BSF Genesis: Week 17, Day 4

Today’s Scriptures

Questions

9.
a.
mocking

b.
Hagar represents man’s attempt to be self-justified through works. Impossible to become part of God’s family, only by grace

c.
He did not abandon them, opened their eyes, provided for them, stayed with, saved, became a great nation

d.
The word of God last forever – while we face certain death God has the ability to bring us through it

10.
It is the difference between self sufficiency, self strength and complete submission to God’s strength. The second is stronger, but weaker and subject to mocking by the first in human view

b.
In the desert with a single skin of water, left for dead, but God saves. Mocking and despising/jealousy leads to being set apart

11.
a.
Struggle between patiently submitting and being led by the spirit and impatiently wanting to run forward

b.
The spirit controls my heart and the Lord fills me to overflowing with his Love, but I become impatient, allow human nature

My Daily Journal:

I was reminded of how God uses the desert.  The desert is a barren, stripped down place.  When Abraham followed Sarah’s wishes he abandoned this side of his family (something clearly not meant as an example of how to behave as a man) and sent them out into the desert with minimal provisions.

We find ourselves in the desert sometimes as well.  We go through periods of time where things are plentiful and, at least on the surface, all may be seeming to go well.  Then, one day we find ourselves in the desert, relying on the things we brought from our old life until those run out.  In the deserts of life we have a hard time focusing on anything except the troubles all around us and the life we used to have.

But, God provides.  To go from one mountaintop to the next you must go through the valley.  God brings us into desert times in our lives so that we may learn to rely on him.  In doing homiletics on this passage it struck me that every verse I summarized from 17-21 started with God.  God heard, God called, God promised, God opened, God provided…

BSF Genesis: Week 17, Day 2

Today’s Scriptures

Questions:

3.
Same: Abraham lied about Sarah being his sister, taken by King, not gone to, God intervenes – people get ill, “what have you done to me/us?”, Abraham gained monetarily.
Difference: Run out of Egypt not Negev, Explanation of why they lied (habit and prior agreement), no mention of Sarah’s beauty, Abimelek knew God although Abraham didn’t recognize it, ended in prayer

4.
a.
He is an idiot and horrible role-model for being a husband. He was afraid and rather than rely on God relied on his own wit and intellect. Twisted truth to attempt to satisfy his own needs/desires.  This lie must have been a deep rut he fell back in to.

b.
When afraid but feeling they can “weasel” their way out. They know it is wrong but justify it because it is “partially true.”

5.
a.
Missed opportunity. Rather than being a witness to Abimilek and the nation he was a source of disease and problems

b.
We can only be a blessing if people see God in us. If we deny God the opportunity to be at the forefront and relegate him to cleaning up our messes how can we be a blessing?
(text) vs 10: he was not treated as his sins deserved or repayed according to his iniquities

6.
a.
vs 10: he was not treated as his sins deserved or repayed according to his iniquities

b.
He formed a treaty with him, swore not to deal falsely, stayed in the land of the Philistines for a long time

c.
He has treated me with compassion and not once given me what I truly deserve. He has blessed me and my family and encouraged me to be an honest husband.

My Daily Journal:

In the children’s lecture, one of the principles talks about restoration in this section.  This brought to mind the illustration of restoring a piece of furniture.  To truly restore furniture requires stripping it down to the bare wood and carving out any weak or decayed pieces of wood, joints or fabric.

We saw Abram and Sarai (names back then) pull this same stunt in Egypt.  While God protected them at that point, it does not appear they really dealt with the lie.  I equate this with putting another coat of paint on the furniture instead of refinishing it correctly.

That doesn’t work here because (1) Abimilech is a believer and (2) God’s plan is for Abraham to spend some time in this land raising his son.  For this to work Abraham needed to be able to form a bond with Abimilech, to reach a covenant with him.  But you cannot form a strong bond in furniture without stripping off the old varnish.  Abraham and Sarah show their old varnish in their lie, but God’s response to Abimilech leads to Abraham’s prayer and ultimately to Abraham’s promise to Abimilech that he will not lie to him ever again.

Side Note:  What’s with the 7 lambs?  In order to have a lasting relationship with Abimilech, Abraham had to reach the understanding that it could not just be about me, me, me.  It also had to be about “ewe”.  (sorry, couldn’t resist!)

BSF Genesis: Week 17, Day 3

Today’s Scriptures

Questions

7.
a.
Lord was gracious, Lord did what he had promised, at the very time God had promised

b.
Faith – although “good as dead” did not waver through disbelief, stengthened in his faith

c.
I struggle with the same “me do” attitude that many do, trying to rely on myself first, then God when in trouble. God has given me challenges bigger than I can handle to help awaken and strengthen me to trust and rely on Him alone.

