Today's Reading: Matthew 9:1-17 & Genesis 29-30
Key Verses: Matthew 9:2 & Matthew 9:9
What I love most about reading the accounts of Jesus is that fact that He is unlike anyone else. He doesn't act like anyone ever before and anyone since. He is original. Everything he did was so perfect, so right, and freaked just about everyone out. He was so different (and He still is.)
We look at Jesus from here in the future. We know who He is...I am not so certain even those closest to Him really understood who He was (that is until he rose from the dead...talk about different...but we will have more on that later.)
In Matthew 9:2 we see "Some people (bring) to (Jesus) a paralyzed man on a mat." Not an uncommon thing to happen. Jesus was healing many and the news had got around. But check out what Jesus says to the man and his friends.
Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “Be encouraged, my child! Your sins are forgiven.” (Matt. 9:2)
Excuse me?!?! Did that just happen?!?! Did he actually just say "Your sins are forgiven"?!?!
I am pretty sure only God himself can do that...in fact some teachers of religious law said as much. The scribes believed Jesus was dishonoring God by taking upon himself the prerogative to forgive sins, which only God can do.
"But some of the teachers of religious law said to themselves, “That’s blasphemy! Does he think he’s God?” (Matt. 9:3)
(pause for effect :-)
Yes, He did!!!! (and that's because He is)
And then Jesus, just being Jesus says in so many words "You don't believe me do you? I know what your thinking, this guy says sins are forgiven, but come on...it's easy to say that. He has no proof"
Check out Matthew 9:5 “Why do you have such evil thoughts in your hearts? Is it easier to say ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up and walk’? So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!”
and that is just what the man did. He jumped up and went home. That is so awesome!!!!
That had all the people talking for sure, but then Jesus did something else so very.....well, different. Later he walks up to this guy named Matthew and says "Follow Me and be My disciple." So what's the big deal you ask? Well, Matthew was a tax collector and they were the lowest of the low. The Jewish people hated tax collectors. They were people of no morals. They would sell their mother for a buck if they could (or at least that was the perception.)
and Jesus (and we all should know by now who He is) calls this "scum" to follow Him and be His disciple. Now that's different.
and now go and read Matthew 9:12-13....com'n, Go and do it. I'll wait (picture me waiting)
Jesus is unlike anyone else. He didn't do things the way anyone thought He should...and thank goodness or else we would all be in a world of hurt.
Continue to read with me the accounts of Jesus, the one like no other. We will be reading about Him until June so it's definitely not too late to join the journey...
...and who knows, when it's all said and done we might just be different as well :-)
Tomorrow's Reading:
Genesis 31-32 & Matthew 9:18-38
See ya then...
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
A Look at Faith
Today's Reading: Matthew 8 & Genesis 27-28
Key Verses: Matthew 8:2, Matthew 8:9 & Matthew 8:26
What is faith??
In Matthew 8, among many other truths, we catch a glimpse of what faith is and what faith is not. As I read Matthew 8 I was struck by these three verses. In Matthew 8:2 we see a leper come and kneel before Jesus and say "Lord, if you will, you can make me clean."
A few things I noticed. Lepers suffered from more then just a disease, they were social outcasts. Jesus had crowds of people around him, following him, and yet this leper, this social outcast wanted healing so badly he was willing to go amongst many people in order to speak to Jesus. Why?? He had faith. He knew Jesus could heal him. By saying "if you will" he acknowledges the power of Jesus and that only Jesus could heal him. He knew who Jesus was and what He could do.
That's faith.
In Matthew 8:9 we see a not another leper but a Roman Centurion. He comes to Jesus and says “Lord, my young servant lies in bed, paralyzed and in terrible pain.” It says he pleaded with Jesus to help him and Jesus said he would come and heal. But look at what the Centurion says "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed." The Centurion knew who he was, and who Jesus was. He also knew that Jesus could heal with just a word and he says as much in 8:9 "I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.”
The centurion recognized Jesus’ authority. From his own experience, he knew that when he gave orders, they were quickly obeyed. He figured that God had entrusted Jesus with authority to work miracles.
He had an idea of who Jesus was and what He could do
Faith
Yet, we see the disciples, the hand picked fellows of Jesus in Matthew 23-27, in a boat with Jesus. There is a storm. A big storm, a Great storm. The boat was being flooded with waves. The disciples are freaking out...and Jesus is asleep. The disciples come, wake him, and say "Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”
Really?!?! You are going to drown?!?! Don't you know who is in the boat with you?!?!?
Jesus says as much in his reply to their hysterics. "Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!”
