Tonight/Today I'm doing a two-for-one posting. Yesterday was my last day off before going back to summer school and I put off meeting with the Lord. AS I lay in bed trying to go to sleep I felt conviction about not wanting to meet with God and focus on my laziness, so I read the day's sections. But as I tried to fall asleep, I couldn't so I have been up all night. As a result I'll post yesterday and today's blog now...4am Thursday.
Genesis 18/19
- The Lord appears to Abraham as three men. He asks them to stay with him and rushes to prepare a calf and some bread, as well as wash their feet. He is very hospitable.
- The Lord tells Abraham that in one year He will return and Abraham will have a son.
- Sarah overhears this and laughs because she is not only old, but "the way of the woman had ceased" in her meaning she had stopped "cycling".
- The Lord rebukes her and asks "What is too hard for the Lord?" The answer being nothing!
- Sarah denied laughing.
- Why didn't the Lord punish Sarah for her lack of faith like He did to Moses?
- What was God hiding from Abraham that He was going to do? He already made a covenant with Abraham earlier.
- Abraham tries to save the righteous people in Sodom when the Lord want to destroy it. Abraham continuously pleads for the Lord to have mercy on the 50, 45,40, 30, 20, 10 righteous people who may be living in Sodom.
- Abraham approaches each of these requests with humility (not wanting to anger the Lord)
(Ch.19)
- Three angels had appeared to Abraham, but only two show up in Sodom to visit Lot. He also extends hospitality to the angels and begs them to stay with him.
- That night EVERYONE in the town shows up to "know" the angels. ( I believe another translation says have sex with them)
- Why does Lot offer his two daughters to this mob, but protect the two angels?
- The townspeople hate Lot because he is a foreigner and they see him as judging them.
- He tells his family to leave, but his two son-in-laws think he is joking.
- Lot Lingered even after the angels warned him to leave, and they whisked them away, but Lot's wife looked back (not obeying the angel's instructions) and became a pillar of salt.
- Lot asked to flee to Zoar (a small town) rather than the hills as the angels instructed him, and they agreed.
- Lot was saved because of Abraham's deal with the angels about sparing anyone in Sodom who was righteous.
- Why did the angels save Lot when he refused to listen to them?
- Why was Gomorrah destroyed since it wasn't mentioned in chapter 18?
- Lot flees Zoar and goes to the mountains anyway. There his daughters get him drunk and "lay with him" bearing him children.
- Why did they do this and how did Lot not figure out what had happened?
- Lot's older daughter bore Moab (the Moabites) and Lot's younger daughter bore Benammi (the Ammonites)
Nehemiah 7/8
- Nehemiah gave his brother,Hanani and Hananiah the governor control of Jerusalem.
- Nehemiah looked at everyone's genealogies, and there were a few who could not prove their ancestry. These men were excluded from partaking in the most holy food and were deemed "unclean".
- Names that stuck out in the genealogies were Asaph (from the Psalms), Solomon, and Hezekiah.
- The people gave to the house of the Lord. (This must have come at great personal sacrifice, because so many people had so little because of the drought)
- It took 7 months to rebuild the houses.
- (Ch.8)
- Ezra read the Book of the Law of Moses to the people. The priests helped the people understand what was spoken "clearly" (also translated paragraph by paragraph)
- The people responded with weeping and mourning (this was sad weeping, not that of joy)
- "For the joy of the Lord is your strength" - (This is a key verse for understanding the purpose in all that we do in this life...we are to do it for the Lord, and because of that we can find joy in any and everything we do)
- This turned the people's weeping into great joy!!!
- When did God tell the Israelites to dwell in booths and what was the purpose of this celebration?
- It lasted for 7 days and they had a solemn assembly.
- How long had it been since the Booths Celebration had last been celebrated? When were the days of Jeshua?
Matthew 17/18
- Peter, James, and John went with Jesus and saw Him transfigured talking with Moses and Elijah.
