BSF Genesis: Week 12, Day 4

Today’s Scriptures

Questions:

8.
a.
Good pasture land, peace from fighting with Abram’s men, a place to pitch tents

b.
He moved away, to Hebron near the trees

c.
Don’t place worldly (temporary) amenities over heavenly (eternal) ones. Everything of earth will go away including life, wealth, home and family

9.
He gave up a valley. His descendents were given everything he could see and he would have descendents life the dust of the earth

10.
a.
Gal 3:9: Blessed along with Abraham, Jeremiah 29:11: God has planned good for us and not disaster, gift of future and hope, Matt: 11:28-29: Rest – come to me all who are weary…, Isaiah 40:29-31: Power to the weak, strength to powerless, soar on eagles wings, Phil 4:19: All needs from His glorious riches, Rom 8:37-39: Victory and love: nothing can ever separate us from God’s love, not death, life, angels, demons.., Prov 1:33: peace, untroubled by fear of harm, 2 Cor 4:18: Troubles will pass, John 14:27: peace of mind and heart, John 7:37-39: Living water, the Spirit, John 14:26: The Holy Spirit, Rom 3:23: Forgiveness, Rom 10:9: Salvation, Rom 6:23: Eternal Life

b.
We give up sin, guilt, fear, troubles, worry, murder, adultery, wickedness, lustfulness, greed, gluttony, unrighteous anger, self-pride, laziness, coveting and death. We get peace, love, protection, strength, power, victory, the Holy Spirit, the Word of God, a mission from God and to be brothers with Christ for all eternity.

 

My Daily Journal:

Decorating a hotel room.  I can’t find the reference, but I remembered this analogy while thinking about all of the promises vs. costs involved in living the life of a brother to Christ.  Our time here on earth is like living in a hotel room.  It isn’t home.  Home for believers is in heaven, for all eternity.

But how much time, effort, money and fight do we put into furnishing and decorating our hotel room.  Instead of using our resources for value that matters to God for all eternity, we invest in making our hotel room more comfortable.  We buy bigger houses and decorations, we focus on better curtains for the hotel room.

It isn’t that God doesn’t want us to have wealth or comfort – clearly Abram and Lot had been blessed with more than the land could even support.  But where is our focus?  Is it on our eternal home or our temporary dwelling.  Maybe that is part of the reminder in the fact that Abram was called to live in tents.

BSF Genesis: Week 12, Day 3

Today’s Scriptures

Questions

5.
a.
Abram told him to choose.  He chose based on a farming focus: Good land, good water, like the gard, like the land of Egypt, vs 10

b.
Where job is, where land or good housing is available, the quality of the schools

c.
12. he pitched his tents near Sodom, 13. Now the people of Sodom were wicked and sinning gratly against the Lord

d.
Horrific. Lost his wife, his children’s morals twisted to breaking, his own judgment was dispicable (offering daughter)

6.

  • we have troubled hearts and fear because we receive a false peace
  • darkened in understanding, separated from the life of God, ignorant
  • adulterous, friendship w/world=enmity against God. Choose: friend of world=enemy of God
  • do not love the world, lust of flesh, eyes, pride does not come from God. They will pass

7.
As a whole, no. In moments of time, yes.

My Daily Journal:

Every decision matters.  Throughout Genesis the language of walking daily with God comes up over and over again.  It reminds us that, in a walk, every step matters, no step is more or less important than the one before or the next.  In Abram’s life we are reminder that the same fact applies to decisions we make.  Through any trial, whether one of fear of famine, fear of being killed by a pharoah or one of having so much wealth and flocks that the land can’t support all of our possessions, we are given the opportunity to make decisions.  These are every day decisions because trials exist for us every single day.  But each decision, like each step, matters.

It is only by walking with God every day, by spending time in His word, by talking with Him daily and by keeping our eyes on Him that we have the insight to make the right decisions to life’s daily trials.

BSF Genesis: Week 12, Day 2

Today’s Scriptures

Questions:

3.

  • He let Lot choose his land
  • Better to be wronged and cheated than file lawsuits against believers in secular courts
  • be patient, make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit, bond of peace
  • Be kind and compassionate, forgiving, walk in the way of love

4.
a.
Age and covenant from God. God promised the land to Abram’s descendents, not to his cousin
b.
It is very difficult, especially since it affects not only self but also family. It is easier with relatives, but then even it is hard. It is against our greedy nature to purposefully allow others to pick the best of the bunch and take what is left.

