January 21
January 21
One Year Bible Readings:
Genesis 44:1-45:28
Matthew 14:13-36
Psalm 18:37-50
Proverbs 4:11-13
Supplemental Reading For The One Year Bible
The following are excerpts from Mike’s One Year Bible Blog
Genesis:
In summary, Genesis 42:18–28 describes a powerful Egyptian governor sending nine of Jacob's sons home with purchased grain, while keeping Simeon as collateral. He commands the others to return only if they can prove their honesty by bringing along their youngest brother. The men tell each other they must be suffering for abusing another brother, Joseph (Genesis 37:28). They don't realize the governor is Joseph himself (Genesis 42:7) and that he understands their language. After leaving, the horrified brothers find the payment for the grain is still in their bags. They do not know Joseph secretly arranged to give it back to them.
In verse 18 three days have passed since Joseph, now governor of Egypt, has locked all ten of his older half-brothers in prison (Genesis 42:17). The men don't recognize Joseph. Twenty years passed between when they sold him as a slave (Genesis 37:28) and when they came to Egypt to buy grain (Genesis 42:1–5). Though he recognizes them, Joseph keeps his secret and intimidates them into giving more information about the family (Genesis 42:6–16). Some commentators suggest Joseph was unsure what to do with them. Later passages make it clear he has no mind for revenge (Genesis 42:23–24; 43:30; 45:1–5; 47:11–12). Later, Joseph will even conclude that God meant for him to come to Egypt all along, to save lives (Genesis 50:15–20). Now, Joseph seems resolved. Given time to process the situation, he has decided on a course of action. He declares this choice is inspired by his fear of God. This may be simply a statement for show—Joseph indeed believes in God, but he might be implying that his actions are being tempered by pagan mercy. Also, his words suggest their lives continue to hang in the balance. His statement that he feared God may have confused them, as well; Egyptians worshiped many gods.
Q: What do you think Joseph meant when he said he feared God? Do you fear God? Why?
Matthew:
Today in Matthew chapter 13 verse 54 we read about Jesus going to his hometown of Nazareth where he was raised as a child. Jesus was born in Bethlehem, as we know, but raised in Nazareth, where Mary & Joseph met and married and returned after their flight to Egypt after Jesus' birth. In verse 57 we read this when Jesus was in Nazareth: "Jesus said to them, "Only in his hometown and in his own house is a prophet without honor."" This verse remind me that sometimes when we really move forward in our faith, our friends (“hometown” from the verse above) and our relatives can sometimes not understand what is going on with us. I think there are phases of our walk with God where really it becomes very personal – between us and God – and through that process God will transform us. And our friends and relatives sometimes may not appreciate our change for various reasons – just as Jesus’ friends and relatives did not appreciate his ministry in this verse. I hope that this verse can be of comfort to you if by chance you are having challenges reconciling your faith and your changed heart with your friends & relatives expectations of who you were in the past. Know that you are on the right path. As long as you are staying focused on God and his will for your life, you may have to accept some loss of “honor” (per the verse above) in your status with your friends and relatives. You may not seem to be as “cool” or “fun” or whatever as you once were in your friends’ eyes. But – if in God’s eyes you are loving Him with all of your heart and you are loving your neighbors as yourself, then you are eternally cool and fun in the Kingdom of Heaven. And that’s where it really counts. Q: Where are you seeking “honor” in your life today? In the eyes of your friends and relatives – or in God’s eyes? How do you seek honor with God? How does the world tempt you with its honor? Have you ever lost some "honor" with your friends or family as you've moved forward in your faith? If you did lose honor with your friends did you gain honor with God? Do you think you sometimes base your decisions more on what other people will think? Or do you base your decisions on what God will think? At times in your faith walk have you had to distance yourself from some old friends so that you can move forward in your faith walk? How has this been hard? How has it been worth it?
Psalm:
There are so many great verses today for us to meditate upon in Psalm 18! I love verses 25 through 27: "To the faithful you show yourself faithful; to those with integrity you show integrity. To the pure you show yourself pure, but to the wicked you show yourself hostile. You rescue those who are humble, but you humiliate the proud."
Q: How are you showing yourself to be faithful to God? How are you living with integrity? How you showing yourself to be pure? How is God showing you these things as well?
I really love verse 28: "LORD, you have brought light to my life; my God, you light up my darkness."
Q: How has Jesus brought light into your life? How does God light up your darkness?
Proverbs:
I love Proverbs 4:7 today! "The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding." How simple and yet profound is that first sentence? The beginning of wisdom = get wisdom. Can't argue with that! :) The question then becomes how do we get wisdom? Or, where do we get wisdom. I will say simply, The Bible is the best fount of Wisdom I know of. So, reading and studying the Bible on a daily basis = wisdom. Then the second sentence in the verse above is great too - though it cost all you have, get understanding. Where does understanding come from? Again, I'd say the Bible. But I'll also say that I think understanding comes from investing in a community of people and being invested in by other people. We can't really get understanding on our own, being a "lone ranger." We need others in our life so that iron sharpens iron.
Q: I hope and pray you are in a local church community? And I hope and pray you are in a small group of some sort? We need others to do life with and to gain understanding.
