January 7 readings

Genealogies are dominant today in I Chronicles and Luke. Jesus faces his temptation in the wilderness and is victorious because of his skillful knowledge of the Word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit. What should we do in response to this? We need to seek God's help constantly. Pray, as David did in Psalm 6:4.

4 Turn, O Lord, deliver my life;
save me for the sake of your steadfast love.

Our own devices are no match for the challenges of life, but God offers his present help, strength, and power if we but ask.

January 6 readings

God regrets creating man in Genesis 5. My prayer is that he would not regret creating Dan anytime now or in the future.

In Luke, we see the ministry of John encouraging everyone to demonstrate fruit befitting repentance. Our actions must match our words or our "beliefs" are in vain.

Call out to the Lord

Today's readings bring fresh reminders to pray to God to enjoy his favor. Enoch walked with God and was taken up with Him. David prayed fervently for help and was able to rest with confidence because God was his helper. The leaders of Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, conversely went after other Gods and were defeated because God marshaled other kings to attack. In Luke, we see the prophecies from Simeon and Anna about Jesus. These devout followers of God were given special insight as to the work and glory of God's son. We need to follow these good examples of godliness to enjoy God's delight and power.

January 4 readings

While surveying today's readings in Genesis, I Chronicles, Psalms and Luke, I see the varied response by people to God. On the positive side we have Abel (whose sacrifice was from "the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions"), Jabez (who "was more honorable than his brothers") Mary (who "treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart" upon hearing the shepherd's message) and David's confident prayer despite difficult circumstances.

On the negative side we have Cain whose poor attitude was displayed by his jealous response to God's favor of Abel, his murder of his brother, then his callous and unrepentant response to God when questioned. Abel begets the likes of Lamech who murders a young man for a minor injury and claims God's protection even more secure than what God offered Cain.

To top off these reactions we see the culminating event of the day are two births The first is the third son of Eve who replaces the murdered Abel and the cursed Cain: Seth. Through her seed the serpent will be defeated. Then we go to Luke where 2000 years later Jesus is born of a teenage girl in a stable surrounded by shepherds and animals. This humble origin is the hope of the world. He does not disappoint. he is the hope of Cain and Lamech and their victims. He is the hope of Eve and Adam and David who prayed confidently.

3 But you, O Lord, are a shield about me,
my glory, and the lifter of my head.
4 I cried aloud to the Lord,
and he answered me from his holy hill. Selah

5 I lay down and slept;
I woke again, for the Lord sustained me.
6 I will not be afraid of many thousands of people
who have set themselves against me all around.

7 Arise, O Lord!
Save me, O my God!
For you strike all my enemies on the cheek;
you break the teeth of the wicked.

8 Salvation belongs to the Lord;
your blessing be on your people!
Psalms 3:3-8

He is our hope today as well so we can pray along with David.

Take God's Word Serious

While reading "The Fall" in Genesis 3 today, it was noteworthy how both Adam and Eve so lightly regarded God's command regarding the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. We are to have no such cavalier attitude toward any of his commands. Obedience is the surest sign of true worship and adoration. All other outward signs of praise and worship are empty outside of obedience to God's commands

Choices Make all the DIfference

Psalms 1 sets some clear relationships of cause and effect.

1. Hang out with sinners and do what they do and you will benefit no one and be separated from God forever.
2. Think on God's laws and obey them and you will bring great joy to others and find favor with God now and in eternity.

Choose every day, every hour, every minute which of these paths to follow carefully considering their outcomes.

Thanks God for your wife

In Genesis 2, God provides a woman for Adam as it is not good that he should be alone. The term to describe the wife is helper. In the ESV study notes, it states that this "helper" is someone who fills in where the man lacks. What a great picture of the complimentary nature of a marriage.

Day 1 TTD

Reviewing my reading and posts for today, I surmise that today I will invest time in my children, being that we are off from school and we have this dedicated time to spend together. With cousins coming over as well, I will make this day a fruitful one for the children by engaging them, teaching them, and encouraging them in good works.

Fathers and Children

In Luke 1 we see the first purpose of the ministry of John is to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children. (verse 17). This takes up where Malchi left off stating that Elijah would both turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, but also the children to the fathers. (Malachi 4:1) This reminds me of the cover of Francis Schaeffer's book True Spirituality,which has a picture of a husband and wife holding their child. What a great picture of True Spirituality. We are to live out the truths of the gospel by loving our family, which is the first and foremost way that we demonstrate our love for God.

Writing with a purpose

Luke's introduction to his gospel begins with his reason for writing. Since so many had attempted a narrative and Luke felt that he had very intimate knowledge of all these events and had made careful observations, he felt compelled to write his treatise, specifically for Theophilus (lover of God), and now for all of us who have picked up the Word of God. What would God ask me to write to preserve for others?

Life is a vapor

Reading the genealogies in I Chronicles 1 is helpful in remembering how short our time is here on earth. Ecclesiastes reminds us that every season has a purpose and I Chronicles makes it clear that those seasons are short. We need to redeem the time - use it for what the highest purpose, knowing that we won't come this way again. This is one of the big themes in the music of Switchfoot that I appreciate so much.

Genesis 1

After describing the first 6 days of creation, God gives man dominion over the plants and animals of his creation. We are responsible for caring for and utilizing the awesome creation that God has made - this creation that he looked on with great satisfaction and exclaimed that "it was very good". He desires to look on us at the end of our lives and say, "Well done". Let it be so.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

There is a time for everything. Wisdom is deciding what is the appropriate thing to do at this time and do it. Prayer, Bible knowledge, and community should guide decisions, but once they are made, we should enter into those decisions with all of our heart.

Doer or Die

22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

These verses will frame my thinking as I interact with God's Word this year. What does the Bible selection ask me to do?

Forgetting to act is a supreme act of self deception.