Friday, January 9, 2014 ~ Action

GENESIS 23,24

Sarah dies and Abraham buries her in a cave purchased from the Hittites.  He then sends his servant to his relatives and requests a bride for Isaac.  His servant travels and prays that God will bless his journey.  He meets Rebekah, after telling her family how God has sent him to find a wife for Isaac, they agree to let Rebekah leave and she marries Isaac.  

MATTHEW 8

Jesus comes down from the mountainside and immediately begins to heal those that come to him and are sick.  A centurion (Roman officer, commanding 100 men) comes to him and asks jesus to heal his servant.

Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof.  But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.  For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one .'Go," and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes...

Jesus is surprised by the man's faith

"I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.  But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." 

Jesus continues to heal and crowds follow him.  He gets into a boat to head to the other side of the lake. A storm comes up and he the disciples are terrified. He rebukes them.

You of little faith, why are you so afraid? Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. 

After arriving on the other side he meets two demon-possessed men coming out of the tombs. Jesus confronts them and commands the spirits to leave them and they are sent into a herd of pigs. The pigs run off into the water and are drowned.  The Men that were tending the pigs ran into town and informed everyone who then come out and ask Jesus to leave their region.

JOURNAL

Faith involves action.  It in all of these passages, the result of great faith are the actions that follow.  I think it is why Jesus says in the sermon that "good trees bear good fruit".  Actions don't earn righteousness, but faith produces action. 

My grandfather was a dean of students in Mississippi and taught economics.  I remember a story he used to tell his students who would refused to study and just "depend on God". 

There was a man who lived next to a river.  One day the tide was rising and it was forecasted that a great flood was coming.  As a boat passed his house, the man in the boat yelled out for him to get in.  The man of the house responded that  "God will save me".  So the waters rose higher, now they were in his yard and steadily rising.  Another boat pulls up and the man asks him to get in.  The man of the house responds, "No, I am trusting God, he will save me".  Finally the waters are in his house and the man of the house is sitting on the roof. A helicopter approaches and calls over the loudspeaker to get in the basket before he is swept away.  The man of the house responds, "No, I have great faith that God will save me".   Well the waters rise, sweep the man and the house away and he dies.  He confronts God in Heaven and asks why with such great faith that he refused to save him.  God responds, "I sent you two boats and a helicopter, what more did you want."

“Live your truth. Express your love. Share your enthusiasm. Take action towards your dreams. Walk your talk. Dance and sing to your music. Embrace your blessings. Make today worth remembering.”  

Steve Maraboli

Question: "What does it mean to surrender to God?"

The following is from the site: http://www.gotquestions.org/surrender-to-God.html#ixzz3OG8Hx99C


Question: "What does it mean to surrender to God?"

Answer: This world is a battleground. Since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:17-19), the world God created has been in conflict with Him (Romans 8:20-22). Satan is called the "god of this world" (2 Corinthians 4:4), and due to Adam's sin, we are born on his team (Romans 5:12). John Bunyan pictured this conflict in his allegory The Holy War. Prince Emmanuel besieges the city of Mansoul to wrest it from the power of Diabolus. Unfortunately, the citizens of Mansoul are blindly committed to Diabolus and fight against Emmanuel, to their own detriment.

When we reach the age when we can make moral choices, we must choose whether to follow our own sinful inclinations or to seek God (see Joshua 24:15). God promises that when we seek Him with all our hearts, we will find Him (Jeremiah 29:13). When we find Him, we have a choice to make: do we continue following our own inclinations, or do we surrender to His will?

Surrender is a battle term. It implies giving up all rights to the conqueror. When an opposing army surrenders, they lay down their arms, and the winners take control from then on. Surrendering to God works the same way. God has a plan for our lives, and surrendering to Him means we set aside our own plans and eagerly seek His. The good news is that God’s plan for us is always in our best interest (Jeremiah 29:11), unlike our own plans that often lead to destruction (Proverbs 14:12). Our Lord is a wise and beneficent victor; He conquers us to bless us.

