to worship the one true Living God, to give Him your praise, your worship, your thanks? To seek his face, and to do his will?
And what about the rest of the week? Do you have a Christian face you wear on Sunday mornings, only to take it off the rest of the time when you lie, gossip, take part in shady business deals, beat your wife behind closed doors, abuse your children, your employees?
Here, God is telling the people of Bethel in no uncertain terms that they had a Sunday face, they were worshipping, fasting, but their hearts were not in it. They were doing it for show, and there was no meaning behind the ritual.
We need to get our hearts right, to turn to God and not just be a Sunday Christian. Our lives need to reflect our faith, whether we are with others or on our own. We may be able to fool others, to fool ourselves, but we are unable to fool God. He sees right inside each one of us, to those deep dark places we never even venture ourselves because they are too murky, too depressing, with all the hidden sins and secrets. He knows when we wear our Sunday faces, when our hearts are not in the worship, it is just meaningless words, and he also knows when our hearts are truly filled with worship, when our voices are raised to him in praise and we really mean it with every atom of our being.
We are called to love mercy, to seek justice and to walk humbly with our God (Micah 6:8), just as much as the Israelites were when they went to Zechariah asking if they should keep the day of mourning as they had for the past 70 years. Our hearts need to be right with God, not our demonstrations and professions of faith.
And what about the rest of the week? Do you have a Christian face you wear on Sunday mornings, only to take it off the rest of the time when you lie, gossip, take part in shady business deals, beat your wife behind closed doors, abuse your children, your employees?
Here, God is telling the people of Bethel in no uncertain terms that they had a Sunday face, they were worshipping, fasting, but their hearts were not in it. They were doing it for show, and there was no meaning behind the ritual.
We need to get our hearts right, to turn to God and not just be a Sunday Christian. Our lives need to reflect our faith, whether we are with others or on our own. We may be able to fool others, to fool ourselves, but we are unable to fool God. He sees right inside each one of us, to those deep dark places we never even venture ourselves because they are too murky, too depressing, with all the hidden sins and secrets. He knows when we wear our Sunday faces, when our hearts are not in the worship, it is just meaningless words, and he also knows when our hearts are truly filled with worship, when our voices are raised to him in praise and we really mean it with every atom of our being.
We are called to love mercy, to seek justice and to walk humbly with our God (Micah 6:8), just as much as the Israelites were when they went to Zechariah asking if they should keep the day of mourning as they had for the past 70 years. Our hearts need to be right with God, not our demonstrations and professions of faith.
Tuesday 29 July 2008
Zechariah chapter 6
I read these and my first thought was "wow!" Not because of the judgment on the first part of the chapter, or even because of the foretelling of Jesus, the branch, who will be both priest and king, wit perfect harmony between the two roles. But verse 15 really spoke to me:
Those who are far away will come and help to build the temple of the Lord, and you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you. This will happen if you diligently obey the Lord your God.
There are plans to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem now, they have been drawn up and the clothes for the priests are under design even now. All this before anything has been agreed (or even seems likely to be agreed) about exactly where on the Temple Mount and how, it will be built. Jerusalem and the prospects of a new, third, Temple is such a political minefield in the Middle East, particularly as some nations believe Israel should be wiped from the face of the earth.
The chapters of Zechariah are full of the coming judgment of God, which applies to each and every one of us, not just the Jews. Yet there is also such promise, such hope. Those from far away will come to rebuild the temple of the Lord….isn't that amazing?
Interestingly, this promise from God is not a blank cheque book, it is not a case of God telling the Israelites that the Temple will be rebuilt no matter what they do. The catch is that they have to "diligently obey the Lord your God." They cannot slide further and further into wickedness and depravity as the Babylonians did (and suffered accordingly for). Instead, they have to obey God, to follow his laws and trust in Him, and then everything will flow from there. It is a conditional promise, and they have to fulfil their side of the bargain. This is just as God promised to Solomon in 2 Chronicles 7:14:
If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
And I know this verse has been coming to mind a lot over these past few weeks. God's judgment is coming, it cannot be long now, Yet will we turn and follow Him, humble ourselves, pray and seek His face and turn from our wicked ways? Because if we will, then He promises to hear from heaven, to forgive our sins and to heal our land.
