bsf blog – Page 3 – The Notes are Good

03.3 BSF Matthew: Week 3, Day 3

My Daily Journal:

My son has recently collected my father-in-law’s faceting equipment with the hope and plan of learning how to cut gemstones. The process of cutting gemstones really does not involve any “cutting”. It is much more a process of careful a careful and precise grinding down with finer and finer grits to the point of polishing.

On a microscopic (or at least magnified) view, a rough stone consists entirely of valleys and mountains and rough places. In the grandness of the universe the scale of our actual mountains is not much different.

Through confession we acknowledge the roughness in our own life. Through repentance, we allow the work of our Master to grind that roughness away and wash it out of our life. It is this repeated process of confession and repentance – acknowledgement, submission and work of a changed outlook and structure, through which we are transformed.

The beauty in a perfectly faceted gemstone is not the stone itself. It is the fact that each side and each angle is polished to a perfectly smooth and reflective surface so the light that enters is magnified and reflected back. In the same way, the work of confession and repentance transforms us into a reflection of the master stone cutter.

My Answers:

4.
a.
Parents both of priestly line, Father served in temple, observed all commands and were blameless, prayed, prophesized by Angel that John would be a Nazarite. His parents were also obedient (naming him John). Sent as the prophet to turn hearts

b.
I grew up in a Christian household centered in service. My mom spent countless time in the nursery carrying for the “smallest of these” My dad taught bible study, served on councils and committees and always attended and gave joyfully

5.
a.
He called people to repent and change – to live a just life. He extolled them not to rely on their birthright but to be servants to God. He rebuked any, including Herod, and was locked in prison

b.
Do not rely on history, be fruitful today. Be generous and compassionate. Be fair and honest. Be just and content.

6.
a.
Baptized with water for repentance, confession of sins, salvation from coming wrath

b.
Confess: to acknowledge wrong deeds, not just mistakes, but insults to God because of disobedience

Repent: to commit to change and living a new/different life

7.
a.
Confession and repentance are are equalizers of people, we all sin and rely on God’s saving work. Works glorifying to God (charity and honesty and justice and contentment) remove human hierarchies

b.
At times I see myself as more than I am. At other times my self view is lower than what God sees in me. I’m a rough stone. But as God smooths my rough edges through confession and repentance and His grace, I become polished and reflective.

Photo credit: Richard W. Wise, G.G.
Author: Secrets Of The Gem Trade, The Connoisseur’s Guide To Precious Gemstones

03.2 BSF Matthew: Week 3, Day 2

Today’s Scriptures

My Daily Journal:

Perfect Practice. There is an old saying that practice makes perfect. But as any coach or personal trainer will tell you, this is not true. Practicing the wrong golf swing over and over and over again will not make that a perfect golf swing, it will just make you really comfortable with doing it incorrectly. Practicing playing a piece on the piano with the wrong note over and over makes you really good at playing the wrong note. It takes perfect practice to lead to perfect.

Perfect practice isn’t exciting. It doesn’t have lots of conflict or drama. It is the daily drill and practice of the Armed Forces. It is the miles trekked by a cross-country runner. It is hard work. It is discipline. But it isn’t much to write about.

This is the life Jesus led. Every day he faced temptation; temptations that are faced at every age and stage of life. He was not hidden away, he lived with family, he attended feasts, he interacted with others. But He did it all without sin.

Jesus’ perfect practice was a practice of perfection.

My Answers:

3.
a.
He grew and became strong, filled with wisdom and grace. He knew His Father and did His work. He was obedient, grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man

b.
i. perfected through suffering, made high priest to Abraham’s kids
ii. High priest, tempted in every way, yet did not sin
iii. prayed: cries and tears. Obedient in suffering, perfect, source

c.
He is not a distant, unattached being – He was fully human, a son of Abraham, who was tempted, but did not yield to sin. His death was not the payment of His sin, it was for ours – Fully obedient to pay the price of disobedience

d.
He was a child, a son, a man. He had the wisdom and spirit of God, but he had the body fully of a man, suffering temptation, pain, tears, separation, but always obedient.

02.2 BSF Matthew: Lesson 2, Day 2

Today’s Scriptures

My Daily Journal:

Imagine the shock the Magi must have experienced. They came from afar to worship the newly born King of the Jews. They came to the logical place, the seat of power for the Jewish nation, to the royal palace – this is where you would expect the long awaited King to be, right? But instead they found – disturbed people! Why wasn’t everyone worshiping this King? They knew who the Magi were talking about. Herod himself called together the priests and teachers and asked them “where the Messiah was to be born.” He knew exactly who the Magi sought.

You would think after all these years of anticipation they would be falling over themselves to meet and worship the Messiah. But that would have meant letting go of their anticipation. They were comfortable in anticipation. They understood it. They had built entire structures and positions around it. It was ingrained in their lives, meals, even their calendar. The messiah showing up would mess all that up!

