Seeing Jesus In Our Daily Bible Reading Part 4

For the week of March 22 - 28, 2009, the Bible reading covered Numbers 33 : 40 - Deuteronomy 10 : 22 in the Old Testament, Luke 5 : 12 - 8 : 21, Psalm 65 - 69 and Proverbs 11 : 23 - 12 : 3. 

1.  The verses which impacted me are :

• Luke 6 : 20 - 38
• Luke 6 : 45 "The good person out of the good tresure of his heart produces good,and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks."
• Luke 8 : 5 - 15 "The Parable of the Sower".
• Deuteronomy 5 : 6 - 21 "The Ten Commandments"
• Deut 6 : 4 - 19 "The Shema" 
• Psalm 68 : 19 - 20 "Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up; God is our salvation. Our God is a God of salvation, and to God, the Lord, belong deliverances from death."
• Deut 8 : 18 "You shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day." 
• Proverbs 12 : 3 "A man cannot be established through wickedness but the righteous cannot be uprooted."

2.  What I learned about God (Jesus) this week are :

• In Numbers 35 we read that if a murder is unintentional, a person can flee to a city of refuge and receive a public trial which was held to ensure that anyone who had killed intentionally would not escape the death penalty. As long as the person stayed in the city of refuge, he was protected and when the high priest died, he was free to go home. The cities of refuge served as ancient illustrations of the Good News about Jesus. In Jesus Christ, our supreme city of refuge, we are safe forever from God's righteous judgement.
• In Deut 3 : 25, Moses pleaded with God for permission to "go over and see the good land." But this time God not only refused Moses his request but appeared annoyed with him in verse 26 : "That is enough...Do Not speak to me anymore about this matter." While voicingour requests and concerns to God is crtically important, God will sometimes say no, just as He dis to Moses.
• The Shema, meaning "hear" in Deut 6 : 4 - 5 emphasises God's unity. This passage states that there can be only one all-powerful, infinite, limitless and perfect God. Because God has revealed Himself to us, we are able to identify the God of the Bible as that one true God. Christians believe that God is a tri-unity or Trinity - One being expressed in three persons, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
• Luke 5 : 11 illustrates the power of "pull" from our Saviour to follow Him. Following Jesus implies total abandonment to Him. True disciples turn their backs on all the encumbrances and earthly baggage that might pull them back or slow them down.
• Luke 6 : 31 has become known as the Goden Rule through the years i.e. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Jesus is revolutionary even in His time.
• Psalm 68 speaks of our Triumphant Lord. Life does not have to defeat us. The God of the universe will, through his precious Son Jesus, scatters his enemies.
• Psalm 69 is most frequently quoted in connection to the ministry and suffering of Jesus. Because Jesus suffered insult, betrayal and unspeakable anguish of body and spirit, he knows how we feel when we grow weary and bruised from life's blows. 

3.  How I have been inspired by this week's reading

• I thank Jesus that He is a "city of refuge for me". I can go to spend time alone with Him in total safety and security.
• When God says "No", He has every right to do so and He always have our best interest in mind. Looking back, I can see evidence of God's gentle hand nudging me in a different direction.
• I thank God that in the New Covenant, He has written His laws in our hearts and our minds and given us His Spirit.
• Reading Duet helped me to ask before making any significant decisions : "What would Jesus do ?"
• The chapter in Luke on "Following Jesus" inspired me to follow Him in total abandonment.
• Reading Psalm 68 helps me reflect on specific accounts where Jesus led me through "spritual wastelands" back to His living waters.

4.  My Application

      To put into practice what I have been inpired by as in 3 above. So help me God ! Amen !

HAPPY EASTER !

"Only Jesus, Only He, 

Brings redemption, full and free

There's a yearning in all our lives

That only Jesus satisfies..."

Calvary's love will sail forever

Bright and shining, full and free

Like an ark of peace and safety

On the sea of human need

Through the hours of all the ages

Those tired of sailing on their own

Finally rest inside the shadow

Cast by Calvary's love becomes a fire

Calvary's love, calvary's love

Priceless gift, Christ makes us worthy of

The deepest sin can't rise above Calvary's love..."

This song which I have sung many years ago in church still rings loud within me every Easter as I remember the sacrificial love of our LORD Jesus Christ. Indeed, the deepest sin can't rise above Calvary's love. Christ has done it all for us. Thank you LORD for your indescribable gift of salvation !

Happy Easter everyone and may we all give thanks and praise to Almighty God for His Son's sacrificial love. To God Be The Glory Great Things He Has Done !

Seeing Jesus In Our Daily Bible Reading Part 3

For the week of March 15 - 21, 2009, the Bible reading covered Numbers 22 : 21 - Numbers 33, Luke 1 : 57 - 5 : 11, Psalm 58 : 1 - 64 : 10 and Proverbs 11 : 12 -22.

1.  The verses which impacted me are :

• Numbers 22 : 21 - 41 on Balaam's donkey - God can use anyone,  even a "donkey" to fulfill His purposes. Let's be a "donkey" for God !
• Luke 1 :68 "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people." - Praise God for His gift of redemption.
  
