bsfgroups – Page 8 – The Notes are Good

01.5 BSF Matthew: Week 1, Day 5

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

01.2 BSF Matthew: Week 1, Day 2

Today’s Scripture

My Daily Journal:

People often talk about the legacy they want to leave behind. But I don’t think we are called to a legacy. I think that is too self centered and too much wanting what is left behind to be about us. Instead, I believe we are called to be a witness.

Everyone in America knows the line that witnesses are sworn in by: do you promise to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you God? Put a capital T on truth and that is supposed to be the life of a Christian – that is supposed to be my life. Not to be perfect. Not to be without sin or fault. Not to walk some higher path of being better than others. Instead, we are called to be a mirror shining the light through our testimony to those who do not yet know the Truth and to be a faithful voice backing those who do.

What is the Truth? That God so loved the world (not just the jews, not just select few) that He gave His only Son to die for us, for my sins and yours, to pay the price through grace to redeem us back into unity with Him.

The genealogy in these first lines of Matthew outlines that God fulfills His promise of a King, but even more so, it shows and reminds us of how God has worked through very broken people (like you and me) who were willing to do one very important thing – turn their lives into being a witness of their faith in Him.

My Answers:

3.
a.
i. Er’s wife, him died, tricked Judah to father, “more righteous than I”
ii. Prostitute, hid Jewish spies in promised land, oath of salvation, scarlet cord
iii. your people my people your God my God, Married Boaz Kinsman Redeemer
iv. Bathsheba, adultry with David, 1st died, mom of Solmn
v. Virgin, blessed among women

b. It is factual. God created male and female (gen 1:27) and has a love for all (John 3:16), Jesus is fully human (not from a lineage of perfect people, male or female), Genealogy includes gentiles (Tamar, Rahab, Ruth)

c.All of them, but I have a heart for Ruth – She demonstrated such love and faithfulness to Naomi and God. Ruth 1:16 Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.

d. While we are all called to live out our faith as a witness, my recent times have been calls to strengthen other believers. I had a business lunch that evolved into a deep reinforcing discussion about living faith in the workplace this week.

4.
a. Abraham: Gen 22:18 all nations blessed through your see, Heb 2:16 took not nature of anges but the seed of Abrham Gal 3:16 Jesus is the one seed. David: Isaiah 11 Branch from root of Jesse, 2 Samuel 7:12-14 set up seed, establish kingdom

b. 1. To Jews it was a pre-req. Without proper genealogy, there was no basis for messiah. 2. for all, it emphasizes that God’s plan has never changed or altered course – From fall of man He planned to send His Son as the Savior.

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 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.

BSF Genesis: Week 31, Day 2

Today’s Scriptures

Questions:

3.
a.
No. He spent his last breath blessing others. He looked forward to being gathered to his people, pulled his feet up into his bed and died

b.
God is the God of Jacob – He is not the God of the dead but of the living – Jacob is experiencing eternal life

4.
a.
H.
people are destined to die once and after that to face judgment

R.
All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, Wages of sin are death but the gift of God is eternal life

J5.
Whoever hears word and believes God has eternal life, will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life

J8.
told that you would die in yoru sins, if don’t believe then you will indeed die in your sins

J11.
Whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?

b.
Spiritually ready and confident. I believe there is still work for me to do here and more lives to touch and shepherd

5.
Honored the promise he made to his father. Sought Pharaoh’s blessing.

My Daily Journal:

Death. Until Christ comes again and calls us up to Him in heaven, we are all going to die. Death is a doorway we all must cross through.

For a few years I had the opportunity to work with a motivational speaker who used board breaking in coaching and leading people. The piece of pine represented a barrier to the individual, something that prevented them from “breaking through” to a higher level or better place. One of the key things that he taught, and which I saw to be true, was that the more you focus on the board, the harder it is to break. You don’t try to hit the board, you pick a focus point beyond the board and strike to it. You don’t focus on the barrier, your focus on what things look like beyond the barrier.

The challenge for us is that we tend to focus on the door more than what’s on the other side when it comes to death. Some might say that we don’t know what is on the other side, but I disagree. While the door may be a solid door, Christ has provided a window for us to look through. He tells us that “in My father’s house there are many mansions, if it were not so, I would have told you.” He tells us that upon death “Today you will be with me in paradise.” We know from Revelation that heaven is a real place, measurable, with walls of jasper and city of pure gold. But, most importantly, we know it is where God is and where we go to be with Him. This was revealed in the martyrdom of Stephen when he saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God in heaven. Jesus tells us about God and Heaven over and over again. I am the way… no one comes to the Father but by me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who believes in me shall not perish but have eternal life.

When Christ came back from the dead he showed that death has no hold over us. There need be no uncertainty of what is on the other side of the door of death, Christ has shown us. We, like Jacob need to be willing to trust in Him and put our focus on the beauty of breaking through to the other side, not on the door. When we focus on death, we bang in to something hard and difficult and painful, just like when someone would focus on the board, they would bang into the board. Instead, we must focus on the life after death and break through death in joy and celebration.

