Genesis 17
- El Shaddai is another name for God Almighty
- God spoke to Abram 13 years after Ishmael was born and renamed him Abraham which means "father of a multitude"
- God reminds Abraham of His promise to give Abraham the land of Canaana through his son.
- Abraham has waited almost 25 years from the first covenant he made with God, and now having a son through Sarah seems even more impossible because she is 89 (almost 90)
- Abraham asks God to bless his son Ishmael instead and fulfill His promise through him, but God again repeats that Abraham's line shall be blessed through Isaac, who shall be born from Sarah.
- When God says this to Abraham, he laughs at God.
- Why didn't God's anger burn against Abraham's lack of faith like it does so many other times when people doubt God's abilities and power?
- God tells Abraham to circumcise all males in his house, both relative and any slaves they have purchased. He and Ishmael were circumcised "that very day". Their response to God's command was immediate! They didn't question God on this command at all.
- Did they circumcise Gentile slaves since they were not God's chosen people?
- Circumcision separates the Jews from the Gentiles and is a symbol to others.
Nehemiah 6
- Sanballat and Tobiah and Geshem the Arab sent Nehemiah 4 letters asking to meet with him, but he refused to stop the work on the wall because he knew it was a trap.
- Sanballat did one better in making up a "reported" rumor that Nehemiah wanted to rebuild the wall and declare himself king and rebel against the king of Persia.
- Nehemiah simply said this was not true and went about his work. Sanballat wanted to make Nehemiah afraid and cause him to sin against God. Nehemiah simply asked God to strengthen his hands for the work.
- Shemaiah told Nehemiah to hide from his enemies in the temple feigning worrying for Nehemiah's well being, but Nehemiah saw through this plot as well. He knew that hiding in the temple would not be trusting God and would be a sin for him to do.
- They finished the wall in 52 days. The surrounding nations were afraid because they knew the wall could only have been finished this quickly by God's hand.
- Letters continued to come but Nehemiah was not afraid.
Matthew 19
- The Pharisees asked Jesus about divorce since Moses said that anyone divorcing should give a certificate of divorce and send her away.
- Jesus said this was NOT God's original plan because what God puts together let no man separate. Moses only told this to the OT Israelites because of hardness of heart.
- Jesus states for the 2nd time that only adultery is grounds for a divorce.
- Jesus' disciples say they should not marry then. Jesus says that some are called to this and others are not. Not marrying then is a calling that some people might have.
- Jesus welcomed the little children.
- A rich man came to Jesus having kept all of the commandments that Jesus asked him about. He wanted to become a disciple until Jesus told him to sell everything and follow Him. The man went away sad, valuing his wealth more than Jesus.
- It's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. (This goes along with the saying , " a man cannot serve 2 masters because he will love the one and hate the other")
- The disciples wondered who can be saved and Jesus told them that being saved is impossible without God, in whom ALL things are possible. That is why God sent His Son to die for the sins of the world.
- Peter asks what the disciples will receive since they have left everything to follow Him, and He replied that they will sit with him on 12 thrones in heaven.
- Who will be on the 12th promised throne in heaven since Judas betrayed Jesus?
Acts 16
- Paul meets Timothy in Lystra. Timothy is the son of a Jewish woman and Greek man. It is interesting that this man of mixed marriage will be Paul's go to man for the next generation. This would have been unheard of in the Jewish community.
- Why did Paul have Timothy circumcised and then tell those in Lystra and Iconium about what the counsel had decided when the counsel had said circumcision is NOT necessary?
- Paul, Silas, and Timothy's visit added to their numbers daily (very active presence)
- Why would the Holy Spirit "forbid" them from speaking the Word in Asia?
- Paul had a vision telling him to go to Macedonia, and he went immediately (no reservations or questions about going)
- Why does 16:10 start using the first person "we" instead of they to describe the men?
- They spoke to a group of women first, which for this time was not the normal target of conversations, men were.
- They met, spoke to, and baptized a woman named Lydia in Philippi. They stayed with her.
- A possessed slave girl kept following Paul, Timothy, and Silas proclaiming them to be servant of God. This went of for days, until Paul got annoyed and cast the demon out of the girl.
- Why was Paul annoyed at this spirit for speaking truth and declaring them to have the message of salvation?
- The men who owned the slave girl stirred up the crowds so that the rulers had Paul and Silas beaten (not Timothy?). They were thrown into prison.
- That night there was an earthquake. Paul and Silas were praying and singing (loudly because the prisoners were listening)
- Everyone's cells were opened and shackles unfastened, and the prison guard went to kill himself until. Paul had him stop, and preached the Gospel to this man who believed and was baptized.
- The magistrates told the police to let Paul and Silas go, but Paul refused until a proper, public apology was given to them, because they were beaten and imprison wrongly as Roman citizens.
- How did Paul and Silas become Roman citizens?
- Paul and Silas went back to Philippi and encouraged other believers there (I need to be an encouragement to others, especially other believers.)
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