There are different levels of surrender, all of which affect our relationship with God. Initial surrender to the drawing of the Holy Spirit leads to salvation (John 6:44; Acts 2:21). When we let go of our own attempts to earn God's favor and rely upon the finished work of Jesus Christ on our behalf, we become a child of God (John 1:12; 2 Corinthians 5:21). But there are times of greater surrender during a Christian's life that bring deeper intimacy with God and greater power in service. The more areas of our lives we surrender to Him, the more room there is for the filling of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we exhibit traits of His character (Galatians 5:22). The more we surrender to God, the more our old self-worshiping nature is replaced with one that resembles Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Romans 6:13 says that God demands that we surrender the totality of our selves; He wants the whole, not a part: “Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness.” Jesus said that His followers must deny themselves (Mark 8:34)—another call to surrender.

The goal of the Christian life can be summed up by Galatians 2:20: "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Such a life of surrender is pleasing to God, results in the greatest human fulfillment, and will reap ultimate rewards in heaven (Luke 6:22-23).


Read more: http://www.gotquestions.org/surrender-to-God.html#ixzz3OG8Hx99C

01/08/2014 Genesis 20-22 ~ Matthew 7

Genesis 20-22

Abraham moves into the region of the Negev.  While there he tells Abimelech, King of Gerar that Sarah is his sister.  So just as in Egypt, Abimelech takes Sarah as his wife.  God intervenes in a dream and as a result, Abimelech does not sleep with Sarah and Abraham is given more money, livestock and the right to live in the land.

Sometime later Sarah conceives and gives birth to Isaac.  Sometime later God tests Abraham and commands him to sacrifice Isaac.  Abraham obeys and as he is raising the knife, God stops him.

But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!"..."Do not lay a hand on the boy...Do not do anything to him.  Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withhold from me your son,  your only son."

MATTHEW 7

Chapter 7 completes the sermon.

• Judging: Do not judge or you too will be judged.
• Prudence: Do not give to dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs.
• Prayer: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened.
• Others: So, in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
• Proof of the Kingdom: By their fruit you will recognize them...every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit...Not everyone who says to me 'Lord, Lord' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  Many will say to me on that day...did wen not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?  Then I will tell them plainly.  I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!

JOURNAL

Faith. That is the true measure of those that are believers and will be welcomed into Heaven. It is not results, nor is it power or position.  It is also not doing deeds and serving God. Jesus goes right to the heart at the end of his sermon.  

Often I have seen God as my consultant or Genie in a bottle.  I have tried to emulate good deeds. Show myself to be a good person.  Try to have good results.  In the end it is all pointless, because it is all about what I get out of it. It has nothing to do with faith and truly selling out and obeying God.  I see in Abraham a man who would willingly sell out his wife out of fear.  Yet God protects him and blesses him and finally calls him on his true allegiance.  He stops him only as he raises the knife to kill his only son.  

Abraham was a manipulative rogue who used his half sister/wife to gain possessions.  Yet God redeems him and does so through the heart of his faith.  It is this same faith that Christ calls us in.  It is the final measuring stick of our lives.  It is how we know God and how he redeems us.  Not by results but by faith.

"God loves you! So do I! Make it a great day!"

 

Genesis 18,19 ~ Matthew 6

GENESIS 18,19

God and two Angels appear to Abraham.  They actually meet and converse with him as men.  Abraham has Sarah make them a meal.  While they are talking, God tells him he will return in a year and Sarah will have a son. Sarah laughs at this and God calls her on it.

Then the Lord said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'Will I really have a child, now that I am old?' Is anything too hard for the Lord?