Don't you know who I am??? Don't you know what I can do???
Then he calmed the storm.
So what is faith in God?? It's trust He can do what he says He can and that He will
That's Faith...and I want it :-)
Key Verses: Matthew 8:2, Matthew 8:9 & Matthew 8:26
What is faith??
In Matthew 8, among many other truths, we catch a glimpse of what faith is and what faith is not. As I read Matthew 8 I was struck by these three verses. In Matthew 8:2 we see a leper come and kneel before Jesus and say "Lord, if you will, you can make me clean."
A few things I noticed. Lepers suffered from more then just a disease, they were social outcasts. Jesus had crowds of people around him, following him, and yet this leper, this social outcast wanted healing so badly he was willing to go amongst many people in order to speak to Jesus. Why?? He had faith. He knew Jesus could heal him. By saying "if you will" he acknowledges the power of Jesus and that only Jesus could heal him. He knew who Jesus was and what He could do.
That's faith.
In Matthew 8:9 we see a not another leper but a Roman Centurion. He comes to Jesus and says “Lord, my young servant lies in bed, paralyzed and in terrible pain.” It says he pleaded with Jesus to help him and Jesus said he would come and heal. But look at what the Centurion says "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed." The Centurion knew who he was, and who Jesus was. He also knew that Jesus could heal with just a word and he says as much in 8:9 "I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.”
The centurion recognized Jesus’ authority. From his own experience, he knew that when he gave orders, they were quickly obeyed. He figured that God had entrusted Jesus with authority to work miracles.
He had an idea of who Jesus was and what He could do
Faith
Yet, we see the disciples, the hand picked fellows of Jesus in Matthew 23-27, in a boat with Jesus. There is a storm. A big storm, a Great storm. The boat was being flooded with waves. The disciples are freaking out...and Jesus is asleep. The disciples come, wake him, and say "Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”
Really?!?! You are going to drown?!?! Don't you know who is in the boat with you?!?!?
Jesus says as much in his reply to their hysterics. "Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!”
Don't you know who I am??? Don't you know what I can do???
Then he calmed the storm.
So what is faith in God?? It's trust He can do what he says He can and that He will
That's Faith...and I want it :-)
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Build Your House the Right Way
Today's Readings:
Genesis 23-24 &
Matthew 7
Key Verses: Matthew 6:33, 7:24-27
Matthew is the book...and it just keeps getting better. 7:7-8 tells us that the one who seeks after God will find good things. 7:12 gives us the "Golden Rule." How do I choose a key verse amongst all these?...they are all so good. I chose today to settle on Matthew 6:33 (since I didn't write anything yesterday) and Matthew 7:24-27.
When I was 28, I was in a Bible Study with a few friends of mine. One night we all spent about 20 minutes alone with God. We searched our Bibles for verses that we could take with us each day. Verses we could memorize and try to live out. It was that night I read these words found in Philippians 4:6-7 "Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." These words, written by Paul, are obviously inspired by the words of Jesus himself found in Matthew 6:25-33.
Jesus is talking about why we should not worry or be anxious. That God is good and He loves us more than we can possibly imagine. And then, in Matthew 6:33 Jesus speaks these words that ring as true today as they did 2,000 years ago.
"Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need."
The lesson here is clear. When we seek God first in all things, when we look to Him first for wisdom and knowledge. When seek to bring Him glory at all times...God will provide everything we need. Not everything we want, but all we need. What a tremendous promise and source of joy...and it is true. When I seek myself or other things first in life, life lacks all joy and peace. But when I seek Him first...peace and a joy no circumstance can take from me :-)
In many ways this concept is echoed again in Matthew 7:24-27. It asks us to look and think about what we build our lives upon. What truths, ideas, and realities we base our daily lives upon will determine everything. In Epic Jv (my middle school group) we have been learning about the book of Haggai found in the Old Testament. It is a book that asks us to look at our lives and our priorities. "Consider your ways" are the words God speaks through Haggai.
"Take a good, hard look at your life.
Think it over."
As we start this new year, it is a great time to look at our lives and examine what we put importance on. What is our life built upon? Where do we go for wisdom? Where have we placed our hope?
Continue reading with me this year....you won't regret it.
Read Genesis 22...I have really reading the Old Testament and seeing God tell His story through the lives of people who are...well, a lot like us.