8.

  • No one can see the kingdom unless they are born again
  • body good as dead, through faith strengthened and made the father of many nations, credited as righteousness, we inherit
  • Birth through the word of truth that we might be a firstfruits of all created
  • born again of imperishable seed

My Daily Journal

The grass withers and the flowers fall but the word of our God lasts forever.  I know this and I believe it but I don’t understand it.  The idea that we are born again not only into new life but from a imperishable seed.

We accept the gift of eternal life but struggle to trust that God could deliver a promise to give a chile to a 90 year old woman and 100 year old man.  We trust the promise of heaven but try to supplement God’s wisdom and power in our daily actions on earth.

BSF Genesis: Week 16, Day 5

Today’s Scriptures

Questions

13.
Everything – every possession, every friend all flocks, sons in law – But earlier on, they had lost their moral compass

14.
a.
When they hesitated, took them by the hand and led them out. Looked at Lot’s faith, not his application of that faith (2 Peter 2:7)

b.
what had been built burned up but the builder escaped through the flames

15.
Moabites, Ammonites: led into sin, wars, Included in Jesus family (Ruth); excluded from the assembly of God; but called to be redeemed

My Daily Journal

What a wasted life.  That, to me, is what Lot really lost.  We all are given hours and days on this earth.  By how we chose to invest that gift, we bear fruit for God.  In the New Testament parable of the talents, we desire to be a good and faithful steward.  But isn’t time an even greater gift than wealth?

Lot spent his days surrounded by debauchery.  There were so many “attractions” around him, that all in his care lost their moral compass.  Instead of a compass pointing to the true north, theirs twisted into the pull from lots of different attractions.  Lot’s loss did not come when the angels came, his days had already passed by then.  It didn’t come from the destruction of property, it had never had value to begin with.  It didn’t come from the death of his wife, she had died inside long before.  We see how the education and training his daughters had received in this land lead to more sin.  We should not be surprised, it is what they knew.

Lot was alone far before the angels arrived.  He was seated alone at the gate of the city.  When he invited the men to his home he did so alone.  Unlike Sarah, there is no mention of his wife preparing bread.  Every indication is that Lot served the men alone.  He didn’t even have the bandwidth to leaven the bread with the extra time required to knead it and work the dough.  He alone put together the meal.  He had accepted faith earlier on in his life and that faith had not abandoned him, but his choices did not lead him to the community he sought – he served alone.

Like Lot we have all made bad decisions and we have wasted hours of our life in pursuit of sin.  I don’t say this as regret but as a call that we can change.  If an investment continuously loses money, we seek out a new investment.  Should we do less with the hours of our life?

BSF Genesis: Week 16, Day 4

Today’s Scriptures

Questions:

11.
a.
The men came to force themselves on the men, Lot offered his virgin daughters, they pressed against Lot, SIL’s thought joke, no one in his family even helped prepare the meal – he only had influence over himself and not a great job of that

b.
When he moved there (Gen 13:13) people were wicked and sinning greatly, Gen 14, Lot carried away as captor, 14:122-24 Abraham’s response to King of Sodom when he returned Lot there

c.
Do not pitch tent along side wickedness. leads to more integration – If God pulls out of a bad situation, don’t go back

12.
Not gone back to Sodom after being captured. He must have chosen to go back.

My Daily Journal:

The convicting message to me was what signs and warnings has God graciously placed in my life that I am choosing to ignore and disobey.  All along the choice to be in Sodom had been Lot’s.  God didn’t send him there, he chose.  He didn’t move in then wicked people move next door, they were there first.  He not only lived by there, but he integrated into the community.  There wasn’t a mention of a wife when he moved there, but now he is married and has children.  His children were raised there.  He has a home in town.  He calls the men trying to rape and sodomize the angels his friends (19:7). But the signs of trouble had been there all along.  God had pulled him out of the city in captivity then through Abraham rescued out of being a literal slave.  But Lot chose his own slavery to being surrounded by sin.

What part of my life does God want me to flee?  What warnings has He given me that I choose to deny and ignore?