My Daily Journal:

What if Abram and Lot weren’t supposed to part company?  I think most would agree that they faced a time of trial.  We read the story and see Abram as the gracious older uncle who gives up his right and allows Lot to choose the better land.  It is not that I don’t believe this to be true and I don’t mean to disparage Abram, but what if they weren’t supposed to part in the first place.  Lot was Abram’s ward, his pupil per se.  It states in the verses that the land could not support both of their flocks and they shared the land with the Canaanites and Perizzites.  Abram made the decision to part.  But should he have elected to reduce their flocks?  Could they have blessed their neighbors, would that have opened a new door?

I know this is a hypothetical rabbit hole, but it served as an interesting point to me and a good reminder that the true lesson isn’t that things turned out OK for Abram, but that ever so slowly Abram was learning not only to trust God but to trust Him first.  I am slowly learning this same lesson.  I trust God, but too often I make a decision based on my own viewpoint first.  This does not prevent God from acting and even blessing me, but it also doesn’t mean that I, necessarily, made the right decision.  Pray first, act second.

BSF Genesis: Week 11, Day 5

Today’s Scriptures

Questions:

11.
a.
Psalm 105 God controls famines. Rom 8:28 we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him. Yes.

b.
Abraham connived to lie about his wife. Trust in God was missing

12.

a.
12: they will kill me, 13 lie, 15: she was taken int Pharaoh’s house, 17: inflicted serious diseases on Pharaoh, sent on their way

b.
exiled from Egypt. He bore God’s wrath until he plead for forgiveness

c.
Diseases were on Pharaoh and his household, not Abram and Sarai. They were sent with all they had (much wealth)

13.
a.
Same altar he had built and again called on the name of the Lord

b.
Return to the altar, return to the name of the Lord. Even the great patriarchs, chosen by God fell to doubt and self-reliance, but they walked back to God and repented

My Daily Journal:

A “But the Lord…” moment.

I love verse 17a of Genesis 12.  After this action of unbelievable faith Abram has demonstrated, to trust in a God he barely knows and leave everything behind, we see just how human he is.  Not only does he take matters into his own hands, deciding to venture into Egypt, but out of fear for himself he connives to lie, convinces his wife to lie, we don’t even know what has happened to Lot, and puts his wife into a very precarious position of becoming a wife to the Pharaoh.  When Abram takes matters into his own hands so many others are in the line of fire to get hurt, all because of self reliance and fear.  When we head off on our own path, lying comes naturally.  Christ called Satan the “Father of lies”.

But then there is the turning point of the story in 17a.  It begins with the critical words, But the Lord.  God was always in control, whether Abram knew it or not.  Was all of this a test?  It doesn’t say, but did it test Abram? Absolutely.

When teaching you will sometimes let students venture down a path, just to see if they can figure out and learn from their mistakes.  But you don’t let them go too far or get too embedded in that path.  And, if others are misleading them and encouraging them, you step in even sooner to avoid harm.

That is what God does, too.  Satan loves to grease the path.  Why else do you think deceit so often pays off monetarily?  Lying and cheating people do prosper in this world and sin sells.

But we also all have had those “but the Lord” moments.  When God steps in and says enough.  The truth comes out and we reach a pivot point.  Do we fight and deny and continue back down a path of lies and deceit or do we return to the altar and call on the name of the Lord?

BSF Genesis: Week 11, Day 4

Today’s Scriptures

Questions:

7.
a.
Faith

b.
Trust in God for business and livelihood. Lot’s of changes at work, new directions and needs for income. Each day I turn it over to God and trust Him to provide.

c.
Not be put to shame

8.
a.
4: So Abram went, as the Lord had told him

b.
Lot, Sarai, servants

9.
a.
To your offspring I will give this land (not to him, but to his offspring)

b.
Built an altar to the Lord

c.
I am best as a leader when I am following God’s word.

10.
a.
Built an altar and called on the name of the Lord

b.

  • continue in faith, established and firm with hope held out in the gospel
  • continue to live our lives in Christ Jesus as Lord, rooted and strengthened in faith
  • mature in christ, not repeating the same sins
  • with confidence, perseverance to do the will of God, live by faith
  • by feeding on pure spiritual milk to grow up in salvation

 

My Daily Journal:

Leading by following.