Tomorrow's Reading: Matthew 8:1-17 & Genesis 25-26
Genesis 23-24 &
Matthew 7
Key Verses: Matthew 6:33, 7:24-27
Matthew is the book...and it just keeps getting better. 7:7-8 tells us that the one who seeks after God will find good things. 7:12 gives us the "Golden Rule." How do I choose a key verse amongst all these?...they are all so good. I chose today to settle on Matthew 6:33 (since I didn't write anything yesterday) and Matthew 7:24-27.
When I was 28, I was in a Bible Study with a few friends of mine. One night we all spent about 20 minutes alone with God. We searched our Bibles for verses that we could take with us each day. Verses we could memorize and try to live out. It was that night I read these words found in Philippians 4:6-7 "Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." These words, written by Paul, are obviously inspired by the words of Jesus himself found in Matthew 6:25-33.
Jesus is talking about why we should not worry or be anxious. That God is good and He loves us more than we can possibly imagine. And then, in Matthew 6:33 Jesus speaks these words that ring as true today as they did 2,000 years ago.
"Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need."
The lesson here is clear. When we seek God first in all things, when we look to Him first for wisdom and knowledge. When seek to bring Him glory at all times...God will provide everything we need. Not everything we want, but all we need. What a tremendous promise and source of joy...and it is true. When I seek myself or other things first in life, life lacks all joy and peace. But when I seek Him first...peace and a joy no circumstance can take from me :-)
In many ways this concept is echoed again in Matthew 7:24-27. It asks us to look and think about what we build our lives upon. What truths, ideas, and realities we base our daily lives upon will determine everything. In Epic Jv (my middle school group) we have been learning about the book of Haggai found in the Old Testament. It is a book that asks us to look at our lives and our priorities. "Consider your ways" are the words God speaks through Haggai.
"Take a good, hard look at your life.
Think it over."
As we start this new year, it is a great time to look at our lives and examine what we put importance on. What is our life built upon? Where do we go for wisdom? Where have we placed our hope?
Continue reading with me this year....you won't regret it.
Read Genesis 22...I have really reading the Old Testament and seeing God tell His story through the lives of people who are...well, a lot like us.
Tomorrow's Reading: Matthew 8:1-17 & Genesis 25-26
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Today's Readings
Today's Readings are....
Matthew 16:19-34
Genesis 20-22
Check back later for my comments...and then add your own :-)
Matthew 16:19-34
Genesis 20-22
Check back later for my comments...and then add your own :-)
Friday, January 7, 2011
Take my Life and Let it Be.......
"All for you and for Your Glory."
Today's Readings: Genesis 18-19 & Matthew 6:1-18
Key Verses: Matthew 6:1
This is one of my favorite parts of the BIble, and I also think it is at times greatly misunderstood. "Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven."
But does God really want us to do things in secret?
I have heard it said this is what the verse is saying. That we are to be like the C.I.A of good deeds. I don't think that's true however. If one reads the verse closely, you will see it says "Don't do your deeds to be admired by others Later on in verse, when talking about giving it says "Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others."
The focus here is not on doing things in secret. The focus is on the why behind your acts. What is the driving force behind your deeds? Are they to bring praise to you, or glory to God?
and then in verse 6:9 Jesus teaches us to pray...and it starts like this
"Our Father in heaven,
may your name be kept holy.
May your Kingdom come soon.
May your will be done on earth,
as it is in heaven."
and if you look at this prayer, and how it starts, there's the point. The prayer is focused fully upon God as should be our lives. Our lives are to be given for the glory of the one who created everything so when people see what we do, God will get the glory.
"Let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father." Jesus says in Matthew 5:16.
The Point: Righteousness should not be done for public recognition but as a service to God.
So stop sneaking around and being a "covert Christian." It's not wrong if someone knows you did something Godly...just make sure the praise goes in the right direction.
P.S. Keep up with the Old Testament Readings. I will something to say about them tomorrow.
Today's Readings: Genesis 18-19 & Matthew 6:1-18
Key Verses: Matthew 6:1
This is one of my favorite parts of the BIble, and I also think it is at times greatly misunderstood. "Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven."
But does God really want us to do things in secret?
I have heard it said this is what the verse is saying. That we are to be like the C.I.A of good deeds. I don't think that's true however. If one reads the verse closely, you will see it says "Don't do your deeds to be admired by others Later on in verse, when talking about giving it says "Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others."
The focus here is not on doing things in secret. The focus is on the why behind your acts. What is the driving force behind your deeds? Are they to bring praise to you, or glory to God?
and then in verse 6:9 Jesus teaches us to pray...and it starts like this
"Our Father in heaven,
may your name be kept holy.
May your Kingdom come soon.