BSF Genesis: Week 16, Day 3

Today’s Scriptures

Questions:

7.
Because God has chosen Abraham to be the father of his chosen people, to educate them that he would always preserve them and bring them back even after being reprimanded and for whom He would one day give His own life to save. To teach Abraham of God’s just mercy

8.
Consider carefully, measuring what we take in against the truth of the scriptures, to accept the spirit and hear the words given to Him. He who has ears to hear, let him hear. Luke 8:8

9.
God is not blind to injustice and horrific acts. He is just.
God is merciful, willing to forget horrific deeds for the well being of even a few10.

10.
a.
The angels themselves took Lot, his wife and daughters by the hand and led them safely. The Lord was merciful.

b.
For his and our education, to reveal His mercy.

c.
Yes – because he should have already known and trusted the Lord’s mercy from Egypt. No – because he sought it for others

d.
intercedes, gives us the words, also knows our hearts and offers intercession for all in accordance with the will of God

e.
Be more bold for others. Be more respectful in my tone. Seek the H/S for guidance and trust in Him

My Daily Journal:

Today I saw the beauty and appropriateness in Abraham’s “prayer”.  I liked that the questions called it a prayer.  What is a prayer but a discussion with God?  So, clearly this was a prayer.  But as I looked at it deeper it reminded me of the prayer of Moses and how Abraham and Moses (and, all believers I believe) share a single simple passion.  They and we wish (long to) see and more deeply know the Lord.  Abraham is not pleading for mercy for Sodom.  He is not arguing a point of view or trying to convince the Lord to change His mind.  Instead, the focus of his questions is on better knowing God’s character.  Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?  How far can the faith of a congregation of faithful shine light over the darkness of utter sin?  How deep is your mercy and willingness to withhold justice?  This really revealed the presence of the Holy Spirit in Abraham to me – that his heart was focused on God and not material possessions.  Never once did he ask for the gold or livestock (think ahead to issues with King Saul).

BSF Genesis: Week 16, Day 2

Today’s Scriptures

Questions:

3.
v10 “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.” 17:21

4.
a.
The Lord and 2 Angels, 18:1, The Lord appeared to Abraham, v10 I will surely return…” v13 Then the LORD said

b.
went out to great them and bowed, washed feed, offered meal, Asked Sarah to make fresh bread, served veal, milk, cheese
5.
a.
Knew her thoughts as well as actions, convicted her of her sin (denial of the truth)

b.
Yes. (all is possible through the Lord), but it pleased God that she was faithful

c.
the Lord would fulfill his promises to her

6.
God’s promises are always fulfilled. He is a God of birth, birth of nations and kings, birth of His only son, birth of us into a new life in His family – God’s focus even in a mission of death and destruction is on new life

My Daily Journal:

One of the things that really stuck with me was how amazing is God’s love for us.  Here He is, in the flesh, on a dire mission to judge the wickedness of an entire city.  He knows the death that has already come to the people of that city and the utter lack of and love for Him found there.  But, even with that gravity which had to be on His mind, His thoughts are first on new birth, His focus is on the future and the redemption He will bring.

As He so clearly demonstrated to Sarah, He knows not only what we make public but also the hidden thoughts we have.  We try to pretend and cover that we haven’t sinned in our thoughts – they were just thoughts – but He gives no such slack.  When Sarah tries to say she didn’t laugh, which from a human perspective may have been true since she only “laughed to herself and thought”.  She didn’t say these doubt out loud, she didn’t laugh out loud, she repressed it and kept it inside.  But the Lord gave no such compromise: “Yes, you did laugh.” (PERIOD).  No negotiation, no argument over what the meaning of the word laugh means, no gray.  Just a simple conviction: Yes you did.

BSF Genesis: Week 15, Day 5

Today’s Scriptures

Questions:

11.

  • circumcise your heart, so that you may love him with all your heart and soul, and live
  • detestable: foreigners uncircumcised in heart and flesh into sanctuary, desecrating the temple
  • not only outward and physical… inwardly, circumcision of the heart

12.
a. through baptism, new birth, buried then raised through faith, from the dead. New creation, debt free because of redemption paid on the cross

b. Impatience. Ask God to help me walk closer with Him each day so I can better see and stay in step with His plans and desires for my life

13. Genesis 17:21 Abram was 99, God made promise that a son would be born by this time next year to Sarah.

My Daily Journal:

Two things stood out to me today.

The first involves circumcision.  OK, all puns aside (and at this point everyone reading this should say an extra prayer for all the children’s leaders who have to include this in their lessons this week!!!).  There are some interesting thoughts.  First to me was the clear fact that this was a sign, not a payment or punishment.  Abraham did not earn God’s blessing by snipping off a piece of unnecessary foreskin, what a ridiculous thought.  Abraham did not earn God’s blessing by suffering.  Abraham didn’t earn anything.  the covenant was by God, from God, to Abraham.  God gave Abraham the gift of being able to carry with him a sign of this covenant.  Something not on display for everyone to see – He didn’t have him tattoo his forehead or cut off his earlobe or pierce his nose.  This was something personal, something that required obedience, but not any significant cost.

