The Notes are Good

BSF Genesis: Week 15, Day 2

Questions:

a. She took the position that lack of a child was because of a problem with her. She gave her slave to Abram as a wife

b. 15:4 son who is your own flesh and blood

c. Believed God could give Abram a son. Did not believe His plan was to do that through Sarai, since she had not had children.

a. 16:3-4 Abram took Hagar to be his wife, slept with her and she conceived; 16:4 Hagar despised Sarai; 16:6 Abram disowned Hagar, Sarai mistreated her, she fled; 16:10-12 Lord’s promise to her about Ishmael ch20 Isaac born, Hagar/Ishmael sent away – According to tradition, Ishmael is the father of Islam

b. Each time that we trust more in our own thoughts and actions and plans rather than rely with patience on God. Each time we rely on what is acceptable as cultural norms, rather than acceptable in God’s eyes. Each time we focus on what is “wrong with me” or “my faults” rather than the power of God.

c. Stress. I spent twice the amount of time calling on God to bail me out of the mess than I would have spent praying to Him for guidance and timing

My Daily Journal:

I was convicted by Sarai’s self focus and self blame. So often we think of self focus as “it’s all about me”, egotistical, narcissistic. But that sword also cuts the other way. How often when we see problems, especially those being faced by loved ones, do we internalize the blame or cause to be something about us? If I had been a better __________, then they would not be facing this problem.

Our lesson talked about “unbelief” today in the discussion of Abram and Sarai and their decision to bring Hagar into the picture. Clearly, there was some “under-belief” in not seeing the full power of God, but I think that stemmed more from focus than heart. Sarai’s focus became one of what am I doing wrong? How are my “faults” hindering my loved ones? And she took action to take herself out of the picture, to stop being the roadblock that she had convinced herself that she was to her husband and to God.

I can relate to that internal dialogue. The lesson for me is, for better or for worse, it really is not about me. I am not big enough to be a roadblock to God. I am not perfect in my thoughts, words and deeds, but I am forgiven and blameless in the eyes of God. I can do better, but the first thing I need to do is change the focus of my eyes, head and heart from a focus on my faults to a focus on God’s power.

BSF Genesis: Week 14, Day 5

Today’s Scriptures

Questions:

11.
v13:for four hundred years your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own and that they will be enslaved and mistreated there. (Gen 47:11 settled in Egypt, Ex 1:11 enslaved, Ex 12:4 430 yrs), v14:I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions. (Ex 6-11 Plagues, Ex 12:36 Great plunder) v.15:You, however, will go to your ancestors in peace and be buried at a good old age (gen 25:7-10 died at 175) v.16:In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here (Gal 3:17 430 yrs later new covenant of law)

12.
a.
Fire:
Ex 3:2, Moses, Firey Bush
Ex 13:21 Pillar of Fire
Ex 19:18 Descended on Mt Sinai in fire
Lev 9:24, 10;2 fire came out from Lord
1 Peter 1:7 Refiners fire
Rev 20:14-15 Lake of Fire

Light:
Isa 51:4 my justice will become a light to the nations
Isa 60-19 The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you, for the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory
John 1:5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.
John 3:19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.
John 8:12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
John 9:5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
John 12:46 I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.
Acts 22:6-9 Jesus revealed to Paul on road to Damascus as a bright light from heaven
Rev 21:23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.

b.
Rev 21:23. While God is fire and his glory shines like flame, the Lamb is a lamp, something personal something that directly interacts with me in a personal way

13.
People have choice. Sin is allowed as a means of leading to repentance – we know it is wrong, we are wrong and need to reunite with God. When we repent, God is faithful and restores us, but if we do not turn to His righteousness, it becomes a rut which turns to a canyon.

14.
a.
Wadi of Egypt to Euphrates – No

b.
Solomon, 1 Kings 4:21, 1 Kings 8:65

My Daily Journal:

Home. There is something in our DNA that longs for something we call home. While we often symbolize it by a physical place, that is more of a symbol. Same with ownership or possession, both are elements of home, but not what makes something home. It is deeper than that, it is a need for stability, belonging, connecting, peace. Even if experience of home have been difficult or we have lived nomadically, the longing is still there.

God has given us this longing and uses it to call us back to Him. Our true home is not on this earth or in this physical plane, our true and ultimate home is in communion with our creator. But He gives us home on this earth to help teach and prepare us for that ultimate state.

Our earthly home is an allegory. In the same way, the promised land is an allegory to Abram’s children. Not that it isn’t real or that it isn’t a real promise, but it is not the ultimate home, only a representation.