May your will be done on earth,
as it is in heaven."
and if you look at this prayer, and how it starts, there's the point. The prayer is focused fully upon God as should be our lives. Our lives are to be given for the glory of the one who created everything so when people see what we do, God will get the glory.
"Let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father." Jesus says in Matthew 5:16.
The Point: Righteousness should not be done for public recognition but as a service to God.
So stop sneaking around and being a "covert Christian." It's not wrong if someone knows you did something Godly...just make sure the praise goes in the right direction.
P.S. Keep up with the Old Testament Readings. I will something to say about them tomorrow.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
God's Timing, Not Ours
Today's Readings: Genesis 16-17 & Matthew 5:27-48
Key Verses: Genesis 17:17 & ALL of Matthew 5:27-48
Yoda: "I cannot teach him. The boy has no patience."
Obi-Wan: "He will learn patience."
We do not like to wait, and we think we always know best...and those two things rarely work out well for us. My son is extremely impatient (gee I wonder where he got that from). The only good thing about his impatience is the fact I get to quote Star Wars and say "Patience my young padawan."
In Genesis, God had promised Abram (soon to be Abraham) that he would be the father of a great nation. That his descendants would be "so many that, like the dust of the earth, they cannot be counted!". Yet, he was nearly 100 years old, and his wife wasn't much younger. So in Genesis 16 they thought they might just hurry God's timing along...and without getting into too much politics right now, the results of their impatience hasn't really worked out well for anyone. It's been causing problems for a long time.
That's what happens when we take matters into or own hands, fail to trust God and his timing, and go off on our own. We mess everything up. And the effects of our actions are far greater than we can ever know.
God was going to give Abraham his son. God was going to cause Sarah to get pregnant...all they had to do was wait.
Easier said than done. You know, I work with middle school students and I created this mostly for them. I remember middle school, high school, and college. Asking kids to wait on certain things seems like an impossible task. They want to be grown ups now so they rush the clock...and things usually happen...things no one wants to happen...and lives are forever changed.
It is difficult to wait for the things God has promised. Heck, there are things God never promised, but we want those things, and so we just go off on our own...
"Wait patiently for the Lord.
Be brave and courageous.
Yes, wait patiently for the Lord."
- Psalm 27:14
To live in faith means to wait patiently in recognition of the Lord’s goodness. Such a life is not always pleasant for the godly but our future is secure. God does promise good things for those who have faith and "wait" upon Him and Him alone. What God has planned for our lives both now and for all eternity is far beyond what we can comprehend as we live today.
So grab a seat upon this bench with me my friends...and let's do a little waiting together. Who knows, it might just be more fun than we know.
P.S. Please read Matthew 5:27-48...it is life altering and mind blowing!!!!!
Tomorrow's Readings: Matthew 6:1-18 & Genesis 18-19
Key Verses: Genesis 17:17 & ALL of Matthew 5:27-48
Yoda: "I cannot teach him. The boy has no patience."
Obi-Wan: "He will learn patience."
We do not like to wait, and we think we always know best...and those two things rarely work out well for us. My son is extremely impatient (gee I wonder where he got that from). The only good thing about his impatience is the fact I get to quote Star Wars and say "Patience my young padawan."
In Genesis, God had promised Abram (soon to be Abraham) that he would be the father of a great nation. That his descendants would be "so many that, like the dust of the earth, they cannot be counted!". Yet, he was nearly 100 years old, and his wife wasn't much younger. So in Genesis 16 they thought they might just hurry God's timing along...and without getting into too much politics right now, the results of their impatience hasn't really worked out well for anyone. It's been causing problems for a long time.
That's what happens when we take matters into or own hands, fail to trust God and his timing, and go off on our own. We mess everything up. And the effects of our actions are far greater than we can ever know.
God was going to give Abraham his son. God was going to cause Sarah to get pregnant...all they had to do was wait.
Easier said than done. You know, I work with middle school students and I created this mostly for them. I remember middle school, high school, and college. Asking kids to wait on certain things seems like an impossible task. They want to be grown ups now so they rush the clock...and things usually happen...things no one wants to happen...and lives are forever changed.
It is difficult to wait for the things God has promised. Heck, there are things God never promised, but we want those things, and so we just go off on our own...
"Wait patiently for the Lord.
Be brave and courageous.
Yes, wait patiently for the Lord."
- Psalm 27:14
To live in faith means to wait patiently in recognition of the Lord’s goodness. Such a life is not always pleasant for the godly but our future is secure. God does promise good things for those who have faith and "wait" upon Him and Him alone. What God has planned for our lives both now and for all eternity is far beyond what we can comprehend as we live today.