The application question today made me think about how I live out my faith in the way Abram did.  I think it often comes down to a decision, do I lead by leading or lead by following?

My daughter was in marching band during football season at her high school.  The musicians were spread out across all 100 yards of the field, often pointing in different directions.  The band instructor had selected three students to be drum majors.  They were positioned at different points on the field and each conducted from their point.  But they didn’t each set their own tempo (at least not intentionally).  Two of the drum majors always were watching the third.  That one had received specific instruction and training from the band teacher, who followed the score of music set down by the composer.  Each lead by following.  Had any decided to go his own direction, chaos and noise would have ensued.  But by following, they provided leadership.

BSF Genesis: Week 11, Day 3

Today’s Scripture

Questions:

5.
a.
Make you into a great nation, bless you, make your name great, you will be a blessing, bless those who bless you, curse those who curse you, all people on earth will be bless through you.

b.
1. Nation of Israel, 2. Given a son in his old age, 3. Credited with righteousness (Rom 4), 4. Abraham saves Lot from capture 5. Joseph saved Egypt from drought, 6. Egypt’s losses through the plagues in Exodus, 7. Romans 9 – Promise through Jesus to all who are children of the promise through faith in God

6.

  • blessed in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ
  • the hope to which he has called you, riches of his glorious inheritance, holy people
  • raised up with Christ, seated in the heavenly realms in Christ, riches of grace, kindness
  • Invisible things God prepared revealed to us by his Spirit
  • Portion and cup, security, pleasant boundaries, delightful inheritance

My Daily Journal:

Who have I blessed?

God’s promise to bless those who we bless comes up not only here for Abraham and his descendants, but also in the beatitudes that Christ preached.  I pray for others.  I teach others, particularly children.  I strive to live a life that reflects Christ’s love.  But I don’t spend much time thinking about how I can bless others.

I think it may be because, in comparison to the power and wisdom that I know God has, my words and actions seem so insignificant.  I end up standing back and, in prayer, try to direct God to all the places I think he should lead and go and pour out His power.  But that isn’t what this says, is it.  In these promises, God calls on us to put ourselves into the game.  Does that mean I am any bigger or God is any smaller, of course not.  But it means I’m engaged in the blessing.   And when I engage, God magnifies.

So, who can I bless?  Who can I send a card of encouragement to?  Who can I buy a meal or cup of coffee for?  Who can I call?  Who can I smile at?  Who can I share a word about the joy of the Lord with?  I’m looking forward to see what God does.

BSF Genesis: Week 11, Day 2

Today’s Scriptures

Questions:

3.
His country, his people, his father’s household – His way of life.

4.

  • Called Apostles to leave fishing, follow him, become fishers of men, immed left boat, home
  • Follow me and let dead bury their own
  • Deny yourself, take up cross and follow-save live=lose it, lose for Him & gospel = save it
  • Love Jesus above all others (mom, dad, wife, kids) cost of discipleship is total sacrifice of self
  • Called out of darkness and anything of this world

My Daily Journal:

Do you have to leave home to become a fully devoted follower of Christ?

For most of us, the first response to that question is, “of course not.”  But, let’s look at all of those verses again.  Let’s look at the call to the apostles.  Let’s even look at Jesus’ life.

I think the challenge is that our neighborhoods shape us into their likeness more than we would like to believe.  We feel the pressure to spend our time picking up leaves when neighbors on both sides have leaf free lawns.  We get drawn into conversations about neighbors, teachers, who bought what, who is doing what, too much gossip.  We suffer from the “keeping up with the jones’ syndrom.”  All, whether we like it or intend to or not.

Do we have to leave our homes behind?  Not necessarily in a physical sense, if we are willing to do it in a spiritual and relationship sense.  As Christians our primary neighbor is Jesus.  Not only is He our neighbor but He is our Lord, the one we serve.  Our “norms” should be set by His commands for our life.  Our language should reflect the joy in our hearts for Him.  Our passion for others should always be an outpouring of the love He has for all of His creation.

What do you know about the 8 neighbors around you (the ones whose homes encircle yours)?  What do they know and see about your walk with God?  How do they see you spending your time, talents and money?  How much of your life do they see conforming to the neighborhood vs. living differently and transforming into holiness?

Maybe moving would be easier.

