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 !