Those who are far away will come and help to build the temple of the Lord, and you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you. This will happen if you diligently obey the Lord your God.
There are plans to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem now, they have been drawn up and the clothes for the priests are under design even now. All this before anything has been agreed (or even seems likely to be agreed) about exactly where on the Temple Mount and how, it will be built. Jerusalem and the prospects of a new, third, Temple is such a political minefield in the Middle East, particularly as some nations believe Israel should be wiped from the face of the earth.
The chapters of Zechariah are full of the coming judgment of God, which applies to each and every one of us, not just the Jews. Yet there is also such promise, such hope. Those from far away will come to rebuild the temple of the Lord….isn't that amazing?
Interestingly, this promise from God is not a blank cheque book, it is not a case of God telling the Israelites that the Temple will be rebuilt no matter what they do. The catch is that they have to "diligently obey the Lord your God." They cannot slide further and further into wickedness and depravity as the Babylonians did (and suffered accordingly for). Instead, they have to obey God, to follow his laws and trust in Him, and then everything will flow from there. It is a conditional promise, and they have to fulfil their side of the bargain. This is just as God promised to Solomon in 2 Chronicles 7:14:
If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
And I know this verse has been coming to mind a lot over these past few weeks. God's judgment is coming, it cannot be long now, Yet will we turn and follow Him, humble ourselves, pray and seek His face and turn from our wicked ways? Because if we will, then He promises to hear from heaven, to forgive our sins and to heal our land.
Zechariah chapter 5
This, to me is full of the judgment of God against man for his wickedness, the lying, stealing, cheating and everything else that we do. The first half of the chapter deals with the curse of God which is sent into every home, and the second half is about Israel, how she will be sent away to Babylon in punishment for her sins.
But it is not just symbolic of Israel, but also of every man, woman and child on earth. The judgment of God is coming:
Zephaniah 3:8 Therefore wait for me, declares the Lord , for the day I will stand up to testify. I have decided to assemble the nations, to gather the kingdoms and to pour out my wrath on them— all my fierce anger. The whole world will be consumed by the fire of my jealous anger.
But the good news is:
Zephaniah 3:9 Then will I purify the lips of the peoples, that all of them may call on the name of the Lord and serve him shoulder to shoulder.
Isn't God just so awesome? Yes, judgment is coming, but so is God's mercy, God's forgiveness, God's love. It is a case of being alert at all times, because God is all around us, waiting, watching, a source of strength and comfort, a rock and a shelter, a source of hope and joy.
But it is not just symbolic of Israel, but also of every man, woman and child on earth. The judgment of God is coming:
Zephaniah 3:8 Therefore wait for me, declares the Lord , for the day I will stand up to testify. I have decided to assemble the nations, to gather the kingdoms and to pour out my wrath on them— all my fierce anger. The whole world will be consumed by the fire of my jealous anger.
But the good news is:
Zephaniah 3:9 Then will I purify the lips of the peoples, that all of them may call on the name of the Lord and serve him shoulder to shoulder.
Isn't God just so awesome? Yes, judgment is coming, but so is God's mercy, God's forgiveness, God's love. It is a case of being alert at all times, because God is all around us, waiting, watching, a source of strength and comfort, a rock and a shelter, a source of hope and joy.
Zechariah chapter 4
It says in my study bible that the gold lampstand with the seven lamps on it and the bowl of oil at the top represents God's power, which is reflected in the light. The light is supplied by the oil, which is in continuous supply.
As Christians, we too need to be filled with God's power, with the Holy spirit, so that we can bring light to this dark world. We can't do anything on our own, it is only through God , by his Spirit that we can achieve anything. I look around and there is so much need in the world, so much evil. There are some truly wicked people out there committing some awful acts, and I sit and wonder what can I do sat here at my computer, day in, day out. To a certain extent, the world passes me by as I rarely watch television or pick up a newspaper, there always seems to be something else to do. Yet God is all around us, He is in the very air that we breathe. Like the seven lamps representing the eyes of the Lord that search all around the earth, I am so reminded of 2 Chronicles 16:9:
For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.
