The Bible Bus: January 4, 2008 Reading Schedule

January 4, 2008 Reading Schedule

Read Genesis 10-12 and Matthew 4

3 comments:

Anonymous said...: OK...I know y'all are doing the in-person study and all, but I'm starting to feel like I'm hogging this board, and who wants to be known as a blog hog?

Genesis 10:5 I think this is the first time we see the word Gentiles mentioned. Maybe this is a "duh...obvious, Chris" but no one was Jewish til Abraham, right? I don't know why this is just now hitting me how deep that is....not one Jew til Abraham...and there were a lot of folks about. I'm not saying they were right, but you could see why the Phar's and Sadd's got a little proud later on: "We're descendants of Abraham...nyuh nyuh!" I dunno....I've read it a million times before, but really got it for the first time today; isn't that cool? Wish I were Jewish...

v 14 tells us that the descendants of Canaan, son of Ham, who Noah really flung a curse at, ended up being the Philistines and all of the "ites" who, as we'll see in later readings, worship false gods and really don't end up doing so well all in all. Yeah, they have their victories, but if you look at them as the world and the people of God as...well, us...we know who wins in the end. Thing is, instead of being snobby and elitist about it, we hafta try to bring them in..even icky, disgusting folks whose habits and practices (false gods) we may not be so happy with. Through Christ, they've won the right to be children of the King too, if they choose, no discrimination. How cool is that???

11:4 So often people think they have to build their own tower of good works to make it to heaven. It takes time, effort, it's hard, we eventually wind up getting resentful, and then when we (OK, I) stop to figure out why, I find it's because I'm doing it in my own strength, for my own glory. Jesus says His yoke is easy and His burden is light. If I'm struggling super hard, I'm doing something wrong. Plus, in v 5, God came down to see the tower....He comes to us...we don't have to try to claw and scratch and fight our way up to Him.

11:7 This was a great relief to me to read because for the life of me I could never figure out how languages developed. How could folks just start talkin' different one day?? I mean, I suppose I could invent my own language and speak it fluently, but getting others to pick it up and follow along? The "God did it" explanation takes a lot off my mind.

12:1-3 How cool is this!? Direct orders from the Lord Himself! Nonspecific, yes, but there you are: "Go, Abram! Leave everything that's familiar; out of your comfort zone....bye!" And imagine having to tell the family: "We're going. Not sure where, how long, or even exactly what we're supposed to do when we get there, but pack up....we're hitting the road, cuz God told me to." Even my parents, who are Christians, might have a teeny issue or two if I told them that. I actually know a missionary family who did something similar. They came here not even knowing where they were gonna live...and the Lord worked it all out. Knowing the story of Abraham, and the firsthand experience of my friends, it's easy to get all gung ho and say, "Oh, sure, I'd do it! I'd drop everything and run for God!" But would I really? Consider: Yesterday I got a phone call asking me to call someone and minister to her. I took the number, and promptly put the paper down on my dresser. I was in the middle of something! I can't recall what, but it probably involved food. I didn't jump when God said jump...it took me, oh, about 20 minutes or so to realize that something..didn't...feel..right... that's the Holy Spirit, guys! So, long story short (too late), I got to speak with someone and pray with her and we both came out blessed. I can't share details, but this lady's about to get her life changed and it is so exciting to be a part of it! This is not to say there aren't times we need to take care of our families first before returning a phone call, etc...but in my case, I was being selfish....I was avoiding God's work for my own....whatever it was. Abram didn't say, "Yeah, sure, God, after me and the boys go fishing this weekend...then I'll go." He just DID IT. I wanna be like that. And as he went, he continually (there it is again) called on the name of the Lord. He kept in touch...he didn't just wander aimlessly going where it was pretty or where he thought he'd like to be....he sought the Lord.

12:13 Well, Abram was not without his faults. And as a woman, I was a little offended here. This would be me: "Oh, I'm your SISTER now, am I? That's just great. Fine, BRO...we'll just live like brother and sister. Suuuuuure." (Although, were they still marrying their sisters at this point, or was it down to nieces like in Nahor's case?). So, Abram basically, what? Disrespects his wife and gets to live high on the hog. Why? Out of fear. Had he forgotten that God promised to make him a great nation.....which would mean, hello...he would LIVE?? It's easy for me to point fingers at Abram. But I've done the same thing...well, not literally rented out my spouse for protection and material gain, but I have at times forgotten God's promises to me and tried to do things my own way, cuz my plan is just so good and ingenious that I just know it's gonna work. God was with Abram and is with us, pretty good about letting is know what is in His will and what's not....if we seek his face and listen instead of running off half cocked with our own brilliant ideas. Anyway, as we've read, Pharoah eventually catches on that something's not kosher (yet, tee hee) and gives the entire party the boot.

