Monday, August 27, 2012

Aug 27-Sep 2


Monday: Genesis 34
Tuesday: 1 Samuel 5
Wednesday: Psalm 59
Thursday: Isaiah 63
Friday: Zechariah 14
Saturday: Acts 27
Sunday Hebrews 3

12 comments:

Unknown said...

Gen 34.

Lois, your comment from yesterday about "kicking against the goasds" or resisting God's direction, or opposing God's will, seemed like a recurring theme to me today, too, in an indirect way. As I was reading about how the Israelites found such favor with the Shechemites, how desperately they wanted to mix and become one with them I was struck by the raw contrast between that picture and the rest of history to follow where Israel is a despised, persecuted and destitute nation. Chosen by God, other nations looked upon them with favor, envy, desire to be associated with them, united with them. How sad that because of "kicking against the goads" the coarse of the nation changed so drastically and the more they took matters into their own hands, the more God's blessing and direction was tabled and sidelined, the more injury they suffered and continue to suffer by the hands of others.

Denise said...

Genesis 34
“In all of this, the victim was overlooked. Dinah was neither comforted nor consulted. Instead, she was treated with almost as much disrespect by her family as she had been by Shechem. By handing her over the Shechem, they used Dinah as bait in a trap that led to the murder of all the men in Shechem’s village. Dinah’s brothers profited from the massacre of Shechem. Jacob was angry at his sons for their actions, but did nothing. Meanwhile, Dinah slipped back into oblivion. Her story reminds us of the tragedies that occur when family members are careless with each other. Someone ends up paying a high price.

You probably know someone who can identify closely with Dinah. Perhaps you have experienced that same anonymity as a victim who was unnoticed or forgotten. Remember several glimmers of hope: Even when everyone else forgets, God doesn’t; when no one seems to notice, God sees; when no one seems to care, God cares; when you feel all alone, you aren’t. And one of the first lessons God will teach you as you depend on him is that there are others who also care and are willing to help.”

Unknown said...

>>when you feel all alone, you aren’t. And one of the first lessons God will teach you as you depend on him is that there are others who also care and are willing to help.”<<

love this.

Denise said...

"Although the Philistines had just witnessed a great victory by Israel's God over their god, Dagon, they didn't act upon that insight until they were afflicted wtih tumors (possibly bubonic plague). Similarily, today many people don't respond to biblical truth until they experience pain. Are you willing to listen to God for truth's sake, or do you turn to him only when you are hurting?"

Unknown said...

that was what stood out to me, too. This really builds on Sunday's sermon, to have a daily discipline of interaction with God's word so that we will be seeped in truth and it will shape who we become.

Unknown said...

Isaiah 63

v5"I was amazed to see that no one intervened, to help the oppressed."

this has been a theme for me in the past six months. The poor and poor of spirit, God's heart for them. Jesus did not surround himself with the beautiful, the powerful, the influential. The exact opposite. He was meek and lowly and He came to restore the hope of the hopeless. As I continue to "grow up" in learning what it means to be Christlike, more and more I see how it means caring, pursuing and having a heart and a passion for restoring the hope of the hopeless.

v8 "they are my very own people. Surely they will not betray me again." how heartbreaking. Surely they would and surely we do, but He is faithful and while He is just and must enforce or allow consequences, His love never changes and His mercies are new every morning if only we open our eyes and look to Him, He has never left and will never leave us, we are the ones who stray and abandon and ignore Him.

v13 "They were like fine stallions racing through the desert, never stumbling."

there is nothing as powerfully beautiful as a sleek and muscular stallion galloping through the great wide open. What a beautiful picture of what God wants our lives to look like. Not downtrodden, not overwhelmed, not guilt ridden, free, powerful, glorious.

Joan said...

Did we miss Wednesday?

Unknown said...

oh dear. yes, *I* missed Wednesday :) I guess I can stop stressing out about my week flying by too fast for me and SLOW down a bit! LOL...

Denise said...

Psalm 59
“God’s constant love is our place of safety in a wicked world.”
“Throughout this psalm, David describes in grim detail the behaviour of his enemies. He conveys his own feelings of dread with the desperation and despair that he sees in the lives of those who want to harm him. What a delight, then, in these final verses to read about God’s role in David’s life as refuge, a place of safety, and a source of unfailing love. David had learned to turn negative circumstances into reminders of God’s faithful presence. What stresses in your life might be transformed today if you made them a starting point for praising God?”

Unknown said...

Psalm 59 I just couldn't stop thinking about the fact that even though I have had a pretty rough life, I don't know what it is like to have "enemies" like this. People out for your blood. Wow. Perspective. Enmity is so sad, what makes people so cruel and full of drive to destroy another's reputation or rob their peace. I just want to impact everyone for good, encourage, inspire, support, love.

Unknown said...

zech 14 At first when I started reading this chapter I wasn't in the groove of what it was referring to, but then when it hit me it awakened all my senses. I started to explain to the kids the history that has not even happened yet that will lead up to this event, at least according to the interpretation that makes the most sense to me regarding end time events. Before studying all the different end times interpretations this chapter would have been a complete make-my-eyes-glaze-over chapter, so I will share my understanding of this chapter based on my own past studies for anyone who might be thinking... "what the Sam Hill???" :)

I believe that any day Jesus could return for his church and catch us away to take us to heaven where we will experience various events like the judgement seat of Christ, the wedding of the lamb and being clothed in the white robes of righteousness and receive crowns etc. While that is happening I believe that the earth is going through a time of political upheaval like it has never experienced before where a one world economical system is set up and nations make a temporary but shortlived peace pact with Israel to restore their nation and temple and religion to them.

But after 3 1/2 years things turn sour and things get worse for Israel than they have ever been, and that is where we come in at the beginning of chapter 14... if you read ezekiel 36-39 you will see more details as to what actually takes place during this time. Israel all of a sudden in the middle of all this horror somehow comes to the realization that these scriptures explained all of this and tell what will happen, and all of a sudden the light bulb goes on and they're like... holy crow. Jesus was the Messiah! Look.... it's all here.... and when that happens they will wail and repent and cry out for forgiveness and restoration and THAT is when this coming of Christ to land on the Mt of Olives and everything that happens subsequently in this chapter takes place.

GOOSEBUMPS. We are exhorted to PRAY the coming of this restoration of Israel, not only their land, their nation, their dignity, but their proper relation with God and their personal relationship with Jesus. This has to be one of the most exciting chapters of scripture for us because it really is the climax of all things that God is working up toward. The restoration of His chosen people and our reign with Christ on the earth.

Mind blowing and awesome stuff!

Unknown said...

ladies, I will be away until Wednesday after the long weekend. Will post next week's schedule today and continue to read and take notes while I am away but won't be able to check in online. Be blessed and always grow, grow all ways!