How we do the same! We know the love God has for us and the calling He has on our life, but we are comfortable. We pray for comfort and peace. For the easy and comfortable path. God calls us to be bold, to obey no matter what, and to trust that he not only has our back, but also our front and top and sides, inside and out. But it is hard to let go.

I am praying this year for boldness and obedience. I don’t know what God has in mind, but I know it is bigger and better than anything I can imagine. I know there will be “Herod’s” along the way, but God is bigger.

My Answers:

3.
a.
Jesus (born), Magi (came to Jerusalem, asked, saw star, came to worship), Herod (disturbed), All Jerusalem (with Herod), Chief priest & teachers (knew promise of Messiah), Herod (secretive, found exact time of star, sent Magi to Bethlehem, ordered to report back to him, lied)

b.
Jesus is as He always was. Some who are wise actively seek Him to show honor and praise. Some, particularly those with power, seek only their own preservation of power, some who are followers, blindly follow the leaders. Wise men seek the one true Lord.

c.
I am a wise man because I have heard and seen the calling of my Lord and God. I was lost and blind and I still stumble and fall (way too often). But, I “get up” and seek to be obedient in honoring my God

4.
a.
Origins from old, from ancient times

b.
come from Judah, from Bethlehem

c.
Ruler over Israel

01.5 BSF Matthew: Week 1, Day 5

Today’s Scripture

My Journal

Honor and obedience.

We live in a culture that is so dishonorable and so disobedient that I don’t think we fully have a grasp of the situation and times of Mary and Joseph.

In their day and culture, honor was everything. There was no corporate names to hide behind, no “spin”, no SBA loans or Government Backed loans. Who you were and what your name stood equated to your ability to earn a living. Without honor, you had no credit in the community. Without credit and trust in the community you had no income, no food, no shelter, no life.

When Mary turned up pregnant, Joseph was within rights to have her publicly humiliated, even to have her stoned. But being a righteous man he thought to divorce her quietly, so hopefully she could have some sort of life. The thought of marrying her would have been unthinkable.

But, then the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph. And what does he do? When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord commanded. period. No prenups, no discussion, nothing – he just obeyed.

Doing what I or those around me thinks is the right or best thing to do does not require obedience. Joseph’s obedience was tested in a way we have a hard time imagining. Again, he didn’t do it with his own will or might. He didn’t do it with his own thought. He just did it (sorry, Nike).

What if we woke each day with the obedience in mind to do what the Lord commands of us this day? What could God do with me with that?

As I look back, the times of greatest joy have not been when I have gotten my way, but when I trusted and followed God into areas of obedience that I did not think I was “the right person” to do or that I didn’t have strengths or skillsets or sometimes even desire to do. But waking up and doing what God commands is a really powerful and joyful trip!

My Answers

9.
a.
i. He will crush your head and you will strike His heel
ii. Sceptor will not depart from Judah nor ruler’s staff from between his feet
iii. You are my son, today I have become your father
iv. Sign: virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel
v. For to us a child is born…

b. Matt 1: 23 = Isaiah 7:14

10.
a.vs 24: When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord commanded

b. Accepting call to be a Children’s Leader in BSF. I did not have a passion for babysitting other’s children and thought I would be better with adults, but accepted the calling God had for me. The blessings have been amazing!!

11.
a. This was huge – honor was everything in the community. This was life or death for Mary.

b. They alone gained the honor of loving and caring for the Christ child and living with God every day. Not since Adam and Eve had there been such intimacy with the Lord

c. Submission to take risks for the Lord always yields amazing rewards. Disobedience never does.

01.4 BSF Matthew: Week 1, Day 4

Today’s Scripture

My Daily Journal:

“I am the Lord’s servant. May your word be fulfilled.” What if we each prayed that prayer every day? What if that was a guiding statement for our to do lists? What if that was our heart’s true desire each day?

Such a simple statement. But so challenging to live out by our own strength. This is not how the world lives. It is not how our neighbors or co-workers or fellow students live. It is not how media tells us to live. Frankly, we can’t live this way on our own strength – it is not in our human nature.

But it is in God’s power – and all we have to do is what Mary did, submit with our words and our hearts. And then, what joy and what blessing. Mary allowed God to use her fully as a completely empty vessel, laying down her own desires to be in charge of her own life and taking on a willingness to fully serve. And what did God do, he filled her in a way that is completely unimaginable. He gave her a gift not given to any other, ever.

“I am the Lord’s servant. May your word be fulfilled.”

