January 11
January 11
One Year Bible Readings:
Genesis 24:52-26:16
Matthew 8:18-34
Psalm 10:1-15
Proverbs 3:7-8
Supplemental Reading For The One Year Bible
The following are excerpts from Mike’s One Year Bible Blog
Genesis:
Rebekah and Isaac meet and marry in today's readings! Before the meeting & marriage - I love the very opening verse 52 in Genesis chapter 24 today: "At this reply, Abraham's servant bowed to the ground and worshiped the LORD." This just made me think - when was the last time that I actually bowed to the ground and worshiped the Lord? I have to confess it was a long time ago. This may sound strange, but one time I was listening to the David Crowder song "Deliver Me" and for some reason I literally fell to the ground, bowed, and worshiped God. It was an experience that's hard to forget. But why is it so hard for me to get back down on the ground and worship God once again?
Q: Has there been a time you bowed to the ground and worshiped the Lord? Do you think our body posture makes any sort of difference when worshiping or praying to God?
Genesis chapter 25 has a lot going on in it today! We read about Keturah, the death of Abraham and the descendants of Ishmael. In verse 19 we begin reading about Jacob and Esau. Jacob we will read about for a large portion of the remainder of Genesis - there is actually not that many chapters we will read about Isaac. In verse 34 we read this about Jacob & Esau: "Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and lentil stew. Esau ate and drank and went on about his business, indifferent to the fact that he had given up his birthright." In Genesis chapter 26 we can see where the old adage, "like father, like son" could have come from. Isaac like his father Abraham told foreigners that his wife was his sister.
Q: What are your thoughts when reading about Jacob and Esau’s birth and lives? Do you see any parallels in their behaviors to our behaviors today?
Matthew:
Matthew's readings in chapter 8:18-34 today are powerful in so many ways. The first section of our readings focuses on the costs of following Jesus. And I do think that we all probably realize that there are some costs associated with faith. However, there is also eternal reward, which outweighs all the temporary costs we might have to pay in this life. In some ways, I do ask myself this - are we really participating in a true faith if there are no costs associated with it? I have heard and read books and listened to speakers about how faith can bring us health & wealth & happiness. And I know there are many times when this is true (see our Proverbs reading today for a good truth to this) - but I do think these would be dangerous goals of faith in and of themselves - we could end up serving health, wealth and happiness as minigods of our own design if we're not careful.
Q: Do you believe there is a cost to following Jesus? Is it worth the cost? What are the costs in your life of following Jesus? Do you believe that suffering might be part of the package in this life of following Jesus? Are there any limits to the cost of following Jesus that you couldn't agree to? Would your life be too much?
Psalm:
Psalm 10 is a prayer for rescue from attacks from the proud and wicked. Wisely, you'll note that this Psalmist is not taking punishment into his own hands - but asking God for punishment. We would do well to remember that punishment is the Lord's... For some reason much of this Psalm reminded me way too much of our world today - and I realized that not much has changed over 3,000 years! Verse 4 in particular rang true to me about much of our world today: "These wicked people are too proud to seek God. They seem to think that God is dead." Only about 100 years ago the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche uttered those exact words - "God is dead." And I know that this viewpoint of many expressed in this Psalm 3,000 years ago, and 100 years ago by Nietzsche, is still a viewpoint of many in our world today. What a sad thing.
Q: What can we do in our lives today to show the world that God is not dead? How can we live our lives to demonstrate that God is alive? Let us share with this hurting and dying world with all that we are that God is not dead. What are you doing with your life today to show others that He Lives?
Psalm 10 verse 1 also stood out to me today: "O LORD, why do you stand so far away? Why do you hide when I need you the most?" Have you ever felt like this? I know I have. However, I also have realized later on that just when I thought God was no where near me, he was actually as close as could be taking care of me. Even though it may have seemed that God was "hiding" from me, he was actually right there with me all along!
Q: When have you ever felt that God was hiding from you? Did you later see he was with you all along? What helps you see God in your life when he feels distant?
Proverbs:
Today we read this in Proverbs 3:8 (just after the verse on fearing the Lord and turning away from sin): "Then you will gain renewed health and vitality." I think this is so true. I have been a much healthier person - mentally, physically, spiritually, etc. - since I came to faith in Jesus. Through God's wisdom and grace, I have been able to discern what is healthy for me and what is not. I have let many bad habits go.
Q: How about for you? How has your faith brought you renewed health and vitality? What are there some areas in your life where you still have room to turn some bad habits over to God, and to let them go? How will you do so this year?