God is aware of everything that is going on and through His Spirit, not by our might or power, we are able to achieve great things. Even sat here at a computer all day, I can pray, I can use my computer to prepare the church notices and include in those things that seem relevant, I can do my bible readings, have my quiet time, and do all sorts. All things are possible through God, and whilst the world is a very evil place, there is some good out there, and all it takes for evil to win is for good men and women to do nothing.
The other thing that struck me is the resemblance to Revelation chapter 1 with the seven lampstands being the seven churches. Maybe part of the problem with the churches, with the church today as well, is that they did not keep a ready supply of oil, they did not keep going back and filling up with oil, with the holy Spirit. Now I'm no bible scholar or great theologian, as you would probably be the first to agree, but maybe part of the problem is that we don't allow the Holy Spirit free reign. We keep things firmly in little boxes, only venturing out when this committee has agreed it, or that committee has approved it, or the time is right, the situation warrants it, and very rarely do we step out in the Spirit. What would happen if we were all filled with the Holy Spirit (which I know as believers we are) and instead of squashing Him down, pushing Him into a little box only to be opened on Sunday mornings, we allowed him control? What if when the Spirit led, we followed, when the Spirit gave us a direction, we went that way? Because it is not by our might, our power, the work of our hands, minds or brains. It is by the power of God. How can we expect this crusade, that bible study group, this prayer meeting, and so on to succeed if we don't let the Holy Spirit have a look in?
The people who had returned to Jerusalem here were being told that they had an insurmountable task and the only way they were going to succeed was through the power of God, through the Holy Spirit at work. Maybe it is time to let the Holy Spirit loose, to allow things like Lakeland, Dudley and all the other outpourings to really make a difference in our lives, to live in the Spirit, and not to smother a movement of God.
As Christians, we too need to be filled with God's power, with the Holy spirit, so that we can bring light to this dark world. We can't do anything on our own, it is only through God , by his Spirit that we can achieve anything. I look around and there is so much need in the world, so much evil. There are some truly wicked people out there committing some awful acts, and I sit and wonder what can I do sat here at my computer, day in, day out. To a certain extent, the world passes me by as I rarely watch television or pick up a newspaper, there always seems to be something else to do. Yet God is all around us, He is in the very air that we breathe. Like the seven lamps representing the eyes of the Lord that search all around the earth, I am so reminded of 2 Chronicles 16:9:
For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.
God is aware of everything that is going on and through His Spirit, not by our might or power, we are able to achieve great things. Even sat here at a computer all day, I can pray, I can use my computer to prepare the church notices and include in those things that seem relevant, I can do my bible readings, have my quiet time, and do all sorts. All things are possible through God, and whilst the world is a very evil place, there is some good out there, and all it takes for evil to win is for good men and women to do nothing.
The other thing that struck me is the resemblance to Revelation chapter 1 with the seven lampstands being the seven churches. Maybe part of the problem with the churches, with the church today as well, is that they did not keep a ready supply of oil, they did not keep going back and filling up with oil, with the holy Spirit. Now I'm no bible scholar or great theologian, as you would probably be the first to agree, but maybe part of the problem is that we don't allow the Holy Spirit free reign. We keep things firmly in little boxes, only venturing out when this committee has agreed it, or that committee has approved it, or the time is right, the situation warrants it, and very rarely do we step out in the Spirit. What would happen if we were all filled with the Holy Spirit (which I know as believers we are) and instead of squashing Him down, pushing Him into a little box only to be opened on Sunday mornings, we allowed him control? What if when the Spirit led, we followed, when the Spirit gave us a direction, we went that way? Because it is not by our might, our power, the work of our hands, minds or brains. It is by the power of God. How can we expect this crusade, that bible study group, this prayer meeting, and so on to succeed if we don't let the Holy Spirit have a look in?
The people who had returned to Jerusalem here were being told that they had an insurmountable task and the only way they were going to succeed was through the power of God, through the Holy Spirit at work. Maybe it is time to let the Holy Spirit loose, to allow things like Lakeland, Dudley and all the other outpourings to really make a difference in our lives, to live in the Spirit, and not to smother a movement of God.
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