Bible in 90 Days – Day 1

Bible in 90 Days – Day 1

Genesis 1-16

See my first post about this Bible reading challenge here

For now I’m going to structure my posts like this. This is a new way for me to study so I may change it as I go along. I found that I’m easily distractible as I’m reading, because I have such a bent toward “study” in place of “reading”. This takes exponentially longer, and since there’s so much reading each day, I decided to jot notes in a separate journal as I go along, so I don’t stop. Kindof like taking sermon notes during a sermon, as I can’t very well raise my hand and ask my pastor to hang on while I go and research this or that.

Here’s my structure for today.

Words: Words that popped off the page for me

Wonders: Things I sortof wonder about, that I’d have to go and read some commentaries or study up a bit farther – if there’s even any complete explanations out there. God does love a good mystery, after all.

Principles: Maybe a little theological one-liner that one could infer from the text.

Hugs: Warm fuzzies for the romantic in me. When God’s tenderness and faithful love is especially evident to me.

Mirror: When I see myself in the characters. God’s word is like a mirror (James 1:23-25)

(Also, I’m going to be using the HCSB. I love the HCSB Notetakers Interactive Edition Bible for its huge margins, lots of study info and cross references.)

Words 

Gen 2:18 helper – 5828 One who helps; from 5826 to help, support.

Note: This is the first job description for a wife, before woman is even created.

Gen 2:24 bonds with – 1692 To cling to, to stay with

Note: Marriage rules determined as soon as marriage is established.

Gen 2:25 no shame – 954 (Not) put to shame, disconcerted, or disappointed. (Not) acting shamefully.

Note: Shame and Audacity cannot coexist.

Gen 8:21 pleasing aroma

God was well pleased with the performance, v. 21. He smelt a sweet savour, or, as it is in the Hebrew, a savour of rest, from it. As, when he had made the world at first on the seventh day, he rested and was refreshed, so, now that he had new-made it, in the sacrifice of the seventh he rested. He was well pleased with Noah's pious zeal, and these hopeful beginnings of the new world, as men are with fragrant and agreeable smells; though his offering was small it was according to his ability, and God accepted it. Having caused his anger to rest upon the world of sinners, he here caused his love to rest upon this little remnant of believers. –Matthew Henry

source

Wonders/Meditations

Genesis 12:1 This seems a little out of nowhere. Why Abram? Perhaps because God knew he would obey? Perhaps God saw Abram’s faith even before He called him, before we get the chance to see his faith recorded? God looks on the heart. (1 Samuel 16:7)

Principles

Gen 4:12-22, 6:5-8, 8:18, 10:1-32 Righteousness is more important than knowledge or skill. All (or perhaps many) of the makers, music makers, thinkers, etc were washed away in the flood.

Gen 12:7-8 Abram worships. Even though he doesn’t know where he’s going, and there is no hope of fulfillment, he worships.

Hugs

Gen 13:17 “Get up and walk from one end of the land to the other, for I will give it to you.” (This reminded me of a daddy excitedly giving his child a new car, or house, or something amazing, and saying “Push all the buttons, give it a try, test drive it, look in all the doors and cabinets! It’s yours!”)

Mirror 

Gen 15:2, 16:2 Abram and Sarai are trying to figure out how God could keep His promise, and they’re trying to come up with a solution for Him, praying with this finite solution in mind. A solution born of finite understanding, when God has something better and more amazing in mind. It’s hard to believe in the supernatural when our minds are so human. See also Romans 8:26 – when we don’t know how to pray, and Eph 3:20 He is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or even imagine.

Stay

It’s hard to fully express what I felt God working in my heart last night when my husband was reading the Jesus Calling Bible Storybook to the kids. It was the story found in Acts 16:24-40, where Paul and Silas are in prison. Worshipping. And then God worked, and removed their chains, but they stayed.

First, I must recount the definition I read this week for ‘trial’. It has really stuck with me and resonated with me.

“Trial: from the Hebrew sara or srh, which means to bind, tie up, restrict. Thus the noun comes to denote a narrow place in life where one is bound or restricted.”

I also read the truth that stated “we listen, we praise, we walk in the direction of God’s voice and we obey. It’s that simple. Sometimes that means we get to unbind and celebrate. Sometimes it means we don’t.” (Both quotes from I Will Carry You by Angie Smith)

So God tied these thoughts up together with a bow.

We are grieving. We are grieving the loss of a much loved one taken too soon by cancer. We’ve been praying that we get to unbind and celebrate the healing that we’ve been praying so desperately for. But God had other plans.

He did unbind.

He did answer.

Just not in a way we were planning.

So do we run? Do we flee? Hide? Do we turn our backs?

I’ve been feeling in a prison. That seems funny to say. But it’s a mind-picture I made even before bedtime stories last night. A prison where someone we love has cancer. We are bound, our hands are tied and unable to even help him get comfortable, much less find healing.
It has made me go mad and feel like running. It has made me get mad and feel like doubting. But I’ve given in to neither.

I stayed in the prison.

But did I worship?

Maybe. Sometimes.

Did I pray for deliverance? You bet.

But did I worship and sing hymns, focused solely on my great God, not expecting anything in return?
I’m not sure. Only God really knows.