Copyright © 2004-2012 One Year Bible Blog
One Year Bible Readings:
Genesis 24:52-26:16
Matthew 8:18-34
Psalm 10:1-15
Proverbs 3:7-8
Supplemental Reading For The One Year Bible
The following are excerpts from Mike’s One Year Bible Blog
Genesis:
Rebekah and Isaac meet and marry in today's readings! Before the meeting & marriage - I love the very opening verse 52 in Genesis chapter 24 today: "At this reply, Abraham's servant bowed to the ground and worshiped the LORD." This just made me think - when was the last time that I actually bowed to the ground and worshiped the Lord? I have to confess it was a long time ago. This may sound strange, but one time I was listening to the David Crowder song "Deliver Me" and for some reason I literally fell to the ground, bowed, and worshiped God. It was an experience that's hard to forget. But why is it so hard for me to get back down on the ground and worship God once again?
Q: Has there been a time you bowed to the ground and worshiped the Lord? Do you think our body posture makes any sort of difference when worshiping or praying to God?
Genesis chapter 25 has a lot going on in it today! We read about Keturah, the death of Abraham and the descendants of Ishmael. In verse 19 we begin reading about Jacob and Esau. Jacob we will read about for a large portion of the remainder of Genesis - there is actually not that many chapters we will read about Isaac. In verse 34 we read this about Jacob & Esau: "Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and lentil stew. Esau ate and drank and went on about his business, indifferent to the fact that he had given up his birthright." In Genesis chapter 26 we can see where the old adage, "like father, like son" could have come from. Isaac like his father Abraham told foreigners that his wife was his sister.
Q: What are your thoughts when reading about Jacob and Esau’s birth and lives? Do you see any parallels in their behaviors to our behaviors today?
Matthew:
Matthew's readings in chapter 8:18-34 today are powerful in so many ways. The first section of our readings focuses on the costs of following Jesus. And I do think that we all probably realize that there are some costs associated with faith. However, there is also eternal reward, which outweighs all the temporary costs we might have to pay in this life. In some ways, I do ask myself this - are we really participating in a true faith if there are no costs associated with it? I have heard and read books and listened to speakers about how faith can bring us health & wealth & happiness. And I know there are many times when this is true (see our Proverbs reading today for a good truth to this) - but I do think these would be dangerous goals of faith in and of themselves - we could end up serving health, wealth and happiness as minigods of our own design if we're not careful.
Q: Do you believe there is a cost to following Jesus? Is it worth the cost? What are the costs in your life of following Jesus? Do you believe that suffering might be part of the package in this life of following Jesus? Are there any limits to the cost of following Jesus that you couldn't agree to? Would your life be too much?
Psalm:
Psalm 10 is a prayer for rescue from attacks from the proud and wicked. Wisely, you'll note that this Psalmist is not taking punishment into his own hands - but asking God for punishment. We would do well to remember that punishment is the Lord's... For some reason much of this Psalm reminded me way too much of our world today - and I realized that not much has changed over 3,000 years! Verse 4 in particular rang true to me about much of our world today: "These wicked people are too proud to seek God. They seem to think that God is dead." Only about 100 years ago the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche uttered those exact words - "God is dead." And I know that this viewpoint of many expressed in this Psalm 3,000 years ago, and 100 years ago by Nietzsche, is still a viewpoint of many in our world today. What a sad thing.
Q: What can we do in our lives today to show the world that God is not dead? How can we live our lives to demonstrate that God is alive? Let us share with this hurting and dying world with all that we are that God is not dead. What are you doing with your life today to show others that He Lives?
Psalm 10 verse 1 also stood out to me today: "O LORD, why do you stand so far away? Why do you hide when I need you the most?" Have you ever felt like this? I know I have. However, I also have realized later on that just when I thought God was no where near me, he was actually as close as could be taking care of me. Even though it may have seemed that God was "hiding" from me, he was actually right there with me all along!
Q: When have you ever felt that God was hiding from you? Did you later see he was with you all along? What helps you see God in your life when he feels distant?
Proverbs:
Today we read this in Proverbs 3:8 (just after the verse on fearing the Lord and turning away from sin): "Then you will gain renewed health and vitality." I think this is so true. I have been a much healthier person - mentally, physically, spiritually, etc. - since I came to faith in Jesus. Through God's wisdom and grace, I have been able to discern what is healthy for me and what is not. I have let many bad habits go.
Q: How about for you? How has your faith brought you renewed health and vitality? What are there some areas in your life where you still have room to turn some bad habits over to God, and to let them go? How will you do so this year?
Copyright © 2004-2012 One Year Bible Blog
Recent
Archive
2024
January
One Year Bible CompanionJanuary 2January 3January 4January 5January 6January 7January 8January 9January 10January 11January 12January 13January 14January 15January 16January 17January 18January 19January 20January 21January 22January 23January 24January 25January 26January 27January 28January 29January 30January 31
February
February 1February 2February 3February 4February 5February 6February 7February 8February 9February 10February 11February 12February 13February 14February 15February 16February 17February 18February 19February 20February 21February 22February 23February 24February 25February 26February 27February 28February 29
March
Categories
no categories
No Comments