BSF Genesis: Week 10, Day 5

Today’s Scriptures

Questions:

9.
The promise to Abraham did not come as a reward for Abram’s works, but from the righteousness of God poured out to him by his faith (trust and obedience). It is by grace and it is guaranteed and we fall under the covenant God made to Abraham.

10.
Promise came to all nations. If you belong to Christ you are Abraham’s seed and heirs to the promise.  Mathew 1 -Jesus came from the linage of Abraham

11.
a.
Obedience and faith. That he, in faith, looked to something far ahead, something he didn’t even know or understand, but something that he trusted in God

b.
An everlasting covenant, to be your God and the God of your descendants (to never be abandoned or alone)

c.
Land, to be their God, they must keep his covenant – That the promise in 17:3 is bigger – that Abraham will be the father of many nations, not just one.

My Daily Journal:

I was recently reading a John Ortberg book titled Everybody’s Normal Till You Get To Know Them.  In it he talks about the creation story and, as we reviewed our Genesis study this week it came to my mind.

Ortberg points out that as God creates each part of His creation He says, “It was good.”  That is, until we come to Genesis 2:18 where He says, “It is not good for the man to be alone.”

From the very beginning we were designed for companionship and community all in harmony with God.  Lamech sought companionship without God and developed a spirit of vengeance and retribution.  The people of Babel sought community without God and had their language confused and themselves scattered.

But God’s promise, God’s covenant to Abram, tells him that neither he nor his descendents will ever be alone.  God will always be their God.  They will be a family, a nation, joined together.  The word church didn’t yet exist, but, in essence, through this family of Abram’s that is what God is creating.

We are part of that.  Through our faith in Jesus, we have become members of that family as much as we are brothers and sisters to Christ and God is our heavenly father.  We were not designed to be alone and through the church and through brothers and sisters in Christ and through the nations of believers and through the communion of saints and the indwelling of the holy spirit we will never be alone.  God promised that to Abram.

BSF Genesis: Week 10, Day 4

Today’s Scriptures

Questions:

7.
a.
Ur (Mesopotamia)

b.
There is nothing special about Abram noted.  He hadn’t done anything.  He had no resume to be considered for the patriarch job, no mention of great faith or works or anything.  Just a guy living in a pagan household.

8.
a.
Obedience. Patience. Worship. Dialogue with God. Not exceptional works, but a willingness to follow and trust in God

b.
God is totally in control and viewing events on a timeline that I cannot even comprehend. When I lack patience, it helps me remember how little I can see or understand and how loving my God is

My Daily Journal:

What me does God see?  This is a much deeper question than it appears at first blush.  When a potential employer looks at me, they see my resume’; all the decisions and choices I have made in my education and career and the experiences those have garnered.  But what does our everlasting, all-knowing God see?

God knows not only every decision I have made, but every decision I will ever make.  He knows not only the heart that I have had, but the one that I will have and the obedience I will show.  Does that mean I do not have choice, absolutely not, it is just that God already knows the choices I will make, even though I don’t, yet.

But, that is such an amazing gift.  God chose me while I was still a sinner to be in His family.  I didn’t earn it.  I wouldn’t ever earn it.  But God knew that I would accept it, cherish it and work to teach others.  Through that I am continuing to be transformed into the image of holiness.  It is a slow transformation, but, I believe, God already sees me as I will ultimately be in heaven.

BSF Genesis: Week 10, Day 3

Today’s Scriptures

Questions:

6.
a.
That the faith of one man was enough to save mankind and all animals from destruction

b.
I think we do – the wicked are any who do not accept Christ as their savior. Some of these are my friends, co-workers and family and I do worry for them. Not that God is unfair, but that they are unwise.

c.
Yes. I have accepted the gift of salvation through Jesus and have become a transformed man, not within sin or wrong, but with a desire and longing to serve Him better and be a better example through it.

 

My Daily Journal:

How long did God wait for there to be a Noah?  Normally, when I think of the story I picture God one day looking around and realizing His whole creation had turned over to corruption and turned away from him.  He looks around and, lo and behold, there is Noah, one righteous man.

But what if it was the other way?  What if God waited patiently for there to be a Noah?  How long and how much sin did God tolerate?  How much pain did he feel over how many generations?

It made me stop and think about God timing.  When I say I’m waiting patiently on God’s direction, I normally think days, maybe a week or two.  How many hundreds of years did God wait?  What is he waiting on, today?