God uses our earthly home to teach us. He gives us homes. He also calls us out of our homes both to teach us and to put us in situations to teach others. This has been the history of Israel and the promised land. God has moved His chosen people in and out of the land, both as lessons to them about His provision and promises and also as lessons to them about rebellion and repentance.

In our lesson we learned that under Solomon the entire region of the promised land was delivered to Israel. We saw that in 1 Kings 4 and 8. But by 2 Kings 24:7 “the king of Babylon had taken all his territory, from the Wadi of Egypt to the Euphrates River.”

The lesson isn’t that God gives and takes away (although that is truth), but that land is land, home is with Him. Our promised land is not to be found in the promise of God to Abram, but in the promise of Christ to believers, the home that is eternal.

BSF Genesis: Week 14, Day 4

Today’s Scriptures

Questions

8.
Not a contridiction. Price is paid in full by Christ’s work on the cross. We cannot add anything to paid in full. But, accepting the gift means being transformed, and a transformed life is lived out in the light, not darkness, in acts of faith.

9.
a.
We were all dead to sin. We all will die, but God’s gift has changed that back into eternal life

b.
Yes. In my situation I was technically dead, my heart was offline as they performed surgery, but I was given a new spirit.

10.
a.
Choice to waver or be strengthened based on focus. Abram focused on God’s glory and was strengthened not on impossible situation and wavered.

b.
Do I waver in unbelief when I believe a situation is impossible or am I strengthened in faith and give glory to God because he can do the impossible?

My Daily Journal:

The discussion of the Romans 4:17-21 in light of Abram’s response stuck with me, today. When I am struggling, when I am facing difficulty, when there are troubles and challenges, all too often my thoughts and the focus of my mind, my actions and my emotions is on the problem.

Focusing on the difficult situation leads to wavering and unbelief. It makes the problem the big thing. It creates a dialogue of difficulty in my mind. I accept a solution as being impossible and therefore begin looking for a way around, an alternative, or, sometimes, just despair.

But, our lesson teaches us that Abram’s great super power was belief. Instead of focusing on the problem, he focused on God’s power. Instead of accepting that it was impossible for him to have a child, he accepted that God could do anything. He saw God as a God who had the power over the impossible to convert death to life. Since God can do that, why do I give any power to my problem at all?

BSF Genesis: Week 14, Day 3

Today’s Scriptures

Questions:

5.
a.
He saw any reward, especially at his age, as of limited value because the one reward he desired was to have descendents so that there would we someone to inherit any rewards and to continue his lineage

b.
A son. Your own flesh and blood. Offspring as numerous as the stars

6.
That he saw not only furtherance of his name, but that through Abram’s offspring God would send the messiah, the savior of the world as promised in Genesis 3.

7.
a.
God is righteous and His promise/word is righteousness

b.
Righteousness is a benchmark, a fixed constant that can be used to judge/determine right from wrong, just, correct, moral, pure. God is righteousness, He is the benchmark and His actions set to bring everything back into that state through salvation. Faith trust that truth.

c.
Believed, credited it to him as righteousness, obeyed (offering)

My Daily Journal:

I loved the discussion and thinking about righteousness. For any objective measure there must be a constant. In our world so many try to deny that constant, while at the same time we yearn for it to exist. Yes, it is easy to say there is no absolute right or wrong, yet, the same voices that argue that point indict others for not following a moral standard that they consider to be fair and right.

Abram hit the nail on the head. There is only one benchmark of righteousness. There is only one absolute standard of what is ultimately and always right. God is that constant. God is unchanging. God is eternal. Everything about God and Everything done by God is demonstration of what is right, what is true, what is pure: righteousness.

That is why weighing anything against the word of the bible leads to correct thinking. The Bible is the word of God and the way in which God reveals Himself to us. That revelation is revealed righteousness.

Shouldn’t I, each day, follow Abram’s example and measure all I do, request, decide, and conduct as simply a withdrawal against God’s credit of Righteousness? It is an account with unlimited funds.

BSF Genesis: Week 14, Day 2

Today’s Scriptures

Questions:

3.
a. “Shield” Defensive armor against swords, lances, arrows, usually carried on left arm; A person or thing that protects
b. Stress and confusion. Self-reliance. Impatience. The attacks of the evil one.
c. 91:4: He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
4.
a. Children, descendents
b. While money and possessions are limited resources, the most limited resource we are given to manage is time. I choose to spend my time in prayer and service.
c. Peace. Provision for family especially children. Guidance on direction to serve Him and best help others.My Daily Journal:I think sometimes non-christians think the life of a dedicated christian is one of boredom and self-denial. Stay away from anything risky. Sit in church and sing boring hymns and go to sewing circles and spend lots of time being pious and uppity.In reality, a walk of faith is a walk through a battleground. God does not promises long walks on the beach and floating on clouds. You don’t need a shield on a beach. You don’t need angels telling you to “do not be afraid” on a cloud. While God does not promise a life without difficulty, He does tell us that He will protect us. I love the Psalm 91:4 verse, to enclose me in feathers, under his wings, to find refuge there. That by His faithfulness and His righteousness (not mine, but His) I will be protected. If life was a walk in the park, how would we learn to rely on God. It is only by allowing us to experience adversity does God teach us to rely on Him and only by learning to rely on Him do we find salvation.