My Answers:

7.
a. do not be afraid, you have found favor with God, Conceive and give birth to a son, call him Jesus, 1. He will be great, 2. will be called the Son of the Most High, 3. Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 4. He will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever, 5. His kingdom will never end.

b. Spirit of God. Spirit of God is God, the creator, spirit gives birth to the spirit

8.
a. I am the Lord’s servant. May your word be fulfilled.” Submission, acceptance, serving spirit.

b. My place is not to second guess or argue with God’s direction, despite how much I don’t understand it or feel that I am the right vessel. I need to accept and serve Him

01.3 BSF Matthew: Week 1, Day 3

Today’s Scripture

My Daily Journal

In church this past week we sang the song called “Meet with Me” that spoke to me as I did today’s study. There is a line in the song that says, “What a joy it would be just for a moment to lay at the feet of the Lord. Just to look deep in the face of the King who gave all, gave everything just to meet with me.”

That is what we are talking about when we talk about the name God gave for His Son. Unlike Moses, we are not called to hide in the cleft of the mountain to catch a glimpse of God. God presented Himself, through grace, in the form of a newborn child, completely dependent upon the love of His parents. God chose to meet with us, by coming down to our level because we could not rise to His.

Not only that, but He did not come to give orders and edicts. He did not come to rule with power and might. He did not come to conquer. (although He could have done all of those and would have been within full rights to have done so). Instead, He came to save. He came to pay the price that we cannot pay.

The wages we earn are death. Only the perfect Son of Man could pay the restitution required to buy us out of bondage.

What a joy it will be to sit at the feet of the One… not for a moment, but for all eternity!

My Answers:

5.
a. Immanuel (23): God with Us, Jesus (21, 25) = Joshua= The Lord saves

b. Song “Meet with Me” What a joy it would be just for a moment to lay at the feet of the Lord. Just to look deep in the face of the King who gave all, gave everything just to meet with me, Call to love, honor and respect?

6.
a.
i. God did not send Son to condemn but to save the world
ii. If you do not believe that I am he you will die in your sins
iii. Good Shepherd, other sheep, one flock, one shepherd
iv. Salvation found in no one else, no other name to be saved
v. If believe Jesus is Lord, save
vi. by grace saved, made alive even when dead in transgression

b.+: Coast Guard, lost at sea, willingness to risk all to save, willingness to sacrifice life and resources. -: my need for a savior, the fact that I put myself in a position of needing to be saved by my own recklessness and sin

BSF Matthew: Opening Night

My Daily Journal:

What an amazing night we had last night with the first and second graders! These kids are so inspiring in their willingness to shout out the name Jesus, to confess their unwavering belief in Him as their personal savior and friend. As part of the first night we passed out the questions and each child completed the first day including the question related to what they learned about the bible. One little guy wrote, “Gses did 4 me” (Jesus died for me).

One of the things I love about spending time in bible study with young believers is that they don’t waste time and worry, they simply believe the word of God. That was also something I really loved about the notes this week. One of the ways the evil one attempts to cast doubt is to raise the question of whether the bible, particularly the New Testament, is reliable. We see this teaching in organizations such as the Latter Day Saints or in popular fiction writers such as Dan Brown; an argument that the writings in the bible have been corrupted. When we look at the world and see how mankind has corrupted everything else, it can cast doubt. But God didn’t recite the bible word for word, he inspired 40 people to write it and He has inspired others to translate it. God is alive and active. God is the same and He is true and He uses human translators to give us His Holy Word in our language so we can learn about Him and use His Word to guide our life. He does this with translators the same way He did with the original writers. If God can use a man to write it with truth and accuracy, He can use another man to translate it in the exact same way.

I am really excited about the new format and tone of the notes this year. I love the reference out to other books and materials (e.g., Evidence That Demands a Verdict by Josh McDowell). I cut out the “Outline of Matthew’s Gospel” presented in the notes and laminated it and I’m keeping it in my bible this year as we go through the study. If you are not in a study and getting the notes, it is really an important addition – the notes are good!

BSF Genesis: Week 31, Day 5

Today’s Scriptures

Questions:

11.
God will come to your aid and be true to promise ==> go home

12.
a.
God will come to aid, take my bones

b.
Ex 13:19 Moses took Joseph’s bones, Joshua 24:34 Joseph buried in the cave in Canaan

13.
God will come to your aid

My Daily Journal:

I know many people find comfort in the words of Genesis 50:24 that God will come to your aid. But, as a husband, father and provider to my family, church and community I find special promise in these words and a comfort, a real lifting of a burden through these words.

I want to provide for those I love. I want to protect them and care for them. I want to serve them and model the love of God to them. But how do you continue to do that after you die. There is, obviously, financial planning that should take place and seeds that are planted throughout the years, but how can you possibly know if the best laid plans will be enough?