13:8 After using a very cool way of resolving their differences, which I wish I could teach my kids, Lot trots off to Sodom....(cue scary music) and most of us know what happens later. For those of you who don't, I won't spoil it. It gets good though.

13:18 Abram continues to wander....and continues to build altars. As I wander through this life....I hope when I look back, I see that I've built lots and lots of them. I can't imagine ever saying, "Gosh, I wish I'd spent less time praying....less time reading the Bible. There was so much I wanted to do." Guys, this is where it's at!

Matthew 4:2 Fasting 40 days is a long time. I plan on doing 10 sometime soon and it involves a lot of mental preparation. Regarding the whole conversation with Satan, I recall vividly as a kid I just always wished Jesus would fly off that mountain like some sort of spiritual Superman and kick Satan's butt, saving the rest of us a lot of trouble. I knew he could do it....and was the only one who could. I still think that might have been the way to go, but being I'm not in charge, I'll trust that what Christ did was best. Jesus also proved here that Scripture is an effective weapon against the enemy. When I'm tempted, if I try to give an answer of my own....sometimes I can overcome, but it's usually temporary or Satan will just attack from another area. He can't stand against the Word of God, though....and the Bible tells us Jesus is the Word, so fighting the enemy with the Word is, in effect, like Jesus kicking Satan's butt. Wow....only took me about 28 years to figure that out....I love this blog! Sometimes just writing about it makes me think it through, and there are answers where there previously were only questions! Plus it makes me think about something besides medical stuff!

Matthew 4:20 & 22: Just like Abram, these 4 guys sensed the call of God and immediately dropped everything for Him. Their jobs, their families, whatever....they followed. No questions. No debates. That's awesome. That's admirable. Lord, make me like that.

Ciao!
Chris; January 4, 2008 at 12:54 PM
Anonymous said...: This blog is great! I agree with Chris just thinking things through enough to put it down on paper really does answer questions, makes it come alive and it helps me with the life application part. I mean, why read --- not just for the sake of reading, but for the sake of understanding it (aleast in part). What do I do with what I've have read and how can I apply what I learned from this Bible passage to my life personally? How can I pass it along to my loved ones or those who I am witnessing?

To me, that is really an awesome fruit of spending time in His Word and sharing it on the blog.

Matthew 4

v. 17 So often when we think of Jesus and His ministry of all those He healed or we think of Him teaching profound truths in the synagogues and going head-to-head with the religious leaders, the Pharisees and Sadducees. We don't (or at least I did'n't often think of Him teaching repentance.) John the Baptist - yes, but here in v. 17 Jesus calls them to repent.

Repentance which means to turn away from sin, to make a 180 degree turn, as if you were going South toward Satan and you make a turn in the opposite direction and head toward Jesus.

Even though repentance is not a popular doctrine or talked about much today it is a vital truth and without it(repentance) we don't have Eternal life in heaven.

You know, everyone will have eternal life, the question is where will we spend eternal life: in heaven or hell?

It is our choice, we can choose to repent, quit moving in the direction of Satan and make an about-face and head in the direction of God and spend eternal life in heaven.

This seems like a no brainer to me. I choose repentance and eternal life with God.

Man am I ever grateful that Jesus provided a way of escape with the provision of repentance, popular or not! Thank you, thank you, thank you God for your grace, mercy, love and for the forgiveness of sins through repentance and for Jesus' shed blood. I am a blessed woman to be considered a daughter of Christ. God you truly are amazing.; January 5, 2008 at 8:18 AM
Anonymous said...: Quick comment...I'm catching up b/c, of course, I didn't start on time!

Anywhoo, Christ says, "Man shall not live on bread alone but on the word of God" and then he goes on to counter Satan lies with the truth of the Word. CHRIST COUNTERED THE LIES OF THE ENEMY WITH SCRIPTURE. We need to do the same! We need to know the Word and then use it to encourage ourselves and each other in the truth of God instead of so often believing the lies of the enemy. When I get out of spending quality time with the Lord in prayer and His word (like right now!), then my life begins to show it or a least I can feel it in my spirit. I can not live on earthly bread alone...I need to live off of the Word! Which is why I'm so excited about going through the Bible this year...now if I could just get my lazy bottom out of bed! LOL

christine; January 5, 2008 at 12:19 PM