• Luke 4 : 18 - 19 "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour."
• Psalm 61 : 1 - 2 "Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer; from the end of the earth I will call to you when my heart is faint." - On Christ the Solid Rock I will stand.
• Psalm 62 : 7 - 8 "On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us." - We can take refuge in God our mighty Rock.
• Psalm 64 : 10 "Let the righteous one rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in him ! Let all the upright in heart exult !"
• Proverbs 11 : 20 "The Lord detests men of perverse heart but he delights in those whose ways are blameless."

2.  What I learned about God (Jesus) this week are :

• Jesus always warned against false prophets and the "angel of the Lord" who talked to Balaam may have been Jesus Hinself, who in Old testament times periodically stepped into human history to bless and defend His people.
• Balaam's fourth prophecy recorded in Numbers 24, was inspired by the "Spirit of God" (vs 2). God used this pagan prophet to proclaim the truth, and Balaam correctly predicted that "a star would come out of Jacob; a scepter arise out of Israel (vs 17). This prophecy was initially fulfilled by David but was ultimately realised in the birth and ministry of Jesus.
• Mary's song in Luke was a shining example of both praise and submission to God. There are 4 parts to her song. First, she confessed her understanding of who God is and of who she was in comparison to him. Next, she described what God is like and then marveled at his intimate concern for the details of her life. Finally, she reflected back on God's covenant with Abraham.
• Psalm 58 reveals God's righteous vengeance.
• Some scholars believe that David wrote Psalm 62 after his son Absalom had tried to usurp the throne from him. David began his song by asserting that his "soul found rest in God alone". God offers true rest for his children; true rest is spiritual, eternal rest, a place of refuge with God where we can be released from the burdens and struggles of this physical life.
• Proverbs teach us that treating others with kindness may not necessarily guarantee reciprocal kindness from others. Nevertheless, God urges us to be kind regardless of how others respond.

3.  How I have been inspired by this week's reading

• God is in charge and in every situation, He can show Himself strong on behalf of His people.
• Mary, though a virgin, was with child from the Holy Spirit. She did not try to explain herself even if it meant that she may be criticised or ridiculed. I am inspired by her story and applying to myself, I should let God "vindicate" me and not justify.
• When Jesus was baptised, the Holy Spirt descended upon Him and God's voice was heard from heaven : "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." I long to hear these words from God and picture myself as one who is tenderly and passionately loved by the Lord. 
• Psalm 62 inspired me to rest in Jesus, whose arms are outstretched asking me to come to Him and find rest.

4.  My Application

     To put into practice what I have been inspired by as in 3 above. To God be All the Glory !

Seeing Jesus In Our Daily Bible Reading Part 2

Continuing on my journalling based on my church's Bible reading plan, for the week 8 - 14th March 2009, we covered Numbers 10 - 22 : 20, Mark 14 - Luke 1, Psalm 51 - 57 : 11 , Proverbs 10 : 31 - 11 : 11. For this week the format adopted for my journalling is based on the following outline which will be the standard format in the weeks to come :

1. The verses which impacted me are ...

• Numbers 13 on "The 12 Spies" - It is not what you see but who you see tnhat matters. Joshua and Caleb saw opportunities for their conquering God to show Himself strong. In the final analysis, faith and obedience are what matter to God. 
• Psalm 51 : 10 - 12 "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit." - I thank God that in the dispensation of Grace, the Holy Spirit indwells us and God will not remove the Holy Spirit from us. Yes, we at times we grieve the Holy Spirit but He will never leave us nor forsake us.
  
• Psalm 55 : 22 "Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall." 
• Mark 14 : 22 - 24 on the Holy Communion. 

2.   What I learned about God (Jesus) this week are :

• God will be a conquering God for us if we trust Him to deliver what He has promised.
• The story of the red heifer in Numbers 19 reminds us of the cleansing power of Jesus' blood in Hebrews 9 : 12 - 14. 
• Moses' partial obedience of striking the Rock twice instead of speaking to the Rock is clearly a lapse of self control and outright disobedience on his part. Christ the Rock can only be smitten once and for all and not twice.
• The lifting up of the bronze serpent and the need for those biten to look up and be healed is paralleled to John 3 : 14 - 15 "Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that every one who believes may have eternal life."
• The chapters in Mark's gospel for this week deals with the last few hours leading to Christ's crucifixion. But thanks be to God for His resurrection, without which our faith in Christ would be in vain.
• Psalm 51 shows us a "God of second chances".
• Psalm 57 declares that God is preeminent in everything.
• Proverbs 10 : 31 - 11 : 11 gives us principles for life.

3.  How I have been inspired by this week's reading

• The story of the 12 spies inspired me to see beyond the obstacles in my life to the presence and power of God.
• The story of Moses who was to speak to "the Rock" inspired me to continually drink from the "Rock of living waters". Is my soul satisfied with Jesus' love ?
• The reluctance of some Israelites to look up to the bronze serpent for healing made me think back at those times when I too held back from obeying a simple instruction.
• The story of Judas' betrayal reminded me to consider if there is anything in my life that could grow like spiritual cancer and gradually replace loyalty to Jesus ?
• Psalm 51 reminded me of my righteous standing in God's sight based on Jesus' sacrifice.
• Psalm 57 inspired me to put God first in everything.

4.  My application 

      To put into practice what I have been inspired as in 3 above. So, help me God. Amen !