But then, now that it is finished – as finished as that part of the trial can be this side of Heaven, for we will always feel the loss and the pain of separation – do we move on? Or do we minister?

Paul and Silas could have left to finish ‘their’ work, the mission they had planned, but they stayed where God placed them.

God penned their story, putting them right where He wanted them to serve. And so they did. And a household of people came to know Jesus because of it. (And we will get to meet them in Heaven one day!) They served in a way they never could have had they never gone through this trial. Only when their work was done there did God move them on, blessing their freedom.

So I must keep reminding myself, when I feel trapped, or bound, going through this trial, or any trials I have yet to encounter that only God knows of:
Worship.

Stay.

Serve.


See also this post about unanswered prayers

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The Resurrection and the Life

I just really like Jesus. I do love Him, but I really am starting to like Him too. Taking a look at His personality and presence while He was physically present on earth.

So much mystery and so much simple transparency all wrapped up together. He speaks like a poet one minute and like a teacher of children the next, putting everything plain and simple.

In the end of John 10 (Jn 10:22-24) Jesus plainly claims diety. But in many other passages, Jesus is more subtle and used the name God used for Himself “I AM” (Exodus 3:14) Whenever Jesus used ‘I Am’ He was not only saying what He was saying (I am the Vine; I am the Door, etc), but He was also saying, “I am God.”

Our text today is John 11. Please read it now and I’ll wait.

See what I mean about how Jesus talks? I noticed it again in verses 11-14. Praise Him for not criticizing our feeble understanding, Amen?

Our key verses are 25-26

John 11:25-26 “Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?”

(Why don’t you fill in your name in place of Martha’s?)

There’s that ‘I Am’ statement again. Don’t you love it? I don’t know about you but I’m glad Jesus is God. Otherwise I think there’d be a lingering doubt that the Sacrifice really wasn’t good enough.

Let’s back up a bit and look at the passage from the beginning. Lazarus was sick and they sent to Jesus for help. His plan was not their plan.

See verse 33. I don’t like the NLT for this one, where it says “a deep anger welled up within him”. Let’s look at either the AMP version, or the NASB

John 11:33b “…He was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. [He chafed in spirit and sighed and was disturbed.]” AMP John 11:33b “…He was deeply moved in spirit and was troubled.” NASB

I don’t believe Jesus was angry as much as vexed or grief stricken. It grieved Him to see them hurting. I can’t believe Christ was really grieved about the loss of Lazarus, because He knew they’d be together again. Maybe Christ was grieved because just because of death itself – because sin had entered the perfect, God-filled creation. That was never how God had intended for it to be. What a scorching reminder. (I encourage you to share your thoughts on this in the comments. This is just my opinion. What do you think?)

What a man of emotion.

John 11:35 “Then Jesus wept.” NLT

And in His weeping, they recognized His love for Lazarus. That love He holds for each of us.

Death hurts.

Separation hurts.

And it was never part of God’s ideal world.

But we messed it up and as a fallen world, death comes with it.

Praise Jesus that He is Life, and that with Him there is no real death. Just transfer from one life (temporal, earthly) to the next – our eternal, painless one in Heaven.

If God doesn’t like death either, then why did He allow it? The answer is all over our passage – note these verses:

John 11:4b “…it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this.” NLT

(Note: He is claiming deity again, and claiming glory.  He, Christ, must be recognized as God.)

And verses 40-42; before Lazarus was even raised. Jesus prays His thanks, praising God out loud for testimony, and again to claim sonship. Notice His prayer before Lazarus walks out.

John 11:40-42 “Jesus responded, “Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?” So they rolled the stone aside. Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, thank you for hearing me. You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they will believe you sent me.” NLT

It worked. People believed, and God got the glory.

John 11:45 “Many of the people who were with Mary believed in Jesus when they saw this happen.” NLT

 Now can you see God’s plan in this death? Lazarus’s sisters Mary and Martha, and likely many others there, did not understand why Jesus didn’t come sooner. (See verse 32) But those who believed because of this occurrence wouldn’t have believed otherwise. He does always know best, praise Him.

Let’s take a real quick look before we close at verses 46-57. Because of this act, Jesus became a wanted man. Not for lawlessness, but really for God-ness. The Pharisees did not want to believe His deity, and so sought to kill Him.

Christ, being God, saw everything – so He knew this was to come, did He not?

But did that stop Him? No way.

He trusted in the Father’s plan; He knew this was best. God’s work is always worth the risk.

Always.

In summary I’d like to add one thought.

“I am the resurrection and the life” – Lazarus wasn’t the only life restored that day. Because really, in our sin, we are already dead, so salvation is a form of resurrection, yes?

I love that He doesn’t say, “I give resurrection and life,” or even that “I will resurrect from the dead.” Rather, it is so much a part of His nature that He says, “I am the Resurrection and the Life.”

He is.

Praise Him.

In your prayer time, spend some time thanking Him for what may seem like an unanswered prayer. He may just have a better answer waiting. And thank Him that He is Resurrection, and that He is Life.

Death is not forever. God has a purpose in allowing His children hurt, suffering, loss, and yes even death.

Trust Him, dear ones.

This post is in memory of my friend, a dear sister in Christ who God brought home 6 months ago today, seemingly before her time. God does have a purpose, and may we recognize and bless Him for that.

We will see you again soon.