BSF Genesis: Week 30, Day 5

Today’s Scriptures

Questions:

13.
To be buried in the cave of the patriarchs. He had confidence his people would return to the promised land

14.
a.
in hard work be weak, it is more blessed to give than to receive

r.
whose transgressions are forgiven, sins are covered, whose sin the Lord will never count

e.
in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ

t.
in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ

j.
who perseveres under trial, having stood the test, receive the crown of life that Lord promised

p.
do not repay evil with evil/insult with insult, but evil with blessing – called

r.
read aloud the words of this prophecy, hear it, take it to heart – time is near

My Daily Journal:

I was torn at first with the line asking what a person must do to receive blessings. Clearly we don’t do anything to earn blessings, no more than we do something to earn a gift. If you earn it, it isn’t a gift, it is payment. I see blessings in the same way.

But in preparing my lecture I was reminded of an older gentleman I worked with at a retail store in the mall when I was in high school. This man suffered from periodontal disease and, to use the vernacular, had really bad breath. He was aware of the problem and did things to try to cover up the situation. He constantly ate breath mints. He wore very strong cologne, he would attempt to not get too close to people when talking. But all of those were simply steps to cover or mask the problem, they did nothing to fix it.

For us, sin is the problem and it stinks. The bible says our prayers are like a pleasing aroma to God. In the same way, our sin is a stench. We do all kinds of things, all kinds of “good works” to try to mask it, but we can’t. The only fix is to fix the problem. That is called sanctification and it is a process that God, our great physician, takes in our lives to remove the infection of sin in our lives and transform us into His image. Christ is the only cure, and while we can’t do anything to earn Him in our lives, if we fail to accept Him then we miss the cure.

In the same way, if we fail to do spiritual work, we miss the blessings of that work, if we fail to be in Christ we miss the blessings of the heavenly realm, if we avoid trials and tests we miss the growth they provide. This isn’t earned, it is lived. It isn’t covering over, it is submitting to the only one who can heal.

BSF Genesis: Week 30, Day 4

Today’s Scriptures

Questions:

10.
fruitful vine near a spring: his actions in Egypt, by the Nile, saved nations from starvation. branches climb over a wall: moved from Canaan to Egypt received Egyptian name and honors, Archer attach: Brothers, Potiphars wife, forgotten in prison – he faced many attacks; Bow remained steady, strong arms limber: despite hardship he stayed true and honorable to God; because of hand of Mighty One, Shepherd, Rock: All was because of God and for His glory.

11.
blessings from skies above waters below, sun and moon; gifts from ancient mountains and hills; let all these rest on the head of Joseph the prince among his brothers

12.
Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in him, for he shields him all day long, and the one the Lord loves rests between his shoulders. He may be a ravenous wolf to the world, but he carries the lamb upon his shoulders

My Daily Journal:

We are wisely encouraged in life to save and set funds aside for our old age and for an inheritance to our children. While the bible warns against placing our faith in this accumulation, it is also clearly taught to set funds aside in the years of plenty for the lean years that often follow.

We can see a parallel in these spiritual blessings that Jacob has accumulated for his sons. Do these things belong to Jacob, no, they belong to God. But through a life devoted to God and setting aside treasures of faith in his heart, Jacob can bestow these blessings onto his sons and the sons of Joseph. Blessings of the skies above, blessings of the deep springs below, blessings of the breast and womb. Blessings greater than the blessings of the ancient mountains, than the bounty of the age-old hills.

What am I, through faith, receiving as a spiritual blessing that I, through the almighty hand of God, will be able to bestow upon my children and grandchildren? Is my inheritance to them measured in dollars or measured in blessings and grace and truth? What words do I need to say to my children? Shouldn’t I say them now until waiting until my deathbed?

BSF Genesis: Week 30, Day 3

Today’s Scriptures

Questions:

5.
Hand on neck of enemies, brothers praise you, relatives bow down, Lion, scepter will not depart, ruler’s staff…until the coming of the one to whom it belongs, whom all nations will honor

6.
a.
all bow to him, victorious against his prey, holds the scepter and ruler’s staff for they belong to him, from the line of Judah, the one whom all nations will honor

b.
1 Cr 15:54, Death has been swallowed up in victory; Rom 6:9 Death no longer has mastery over him; Luke 22:69 The Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God; Heb 1:2 by His Son whom he appointed heir of all things; Heb 1:8 about the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter…, Matt 27:18 Christ was dressed in a crimson robe (crimson would be the color of a robe died in the blood of grapes, it was also the color representing sin, e.g., the crimson sash hung outside the window by Rahab.)

c.
He is victorious over death so I need not fear the grave. He is at the right hand of God and holds the scepter of heaven, so I can trust in His rule.