BSF Genesis: Week 13, Day 5

Today’s Scriptures

Questions:

11.
a.
Himself, the Messiah

b.
you are a priest forever in the order of melchizedek

c.
Mel was both a king and a priest, king of righteousness and king of peace. Not a priest through Levites, but ordained by God

12.
a.
Christ has offered forgiveness for everything troubling you. He has been given the power to forgive all.

b.
Christ prayers for you continuously. He calls on God to bless you, not because you deserve it or have earned it, but because it reflects the glory and honor of the Creator

c.
Give to the church joyfully and without regret or reservation for the body of believers is the the body of the church of which Christ is the head

My Daily Journal:

Christ cried.

Hebrews 5:7 says Jesus offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears.

One of the men in our group talked about this and it helped reveal how amazing this is. Think about it. This is the creator of everything. Everything. Heavens and earth, seen and unseen, mortal and spiritual beings, matter, dark matter, antimatter, everything. This is the all powerful. All knowing. Eternal God. And he cried.

Growing up my fear of my father was not one of fear of punishment or anger from him, but fear of causing him disappointment or pain. If as a child I understand this for my human father, then as a maturing adult believer how much more should I feel this for my Lord. And, yet, he cried.

I don’t say this as a depressing thought or for guilt, but I think it shows the heart of God and His amazing love for me and all of His children. That love, embodied in Christ, serving in the role of eternal priest for me, interceding on my behalf and paying the sacrifice for my wrongs, well… that is love.

BSF Genesis: Week 13, Day 4

Today’s Scriptures

Questions:

8.
They came out to meet him in the valley and each attempted to honor him in his own way. Melchizedek brought bread and wine and blessed Abram with a prayer of blessing from God and honoring to God. Abram gave him a tenth of everything. Sodom focused on possessions. He wanted the people and to leave Abram with all other possessions. Abram said he swore an oath to God to not take anything, even a sandal strap. But the other kings should receive their share.

9.
a.
I am your shield. I am your great reward

b.
He had just stood up to a king of a wicked people and given up a great amount of wealth and riches. He had delivered a message to the king of Sodom that God was against him. But, more so, I think he had fear for his nephew Lot. Lot must have chosen to go right back into sin city. Abram would have had great fear for his nephew. Not to read ahead, but he doesn’t consider Lot to be a viable heir, but instead his only living heir is a servant he acquired.

10.
God tells us to not be afraid, over and over again. But it is hard. We make so many decisions and there is such uncertainty in this life it is hard not to be afraid and not to have second thoughts. It is easy to look back on each decision and have doubts and questions: did I make the right choice. But God calls us to have confidence and to shed the fear because God works all for His glory. It is not whether I make the right decision, but how I make the decision that matters most to God. Do I rely on myself or put my trust in Him with the intent to bring glory to Him?

My Daily Journal:

Question 8 was my pivotal question this week.

Here comes Abram marching back into the Valley of the Kings. He is victorious. He is accompanied not only with his entire army but with all the people and possessions. To the victor go the spoils. This all belongs to Abram.

The valley he walks in to must have been somber. Not only had all the local kings been defeated in battle, but their cities had been sacked and raided, their people had all been hauled off as slaves. It says the armies took ALL of their food. The kings had fled from the battle, leaving their soldiers to be trapped in tarpits. The few soldiers that did escape fled to the hills, but you cannot imagine they maintain any loyalty to these defeated and cowardly kings.

In comes mighty Abram and out come Melchizedek and the King of Sodom. With one swipe of his sword Abram could kill the king and place himself on the throne over the entire valley. Not even his own sword would be required, he had an army of fighting men with him loyal to his word or hand gesture.

The contrasts in this meeting are so rich. Look at this:

The first words out of the mouth of the King of Salem are: “Blessed Be.”

Abram’s response is to give him a tenth of everything. Note, he does not ask permission of anyone else. All of this is Abram’s to give or keep as he sees fit.

Next is the King of Sodom. His first words are “Give me.”

