January 7, 2008 Reading Schedule

Read Genesis 18-19 and Matthew 6:1-18

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

After reading today's verses one thing that kept occuring to me when reading Jesus's Words in these verses was that He was reminding or I should say rather asking me, why I do the things I do. Or rather what is the motive behind my actions such as prayer, fasting, etc. It reminded me how easy it is to get caught up in doing things for what we think are for God when in our hearts it is truly to impress man.

These verses just really spoke to me about where the focus is of my thoughts and actions lately and when thinking and looking at them I realized how easily I have slipped into being more worried about what man thinks or things of this earth rather then God.

I can say that in my own life it is letting one day then two then three and before I know it a week or even a month go by without getting into His word and really going into the secret place to be with Him that I start to see this pattern of worrying about man's opinion of me more in my life. These verses brought be back to the foundation and the purity of my relationship with Christ and where my focus needs to be.

I think that when this focus is not where it is supposed to be we fall into the mentality that Sarah did in Genesis 18 and that is forgetting who God is and and what He can do in our lives and we start to lack faith. Just as Sarah didn't believe at first she was to have a child so it is easy for us when we are focused on man and earthly things that we forget about the power of Christ and that He is living inside of us.

I am performing for an audience of One and that is all I need to worry about. Of all the things in my life there is only One that I need to be concerned with and the rest will fall into place when I surrender it all to Him and give Him all of my focus.

Anonymous said...

amen to that Genny!

Anonymous said...

"It reminded me how easy it is to get caught up in doing things for what we think are for God when in our hearts it is truly to impress man." It is so easy! And then the Lord so gently reminds us. Thank you Lord!

Christine

Anonymous said...

When I read the part about Lot leaving Sodom, I could totally see it playing out in my head; action/adventure music in the background and all. I once spoke with a friend about how the Old Testament would make an awesome TV series; we could call it The OT.

I couldn't understand why it took Lot so long to get out of Dodge....I mean, Sodom. What part of "The city's going to be destroyed?" do you not GET, dude? I would have been like, OK, I'm out! I tell myself. I would have run like the wind, never looked back, and gone not to the city or the mountains, but over the mountains. And maybe, out of fear, I would have.

But if you use Sodom as a metaphor for SIN, well....it seemed to me Lot was so comfy where he was that he was able to ingore all the rampant debauchery going around him. I've been there. And when he was told to GO, when The Lord tells me "Leave that sin!" instead of running like I mentioned above, yeah, I've dragged my feet a bit, made bargains...parked in a smiliar city close by that wasn't exactly sin, but just on the fringes. I can't do that....when God says "Get out, stop, leave, or you will be destroyed" I know I'd do well to obey. Quickly. Without question.

I don't know what was up about Lot offering his daughters up like that, but that verse and the whole Dad in the cave thing got me feeling kind of uncomfortable and icky....so I moved on.

Love you guys!
Chris

Anonymous said...

Amen Genny! We all perform for an audience of One. Now if we could only remember that each moment of the day. With God's help and the accountibility of our brothers and sister in Christ, we will.

Genesis 18:14

Is anything too hard for the Lord?

Holy Cow Batman! How may days do I have my eyes off the Lord and on circumstances and I forgot just how BIG God is and how faithful He is. Sadly, I have to admit there are days that in my own finite mind I am focused on the problem rather that the Lord, the solution. He will solve it! Not always the way I think it should go down, but nothing is too hard for the Lord and that includes.....fill in the blank. What concerns you today. Amen!

Blessings,

Lynnette