- How would they know what these two men looked like?
- Peter offered to make them all tents, but after the voice spoke, Moses and Elijah were no loner there.
- Jesus tells them to tell no one what they saw until He is raised from the dead. He also tells them that John the Baptist was in fact Elijah (which fulfilled the prophecies)
- Jesus rebukes the disciples after their faith is too weak to cast out a demon.
- Jesus states that true faith could move a mountain (Wouldn't it be great if we had this kind of faith?)
- Jesus forecasts His death for a second time in this chapter.
- Peter asks Jesus about paying taxes and Jesus replies they wouldn't have to, but to appease the law of the land He sends Peter fishing, stating that the fish he catches will contain money to pay the tax collector. (This must have just increased Peter's faith in Jesus all the more)
(Ch.18)
- The disciples ask a prideful answer to see who is the greatest, and Jesus replies that it is the one who is humble like a child.
- We will face temptation, but we should not be the cause of someone else's temptation. If something is causing us to sin we need to get rid of it or risk hell. (Jesus talks about throwing away body parts (or "important" things in our eyes) to gain heaven and eternal life.
- 1 lost sheep and 99 safe sheep. The shepherd will look for and celebrate in finding the one lost sheep. (God celebrates people who are unsaved who come to Him more than those who are already believers)
- (v.15-20) give the biblical steps for settling disputes with a fellow believer.
1) Go to him directly
2) Go with 2 or 3 others
3) Tell it to the church
4) Do not associate with them
- What "church" is available to the believers at this time?
- Peter asks how many times he should forgive someone. His guess is 7, but Jesus says 70 x 7 = 490 times (otherwise keep forgiving them no matter what) Jesus lived this out when He went to the cross and died for all of our sins which far exceeded 490.
- The king in the parable forgave a debt which would have taken 200,000 years to pay off (in other words it'd be impossible) and that forgiven servant refused to forgive a fellow servant of a debt that would take 100 days to pay off. The king finds out and put the unmerciful servant in prison until his debt is paid.
(This parable clearly articulates where we fall in the debt our sins have put us in toward God, and how He alone can forgive us this impossible, unfathomable debt through His Son's death on the cross.)
- How can I struggle to forgive small trespasses (debts) against me when my debt to God is SOOO big?
Acts 17/18
- In Thessalonica, Paul taught people on the Sabbath using Scripture (This is why I need to know Scripture in order to effectively share the Gospel with others). Some Jews formed a mob and drove them out of town.
- Paul later would write 2 letters to the believers in Thessalonica
- He went to Berea and the people in Thessalonica stirred up the crowds against him again.
- The Spirit led Paul to Athens, where people loved hearing new teaching. Paul pointed out that they had a temple to "an unknown god". Paul used this as a springboard to share about his God, the one true God.
- Being religious is not the same as placing your faith in Jesus.
- Paul used two Greek poems and popular phrases to insert the Gospel (It is important to try to meet people where they are, and then share the Gospel)
- Some men mocked Paul but many believed and asked to hear Paul speak to them again.
(Ch.18)
- Paul head to Corinth, Ephesis, and Galatia all of which he would letter write letters to.
- Paul spent 18 months in Corinth. Most Jews were hardened to believing, so again Paul focused on the Gentiles in that area. Many believed.
- The Lord gave Paul a vision which encouraged him.
- The Jews took Paul before Gallio, the proconsul, and complained that Paul was breaking Jewislaw. Gallio didn't care about their religious squabbles since Paul had done nothing violent.
- Paul went back to Antioch a 3rd time after being stoned there. (This shows great faith and trust in God for protection)
- Apollos, a believer, went to Ephesus preaching boldly with just a little knowledge of the Gospel. Some other believers taught him more, so that his witness would be even stronger. (I can not use the fact that I don't know everything as a "good excuse" not to share the Gospel. God can and will work in my short comings)
- Apollos also used Scripture to support his knowledge of who Jesus was.
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