Gen 20:5 "I have done this with a clear conscience and clean hands."
Abraham is going all around Mesopatamia claiming his wife, Sarah is his sister. So Abimelech decides to take this single woman for his own. God shows up in a dream and says "Hey that's Abraham's wife!" Abimelech tries to defend his actions and says "Hey, I thought she was his sister. I did this with a clear conscience." God then offers Abimelech a chance to get out of the situation.
It's interesting to me that in this story Abimelech is the guy potentially in the wrong with the gun to his head. Abraham is the one lying and decieving others. If anyone is the villain here, it seems to me it should have been him. It's also very important to see that God honors Abimelech's intentions and allows him to get off the hook. This shows us that God is gracious and forgiving. I therefore have to ask myself how clear of a conscience do I have. God will honor my intentions and heart. It's up to me to make sure they are clean!
Dear Jesus, help me to have clean hands and a clear conscience today. Amen.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Too Hard?
Gen. 18:14 "Is anything too hard for the LORD ?"
The Lord has shown up and is telling Sarah that she will have a son. Sarah was very old at this point and upon hearing the news laughed at the thought of having a child at her age. God then says, "Is anything too hard for the Lord?"
Is anything too hard for the Lord? The answer of course is no. He created the heavens and the earth, the solar system, stars, planets, oceans, mountains, hippos and butterflies. Nothing is impossible for our creator. Yet, it is so easy to doubt him and trust in ourselves. I personally have a ton of things to do this summer. I am a bit worried. I have forgotten that nothing is too hard for my Lord. I need to trust in him and realize nothing is too hard with God leading the way.
Dear Jesus, help me remember that you are strong and I am weak. Nothing is too hard for you. Amen.
The Lord has shown up and is telling Sarah that she will have a son. Sarah was very old at this point and upon hearing the news laughed at the thought of having a child at her age. God then says, "Is anything too hard for the Lord?"
Is anything too hard for the Lord? The answer of course is no. He created the heavens and the earth, the solar system, stars, planets, oceans, mountains, hippos and butterflies. Nothing is impossible for our creator. Yet, it is so easy to doubt him and trust in ourselves. I personally have a ton of things to do this summer. I am a bit worried. I have forgotten that nothing is too hard for my Lord. I need to trust in him and realize nothing is too hard with God leading the way.
Dear Jesus, help me remember that you are strong and I am weak. Nothing is too hard for you. Amen.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Lord of lords
Rev. 17:14 "They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers."
John is describing events of the end times. He is describing a war between Christ and the beast. John says that the Lamb will overcome the beast because he is the Lord of lords.
We have many kings, rulers, and lords in our world. Right now in fact the world is watching a few particularly nasty "lords" do some pretty crazy stuff in North Korea and Iran. But John reassures his readers that in the end, the Lord of lords will have ultimate victory. No matter how strong, mighty or powerful earthly rulers may seem, they will all fall to the Lamb. And, the Lamb's faithful followers will be right there with him.
Dear Jesus, help me to not put hope in earthly leaders or fear them. Remind me daily that you indeed are the Lord of lord's and King of kings. Amen.
John is describing events of the end times. He is describing a war between Christ and the beast. John says that the Lamb will overcome the beast because he is the Lord of lords.
We have many kings, rulers, and lords in our world. Right now in fact the world is watching a few particularly nasty "lords" do some pretty crazy stuff in North Korea and Iran. But John reassures his readers that in the end, the Lord of lords will have ultimate victory. No matter how strong, mighty or powerful earthly rulers may seem, they will all fall to the Lamb. And, the Lamb's faithful followers will be right there with him.
Dear Jesus, help me to not put hope in earthly leaders or fear them. Remind me daily that you indeed are the Lord of lord's and King of kings. Amen.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Abram's Belief
Gen. 15: 6 "Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness."
God tells Abram that he will give him a son-an heir Abram so desperately longs for. The text says that Abram believed God and God credited it to him as righteousness. Abram was credited with righteousness because he simply believed in God.