God then tells Abraham that he will destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham pleads with him and God agrees that if he finds 10 righteous people he will spare the city.  The two Angels head to Sodom and are met by Lot, who puts them up for the night.  The men of the city, hear they are there and come calling to have sex with the men. Lot refuses and offers his daughters instead. The two Angels pull him inside and instruct him to leave the city because of its imminent destruction.  Lot leaves in haste in the middle of the night with only his two daughters and wife.

As the cities are being destroyed Lot's wife looks back and becomes a pillar of salt. His two daughters realizing that they no longer have any prospects of marriage get their father  drunk and sleep with him and both conceive.

MATTHEW 6

Chapter six continues with the living out of Kingdom Life...

• So when you give to the needy...do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret.
• When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites...to be seen by men.
• But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
• ...when you Fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting...
• Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth...
• No one can serve two masters...You cannot serve both God and Money.
• Do not worry about your life...Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?For  the pagans run after all these things and your heavenly Father knows that you need them...Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you as well.

JOURNAL

Trust...that is the word that strikes me when reading this morning.  What do I really trust in?  Again, I fail at all these things.I doubt God's provision and goodness, I look back with regret and longing. I worry, boast, want credit, hold grudges, hoard and am consumed with my own needs.   What a mess!  

I do realize it is not just me...I see my boys do it daily.  I know more and more that as human's we all are infected with the disease of sin. It is relentless in all the ways it poisons our minds and hearts. Jesus knows this, I think it is why 3 of the 27 chapters of Matthew are devoted to this one sermon.  

First of all I think it reveals that we are all sinners, secondly it reveals the character and love of God and thirdly it puts the focus on daily trusting, following and obeying God.  To seek first God's Kingdom and his righteousness, means that it is not my kingdom or my righteousness...it is God's.  The only way I can seek and receive is to truly give all my hopes, dreams, wants and desires to God.  In order to do that...I have to trust him. 

“The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them.” 

~ Ernest Hemingway

January 6, 2015

GENESIS 15-17

Abram begins to think about his legacy and the fact that he has no children.  He inquires of God stating that he fears that all that he has accumulated will just go to one of his servants.  God tenderly tells him that his descendants will be more numerous than the stars.  God also gives him the prophecy of the Egyptian bondage, however he assures Abram that he will rest in peace.  

Sarai becomes impatient and gives her Egyptian servant Hagar to Abram for him to sleep with and therefore produce an heir.  She conceives and Sarai begins to hate Hagar.  She blames Abram. God comforts Hagar and gives her strength to stay as a servant.  So Hagar gives birth to a son and names him Ishmael.  

When Abram is ninety nine years old and Ishmael is 13, God has him circumcise all males as a way to distinguish future generations.  He then confirms that Sarai will conceive and her name from now on is to be Sarah.  God also changes Abram's name to Abraham.

MATTHEW 5:27-44

Jesus continues teaching and begins to address every law in the old testament and give an explanation of it's true meaning in obedience to God.

• But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
• But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress
• Do not swear...Simply let your Yes be Yes and your No, No: anything beyond this comes from the evil one. 
• Do not resist an evil person.  If someone strikes you on the right cheek turn to him the other also.  If someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
• Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven...If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?...And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?  Be perfect therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

JOURNAL

These words had to be completely overwhelming to his disciples.  They are overwhelming to me.  No  person can escape being convicted of sin.  The commands start extreme and then accelerate to a point of being impossible..."be perfect".  We are all doomed.  We have all sinned.  No man can boast, no man is righteous.

God confounds and rattles all my preconceived notions of righteousness.  He does it with Abraham and Jesus does it in his teachings.  It again goes to the heart of my selfishness and pride. On my own I will always fail.  On my own I will never be perfect.  On my own I will cave to my flesh and my stuff. I will be fearful, angry and manipulative.

And God knows this, he has always known and he is not surprised.  He knows my efforts are futile, my promises meaningless, my intentions sinful, my days numbered and yet he loves me and died to prove it.  He gives me a gift that is beyond a gift...it is salvation to a wretched sinner.

What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God - through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Romans 7:24-25)