Second was the name change.  This promise wasn’t new to Abraham.  God gave him more details, particularly about timing and players, but it was, in essence, the same promise he had given him 10 years before.  But, it was now time to turn the page.  Who ever Abram and Sarai had been before, they weren’t that any longer.  They now were recipients of the promise from God.  The old was gone, the new had come. Whatever baggage they had from before, whatever self focus and doubt, whatever sins and deeds, those all were left behind when God turned the page to the next chapter in their life.

What new chapter does God have planned for me?  I’m grateful for all that he has blessed me with and I’m glad He sees me as a novel and not just a short story!

BSF Genesis: Week 15, Day 4

Today’s Scriptures

Questions:

9.
a.
In God’s eyes, yes. He was neither blameless nor perfect, but the covering of Christ given by his faith made him so to God

b.
walk before God faithfully

10.
a.
be blameless, God makes His covenant, greatly increase your numbers, father of many nations, name change, fruitful, nations and kings come from you, everlasting covenant including descendants: be your God and the God of your descendants, land

b.
vs 7: everlasting covenant God, Abraham, his descendants for the generations to come. vs 8: The whole land of Canaan I will give as an everlasting possessions to you and your descendants after you

c.
everlasting

My Daily Journal:

I participated in an interesting discussion about different ways of looking at the concept in Genesis 17:1 of what it means to walk before me faithfully.

When I thought of it, my mental image was along the lines of Esther entering the court of the King.  This was not something you did haphazardly.  You prepared, both physically and spiritually, through dressing in the proper attire for court and through the prayers and fasting of yourself and supporters.  You don’t show up tracking in dirt, you cloth yourself in the robes that were a gift from the King.  You don’t show up proud and boisterous, you appear as a humble servant seeking, but not deserving, favor.  There are many analogies and parallels to be drawn from this illustration.

Another thought that was presented was the mental image of how a parent walks with a child with me being the child.  The parent normally walks slightly behind the child, so they can keep them in sight at all times, to protect from harm.  The child is not to run ahead or try to hide, but be in sight of the parent.  The parent walks along.  When the child stumbles the parent helps them get back up.  As they continue to move forward the view is always forward.  Past stumbles are behind them, the parent only looks ahead for the child.

I thought this was a great illustration of how scripture can speak to us in so many different ways and different levels.  I am the child.  I am also the servant.  God is both the parent and the King.  He is personal and walks with me.  He is also the sovereign who gave me the robe of righteousness as a gift.

BSF Genesis: Week 15, Day 3

Today’s Scriptures

Questions:

5.
a.
4: She began to despise her mistress, 6: Abram rejected her, Sarai mistreated her.

b.
Homeless, pregnant, no food, shelter, anything

c.
Promise of God to increase her descendants so much that they will be too numerous to count, blessing for Ishmael, fruitful

6.
God – Pre-incarnate Jesus. Gen 16:10, the angel of the LORD says “I will”. Not relying on another higher power.

7.
a.
Submit to authority

b.
Obedience, faith and trust always lead to blessings. I am called to increase in all of these areas and to give glory to God for everything.

8.
a.
16:16 86 years old

b.
10 years since time of the promise, but probably closer to 60 years that he had desired to have a son with his wife.

c.
Our idea of waiting a long time is 24-48 hours.

d.
10 years is not a long time for a God promise. Going along with a bad idea (the “it won’t hurt to try something new” approach)

My Daily Journal:

In searching for an illustration about submission the example that came to mind was a glass or cup. When I am at a restaurant and the server comes to refill my drink, my glass/cup is a great example of the nature God wants me to be in of submission. It is open from above to receive the blessings He has to pour out on me. It is closed at the bottom, to keep from immediately losing the blessing. It has been cleaned/prepared to receive the blessing. It is still.

This last point is the one we often struggle with. If instead of letting go or holding my cup still for the server I try to help by moving the cup, trying to catch what is being poured out, or even blocking it either trying to stop it with my hand or another object or being so focused on drinking the last drop left in it from before, I make things more difficult. Anything I do to try to help, other than submit, makes things more difficult for the server.

Christ talked about filling our heart to overflow with the spirit. The illustration of my heart being a cup helps me get myself in the state to receive those blessings.