7.
His region was beside the sea of Galilee and included Capernaum. Many gentiles (ships) lived there and were saved (safe harbor)

8.
The tribe of Issachar were to be farmers. We know from the time of Adam that farming would be hard work and toil, but we know also from Eccles 3:12-13 that toil is a gift from God. God encourages us to work and do good hard work which yields benefits to us now and eternally

9.
Samson – Judges 13-18 – killed many Philistines who ruled over Israel at the time

My Daily Journal:

Many of us know the story of Samson and his incredible strength when the spirit would come upon him in strength. But as I reread the story I was struck by his parents.

Manoah, who was from the tribe of Dan, lived in the land unjustly ruled by the Philistines. The Israelites had been turned over to the Philistines because of their sin. Manoah was married to a woman who was childless. The angel of the Lord came to her and told her she would give birth to a son who would be a Nazirite and he will take the lead in delivering Israel from the hands of the Philistines.

The part that came next is what really struck me in relation to our lesson this week. In Judges 13:18, “Then Manoah prayed to the LORD: “Pardon your servant, Lord. I beg you to let the man of God you sent to us come again to teach us how to bring up the boy who is to be born.””

In our scripture this week Jacob has assembled and is speaking truth about the future to his sons, including many things they either don’t understand or, in some instances, things they don’t want to hear. This made me think about what I should do if God delivered news about my future to me. What if he told me something about my health, my finances, my children, my church? Should I worry about it? Should I jump into action? Should I just take the news and do nothing? Should I use my own intellect to “figure things out”?

But, the example we learn from Manoah is the right response. Given revelation about the future, my first step should be to drop to my knees and humbly pray to God to come into my life and teach me how to do what He wants with this revelation. To teach me how to honor Him and be true in my work in the future to His calling for my life.

BSF Genesis: Week 30, Day 2

Today’s Scriptures

Questions:

3.
a.
Firstborn, my might, my 1st sign of strength, first in rank and power. Turbulent as the water, unruly as a flood, you will no longer excel (you will be first no longer).

b.
Reuben followed his eye (his lust) into a situation he knew to be wrong. He wavered and did not hold strong to his conviction to his father or God. As such, he became a person with divided loyalty, unstable, tossed. Do not expect to receive anything because loyalty is divided between God and the world

c.
Protect your eyes to not draw you into a temptation to waver in faith. Eyes are either filled with light or darkness, but can’t be both. If try to do both, we are as unsettled as a wave with divided loyalty and will receive no reward from God.

4.
a.
weapons are instruments of violence. May I never join in their meetings or be party to their plans. Curse on their anger, curse on their wrath – they are fierce and cruel. I will scatter them among the descendants of Jacob, disperse them

b.
Slaughtered all the men of Shechem after the rape of their sister Dinah.

c.
Ex 32:27, After Moses returns from the mountain to find the golden calf he draws sides and the Levites side with him and go from one end of camp to the other killing 3000. Part of the role of the priests is to guard the temple and the laws even against their own brothers.

d.
In my youth I did not make wise decisions in friends or activities. My education suffered, my faith wavered and my ability to witness for God was tarnished. While none of those things can be reversed, it does not mean that God can’t use them in me now to make me a dedicated learner, to associate with Godly friends and to lead my family to not repeat my mistakes. Had Levi not dishonored Jacob, the Levites may not have learned from that mistake and may not have stood with Moses.

My Daily Journal:

What tough love Jacob showed to his sons. None of us have difficulty giving blessings of good news and we tend to gloss over the negatives or avoid them all together. Jacob knew the habits of his sons, particularly the older sons, and, on his deathbed he told them the truth. He did it not in hatred or spite but in love. Notice that he doesn’t curse Simeon or Levi, he curses their anger and their wrath.

Are they locked into this? Is this just “who they are”? The story of God’s redemptive love tells us otherwise. The example I am using in my children’s lecture is to not allow your cow paths to become canyons.

Cows in a field have the ability to walk anywhere. The land is generally flat and grass grows throughout it. But if you look at any pasture where cows have dwelt for some time you will find “cow paths.” They develop habits and walk the same path over and over again, wearing a trail. However, with a single step they can step out of that rut. However, if they don’t then, over lots of time, that rut grows deeper and deeper and could eventually grow to be a deep canyon.

Jacob saw the cow paths his sons had formed in their lives. While he was inspired by God, it did not take divine intervention to see where those paths lead. By speaking the truth to them he entrusted to them the wisdom to see for themselves and either continue along the same rut or step out of it.

For many of us the ruts of decisions in our lives already run very deep. We likely don’t have the strength to climb out on our own. The good news of Christ is we don’t have to. He will lift us up and carry us on his shoulders. He sends others into our life to help us and gives us his church on earth to work together to help each other.

I’m reading a book by John Maxwell and one section of the book asks the question, “what is the most important day in your life?” The empowering answer to that question is always, today. The past is with us and we need to assess and learn from it, but there is nothing we can do to change it. The future is worth planning and preparing for, but living in the future is called procrastination. The key is to live in today, to make the right decisions today, to love God and His people today and honor and server Him today. When Moses came down from the mountain and drew sides, the Levites had learned to choose that day whom they would serve. Not a few, but every single man of the tribe, every descendent of Levi, and learned the lesson and chose wisely.