Abram responds, “With raised hand”

While the King of Sodom is trying to put on a good front, it has to realize that with one motion of that raised hand he is dead. But instead of raising his hand against this wicked King, Abram says, “With raised hand I have sworn an oath to the Lord, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth”

What an amazing and powerful scene that is such a strong lesson to us. Are my thoughts and words first to bless others or to get for myself. Do I raise my hand against others or raise it in praise and promise to my solemn Lord?

BSF Genesis: Week 13, Day 3

Today’s Scriptures

Questions:

5.
He had 318 trained men that were able to go into battle and he was allied with Mamre, Eshkol and Aner

6.
a.
He fought a battle of righteousness before God. To those on God’s side, it was a pleasant site, to the enemy it was death. His household took a stand, but their armament was God provided

b.
Not the weapons of this world, but weapons of divine power. They battle strongholds of argument and pretense and wrong knowledge and wrong thought

c.
The sword of the Spirit. All else is defensive, but God’s spirit strikes the enemy

7.
It is both a challenge and comfort. I am not equal to the task of bearing the burden for whether a person lives or dies for all eternity. Comforting to know that the scripture recognizes my inadequacy and that it is only by carrying Christ in spirit that it comes to pass.

My Daily Journal:

In the lesson today I changed perspectives and looked at the battle and victory through Lot’s eyes. At this point, Lot has been chained as a slave in captivity. He has been marched off from his home, all of his possessions taken away, his family enslaved, he is helpless, with only one hope: Abram.

I can relate to Lot. I am enslaved by sin. I fight it off, but by my own strength I have no hope of staying free. But, also like Lot’s relationship with Abram, I too have I have a family member, a savior who has elected to call me brother, who will pursue me, fight the evil ones that hold me in bondage and set me free. Like Abram, Christ has an army of trained soldiers at the ready, clothed in the spiritual battlement. They come, without reservation or condition, to rescue any of us that call on His name. They do not expect us to free ourselves. They do not hold back with thoughts that we have received no more than we have earned. They just come and fight and vanquish.

I understand that I, too, am called to dress in the armor of God. I am pleased to be called to serve. But I am even more thankful for all the times in my life that Christ has sent soldiers in, whether fellow christians, angels or the holy spirit, to fight for me and to rescue me.

BSF Genesis: Week 13, Day 2

Today’s Scriptures

Questions:

3.
a.
Amraphel of Shinar, Arioch of Ellasar, Kedorlaomer of Elam and Tidal of Goyim

b.
Bera of Sodom, Birsha of Gomorrah, Shinab of Admah, Shemeber of Zeboyim, Zoar of Bela

c.
The plain of Shinar (Babel)

4.
a.
Decision to setup tents by the city of Sodom

b.
Choices on employment, choices on how to spend money and time, choices about whether to launch new ventures and how quickly to do them. Consequences affect myself, employees, family, readers, other believers. I also need to be talking with others about Christ. I need to pray about all of this.

My Daily Journal:

We know from the previous verses that the people of this valley were wicked. In these verses we also see how inept the battle plans of the wicked are.

Here we see a big front. 5 kings allied against 4. They draw up to fight on their home turf, in their own valley with naturally better ability to prepare to devise strategy, to prepare reinforcements. What we see is that instead all they have is a big front. There is nothing behind it. At the first sign, they retreat. Some are caught in the tar pits of their own turf, some flee to the hills. The leaders themselves flee leaving the women, children, elderly and innocent to be taken by the enemy as slaves including ALL the food.

As Christians we fear confrontations with evil. Evil today acts the same way, with a big scary front. But like this battle, there is nothing behind it. The soldiers are deserted, the leaders flee and they are caught up in their own lies and deceit. I am not suggesting that we should discount the forces of evil, clearly they have the ability to cause harm and pain, but I am suggesting that under the power of the spirit of God, with the truth of the gospel, we need have no fear.

BSF Genesis: Week 12, Day 5

Today’s Scriptures

Questions:

11.
a.
Look, (listen), Go, Walk through the length and breadth of the land

b.
give you every place where you set your foot. I will be with you. Be strong and courageous

12.

We give an account of ourselves on judgment day
appear before the judgment seat of Christ and receive what is due us
So that we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming

My Daily Journal:

God was training Abram. Training requires movement.

My daughter is learning to drive. But it is impossible to learn to drive sitting in the garage. God wants to steer us in the right direction. God wants to lead us on the path, the straight highway that leads to him. But, like a rider on a bicycle, it is far easier to steer when there is movement.

How do we move as Christians? By being missional. By teaching and disciplining others. By preaching the truth of the gospel and proclaiming the love of Christ for the world. By serving.