So grab a seat upon this bench with me my friends...and let's do a little waiting together. Who knows, it might just be more fun than we know.
P.S. Please read Matthew 5:27-48...it is life altering and mind blowing!!!!!
Tomorrow's Readings: Matthew 6:1-18 & Genesis 18-19
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Salt and Light
Today's Readings: Genesis 13-15 & Matthew 5:1-26
Key Verse: Matthew 5:13
It's the Attitude behind the Act. It's not the Deed but the Desire.
These were words spoken in a sermon I recently listened to by a famous preacher and it is the main idea presented in Matthew 5. One could write an entire book about Matthew 5. They have actually. Many an author has written on the words spoken in Matthew 5. The beginning of what has become known as "The Sermon on the Mount." A speech given by Jesus that set everything upon it's ear. There are so much truth presented here one could spend a lifetime dwelling upon it's meaning.
That's actually not a bad idea.
Yet in the midst of this grand chapter of God's word, verse 5:13 stands out in a way I have never noticed until just today. Jesus is presenting to us the truth that what is on the inside is what matters. The words found in I Samuel 16:7 says, "The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” God is not so concerned with the outside as He is with the inside. And the outside is only validated insofar as it is representative of what is on the inside.
This idea that life springs from what is inside is repeated over and over again in scripture but it is "crystallized" here in Matthew 5:13
“You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless."
It is no accident that in a chapter where God tells us to examine the internal he compares us to salt. Think about it, why is salt valuable? Why is salt able to get done what it needs to get done? Why do people use salt? Well, I hate to be overly simple but the reason is...IT'S SALT!!!!
What makes salt salt?? It's what you find on the inside. If you change the the internal chemistry of salt, you no longer have salt. The only reason salt is useful is because of that which makes it salt.
Jesus here is saying "You want to live for me?? It starts on the inside in your heart and mind." You take care of the attitude the actions will flow. I think that is why I love reading my Bible. It changes my heart. It transforms my mind, the way I think. It turns me into...well...salt. The kind of "salt" God can use.
Matthew 5 is all about attitude. It is all about how you see and think about things. It is a great chapter of my favorite book and I seriously encourage everyone (myself included) to wake up every morning and before you do anything read Matthew 5.
Imagine what life would look like if we all did...It's easy if you try :-)
P.S. I know I didn't comment on it, but read the Old Testament verse as well.
Tomorrow's Reading: Matthew 5:27-48 & Genesis 16-17
Key Verse: Matthew 5:13
It's the Attitude behind the Act. It's not the Deed but the Desire.
These were words spoken in a sermon I recently listened to by a famous preacher and it is the main idea presented in Matthew 5. One could write an entire book about Matthew 5. They have actually. Many an author has written on the words spoken in Matthew 5. The beginning of what has become known as "The Sermon on the Mount." A speech given by Jesus that set everything upon it's ear. There are so much truth presented here one could spend a lifetime dwelling upon it's meaning.
That's actually not a bad idea.
Yet in the midst of this grand chapter of God's word, verse 5:13 stands out in a way I have never noticed until just today. Jesus is presenting to us the truth that what is on the inside is what matters. The words found in I Samuel 16:7 says, "The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” God is not so concerned with the outside as He is with the inside. And the outside is only validated insofar as it is representative of what is on the inside.
This idea that life springs from what is inside is repeated over and over again in scripture but it is "crystallized" here in Matthew 5:13
“You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless."
It is no accident that in a chapter where God tells us to examine the internal he compares us to salt. Think about it, why is salt valuable? Why is salt able to get done what it needs to get done? Why do people use salt? Well, I hate to be overly simple but the reason is...IT'S SALT!!!!
What makes salt salt?? It's what you find on the inside. If you change the the internal chemistry of salt, you no longer have salt. The only reason salt is useful is because of that which makes it salt.
Jesus here is saying "You want to live for me?? It starts on the inside in your heart and mind." You take care of the attitude the actions will flow. I think that is why I love reading my Bible. It changes my heart. It transforms my mind, the way I think. It turns me into...well...salt. The kind of "salt" God can use.
Matthew 5 is all about attitude. It is all about how you see and think about things. It is a great chapter of my favorite book and I seriously encourage everyone (myself included) to wake up every morning and before you do anything read Matthew 5.
Imagine what life would look like if we all did...It's easy if you try :-)
P.S. I know I didn't comment on it, but read the Old Testament verse as well.
Tomorrow's Reading: Matthew 5:27-48 & Genesis 16-17
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