Copyright © 2004-2012 One Year Bible Blog
One Year Bible Readings:
Genesis 44:1-45:28
Matthew 14:13-36
Psalm 18:37-50
Proverbs 4:11-13
Supplemental Reading For The One Year Bible
The following are excerpts from Mike’s One Year Bible Blog
Genesis:
In summary, Genesis 42:18–28 describes a powerful Egyptian governor sending nine of Jacob's sons home with purchased grain, while keeping Simeon as collateral. He commands the others to return only if they can prove their honesty by bringing along their youngest brother. The men tell each other they must be suffering for abusing another brother, Joseph (Genesis 37:28). They don't realize the governor is Joseph himself (Genesis 42:7) and that he understands their language. After leaving, the horrified brothers find the payment for the grain is still in their bags. They do not know Joseph secretly arranged to give it back to them.
In verse 18 three days have passed since Joseph, now governor of Egypt, has locked all ten of his older half-brothers in prison (Genesis 42:17). The men don't recognize Joseph. Twenty years passed between when they sold him as a slave (Genesis 37:28) and when they came to Egypt to buy grain (Genesis 42:1–5). Though he recognizes them, Joseph keeps his secret and intimidates them into giving more information about the family (Genesis 42:6–16). Some commentators suggest Joseph was unsure what to do with them. Later passages make it clear he has no mind for revenge (Genesis 42:23–24; 43:30; 45:1–5; 47:11–12). Later, Joseph will even conclude that God meant for him to come to Egypt all along, to save lives (Genesis 50:15–20). Now, Joseph seems resolved. Given time to process the situation, he has decided on a course of action. He declares this choice is inspired by his fear of God. This may be simply a statement for show—Joseph indeed believes in God, but he might be implying that his actions are being tempered by pagan mercy. Also, his words suggest their lives continue to hang in the balance. His statement that he feared God may have confused them, as well; Egyptians worshiped many gods.
Q: What do you think Joseph meant when he said he feared God? Do you fear God? Why?
Matthew:
Today in Matthew chapter 13 verse 54 we read about Jesus going to his hometown of Nazareth where he was raised as a child. Jesus was born in Bethlehem, as we know, but raised in Nazareth, where Mary & Joseph met and married and returned after their flight to Egypt after Jesus' birth. In verse 57 we read this when Jesus was in Nazareth: "Jesus said to them, "Only in his hometown and in his own house is a prophet without honor."" This verse remind me that sometimes when we really move forward in our faith, our friends (“hometown” from the verse above) and our relatives can sometimes not understand what is going on with us. I think there are phases of our walk with God where really it becomes very personal – between us and God – and through that process God will transform us. And our friends and relatives sometimes may not appreciate our change for various reasons – just as Jesus’ friends and relatives did not appreciate his ministry in this verse. I hope that this verse can be of comfort to you if by chance you are having challenges reconciling your faith and your changed heart with your friends & relatives expectations of who you were in the past. Know that you are on the right path. As long as you are staying focused on God and his will for your life, you may have to accept some loss of “honor” (per the verse above) in your status with your friends and relatives. You may not seem to be as “cool” or “fun” or whatever as you once were in your friends’ eyes. But – if in God’s eyes you are loving Him with all of your heart and you are loving your neighbors as yourself, then you are eternally cool and fun in the Kingdom of Heaven. And that’s where it really counts. Q: Where are you seeking “honor” in your life today? In the eyes of your friends and relatives – or in God’s eyes? How do you seek honor with God? How does the world tempt you with its honor? Have you ever lost some "honor" with your friends or family as you've moved forward in your faith? If you did lose honor with your friends did you gain honor with God? Do you think you sometimes base your decisions more on what other people will think? Or do you base your decisions on what God will think? At times in your faith walk have you had to distance yourself from some old friends so that you can move forward in your faith walk? How has this been hard? How has it been worth it?
Psalm:
There are so many great verses today for us to meditate upon in Psalm 18! I love verses 25 through 27: "To the faithful you show yourself faithful; to those with integrity you show integrity. To the pure you show yourself pure, but to the wicked you show yourself hostile. You rescue those who are humble, but you humiliate the proud."
Q: How are you showing yourself to be faithful to God? How are you living with integrity? How you showing yourself to be pure? How is God showing you these things as well?
I really love verse 28: "LORD, you have brought light to my life; my God, you light up my darkness."
Q: How has Jesus brought light into your life? How does God light up your darkness?
Proverbs:
I love Proverbs 4:7 today! "The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding." How simple and yet profound is that first sentence? The beginning of wisdom = get wisdom. Can't argue with that! :) The question then becomes how do we get wisdom? Or, where do we get wisdom. I will say simply, The Bible is the best fount of Wisdom I know of. So, reading and studying the Bible on a daily basis = wisdom. Then the second sentence in the verse above is great too - though it cost all you have, get understanding. Where does understanding come from? Again, I'd say the Bible. But I'll also say that I think understanding comes from investing in a community of people and being invested in by other people. We can't really get understanding on our own, being a "lone ranger." We need others in our life so that iron sharpens iron.
Q: I hope and pray you are in a local church community? And I hope and pray you are in a small group of some sort? We need others to do life with and to gain understanding.
Copyright © 2004-2012 One Year Bible Blog
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