bsf blog – Page 7 – The Notes are Good

BSF Genesis: Week 17, Day 5

Questions:

12.
a.
They saw the blessings, Peace, God’s presence, Abraham’s prayer life

b.
prayer leads to God’s continuous presence leads to peace leads to blessings

13.
a.
Swore not to deal falsely, show kindness, swore oath together, gave 7 ewe lambs in settlement of disagreement

b.
show fairness, honesty, let my word be true, show honor to God in all

My Daily Journal:

I’m reading a book called God Forsaken by Dinesh D’Souza. I’m not very far into it, yet, but one of the things that struck me in the first chapter was the argument by athiest and non-believers that we’ve all heard before: “How could I possibly believe in a god who would __________?”

This stuck with me throughout our study this week. God’s position should be the head. He should be in the lead, in the forefront. But how often in my life do I act like Abraham and Sarah and ask God to perform janitorial duties and clean up my messes? Then when those messes get so large and convoluted, people blame God that He isn’t cleaning them up fast enough to suit their thinking.

It is good that he was able to settle in this region for a while and concentrate on raising his son. It is hard on a family to be traveling and relocating all the time. But, by relying on his own wit and wisdom, Abraham not only put that at risk but he put the ability to father a child at risk. It is hard to have a child with your wife if she is living in another man’s palace as his wife.

It was just convicting to me of looking at those areas where I run ahead of God and then pray for Him to bail me out of a mess I made. Not only because of the pain that causes me and those I love but also because of the message others see in those messes and how that reflects on their heart for God.

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!) (I published this earlier on the wrong day, but it belongs with this day’s lesson.

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 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 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 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.