But, the reassurance that God will come to their aid is a huge relief. And, as it was when the Holy Spirit was sent after Christ left, this verse tells me that there is actually a special outpouring of blessing that God will send to the ones I love and care for to specifically fill the void that would otherwise be present with my inevitable passing some day. What a powerful and reassuring promise!

BSF Genesis: Week 31, Day 4

Today’s Scriptures

Questions:

8.
a.
Worried that with Jacob dead Joseph would turn and payback for the wrongs they did to him. So, they sent word (lie?) that Jacob told him to forgive them – Joseph wept and told them to not be afraid, he would not judge them but instead would provide for them and their children. He reassured them and spoke kindly to them

b.
Wept. Received them. Spoke reasuring words to them

c.
God works all to His good. No matter what, God is in control

9.
a.
1 John 1:9, if we confess our sins he will forgive us & purify us, Eph 1:7 in him we have redemption… the forgiveness of sins John 6:1-14 Christ provides (feeding 5000) John 14:2, my Father’s house has many rooms. Luke 23:43 today paradise

b.
confession, repententance, grateful acceptance of the gift of grace

c.
As an earthly father and teacher I try to protect and provide for my family and those in my care. I teach them through words and modeling biblical values, worship and confession.

10.
a.
To save Israel from itself, from its sinful past, from intermarriage with canaanites and from famine

b. (Note: I answered this challenge question in light of what the bible says disciples of Christ are called to do):
2Tim 2:15, learn his word, 1 peter 5:7 pray, Eph 5:22-6:4 serve each other as family, Col 3:18 do all work for God, Acts 20:35 help the weak, more blessed to give, Act 8:4 preach the word wherever you go

My Daily Journal:

This was one of my favorite sections of our study this week. After Jacob’s death, Joseph’s brothers get afraid. They decide to take the approach with their brother that I’ve seen my own kid’s take. They decided to “play the Dad card.” “Dad said you have to forgive us…”

But Joseph’s response was amazing. In response to the Dad card, Joseph plays the Big Dad card. Instead of stepping into the middle of things and giving his own forgiveness, Joseph redirects them to God. Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? God has already used everything you did for His good. What is there to forgive that hasn’t been forgiven? Don’t be afraid.

His brothers sought simply get out of the hole they had dug for themselves. Joseph doesn’t just bring them back to where they were before, but he elevates them. He doesn’t just say I won’t punish you. He says I will take care of you and provide for you and your children. What a model and reflection of our loving God! When we dig ourselves into a hole, we repent and ask Him to help us get out of the hole. Instead of just restoring us, he lifts us up to a better place, a place in His kingdom, and eternal home.

On the flip side of this is the lesson and reminder of just how difficult it is for us, like Joseph’s brothers, to accept forgiveness. We repent, we ask God to forgive us and He does. But we don’t. Instead of learning from and moving on, we keep reliving our past transgressions. Instead of leaving them at the foot of the cross, we keep going back and picking them up, only to repent of them again and again. But, God really does forgive. Psalm 103:12 says, “as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” This is a challenge for me. I’m one who, while I know God has forgiven me, I haven’t always forgiven myself, and that baggage can hinder my ability to move forward into the sanctification to which I (like all believers) am called. That is one of the reasons this was such a powerful and personal lesson to me.

BSF Genesis: Week 31, Day 3

Today’s Scriptures

Questions:

6.
Pharaoh honored him by the entourage he sent to his graveside. Dignitaries of his court, all the dignitaries of Egypt, Chariots and horsemen, a very large company, so great the the Canaanites renamed the place to mourning of the Egyptians. Only Hebrew children and livestock left behind.

7.
a.
The size and scale and the mourning that occurred at the threshing floor of Atad

b.
v12. Did as he commanded them, carried him, buried him.

c.
We are aliens here – our citizenship is in heaven. We have been saved through Christ.

My Daily Journal:

Jacob was a mirror who reflected God. When the bible says God is the God of Israel or the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, it does not mean these men owned God. It means that they reflected God for others to see.

Jacob reflected God in his prayer life. He reflected God in His trust of God’s word. He reflected God in his willingness to speak truth (especially in his later years). He reflected God in his blessings (which were actually God’s blessings). He reflected God in and through his children and especially through Joseph.

When pharoah send a very large company, chariots, horsemen; when he sent all the riches of Egypt; when he provided the royal embalmers; when the Egyptians mourned at the threshing floor; when the Egyptians stayed with the Israelite children and flocks so their parents could all go back to Canaan (even though they found shepherds detestable)… When all of these things occurred they reflected directly through Jacob back to God, His God, The God of Israel.

When we go to a funeral and participate in eulogies today it is the same thing. When a christian has spent their life reflecting the glory of God, there is absolutely nothing wrong with spending some time reflecting on that reflection! The glory is not going to the individual, it is going to the source of the light that they helped shine.