Belief is central to our righteousness. We cannot earn our righteousness by what we do. Our good works, piety, and personal character all depend upon and are a result of our belief or faith in God. Everything good in our life stems from faith. And faith itself is also something that comes from God. We cannot muster up our own faith, belief or righteousness. They are all good gifts from the Father.
Dear Jesus, please give me more faith. Please give me more righteousness. Amen.
God tells Abram that he will give him a son-an heir Abram so desperately longs for. The text says that Abram believed God and God credited it to him as righteousness. Abram was credited with righteousness because he simply believed in God.
Belief is central to our righteousness. We cannot earn our righteousness by what we do. Our good works, piety, and personal character all depend upon and are a result of our belief or faith in God. Everything good in our life stems from faith. And faith itself is also something that comes from God. We cannot muster up our own faith, belief or righteousness. They are all good gifts from the Father.
Dear Jesus, please give me more faith. Please give me more righteousness. Amen.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
No Facebook in the Promised Land
Gen 12:1 "The Lord had said to Abram, 'Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you.'"
God is calling Abram to leave and go to the "promised land."
It struck me that Abram wasn't asked just to move, as we would move from one city to another. Abram was asked to leave his country, his people and his family. This was in a day when they didn't have the postal servcie, cell phones, texting, email or Facebook. If he was going to leave, he was going to leave! Abram showed a great deal of faith by trusting God and leaving. I need to do a better job of listening to God's voice in my life and trusting him in all things.
Dear Jesus, help me to listen to you better. If I need to leave somewhere or something, please give me the faith to do so. Amen.
God is calling Abram to leave and go to the "promised land."
It struck me that Abram wasn't asked just to move, as we would move from one city to another. Abram was asked to leave his country, his people and his family. This was in a day when they didn't have the postal servcie, cell phones, texting, email or Facebook. If he was going to leave, he was going to leave! Abram showed a great deal of faith by trusting God and leaving. I need to do a better job of listening to God's voice in my life and trusting him in all things.
Dear Jesus, help me to listen to you better. If I need to leave somewhere or something, please give me the faith to do so. Amen.
Monday, June 15, 2009
My Name
Gen. 11:4 "Then they said, 'Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth.'"
In Babylonia, the people of the world decide to build themselves a city and a tower. They decide they want to make a name for themselves. They think if they can create something of significance they will be important and secure. The tower is built and God comes down and destroys it and scatters the people abroad.
C.S. Lewis once wrote that the greatest sin in the world is the sin of pride. Every sort of evil stems from the original idea that we are most important and are #1. From generation to generation this sin plagues us. We always care more for ourselves than we do for God or for others. Our accomplishments, our satisfaction, our health, wealth and the name we make for ourselves becomes top priority. Jesus calls us to another way. He calls us to be humble.
Dear Jesus, help me to be humble and not care about my name. Amen.
In Babylonia, the people of the world decide to build themselves a city and a tower. They decide they want to make a name for themselves. They think if they can create something of significance they will be important and secure. The tower is built and God comes down and destroys it and scatters the people abroad.
C.S. Lewis once wrote that the greatest sin in the world is the sin of pride. Every sort of evil stems from the original idea that we are most important and are #1. From generation to generation this sin plagues us. We always care more for ourselves than we do for God or for others. Our accomplishments, our satisfaction, our health, wealth and the name we make for ourselves becomes top priority. Jesus calls us to another way. He calls us to be humble.
Dear Jesus, help me to be humble and not care about my name. Amen.
Friday, June 12, 2009
University of God
Revelation 10:7 "But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets."
John is describing an encounter with an angel and a scroll in Revelation chapter 10. He says when the seventh angel sounds his trumpet, then the "mystery of God will be accomplished."
God is a mystery in so many ways. There are so many things we don't know about God and his kingdom. We know much, but God is like college, the more you learn and study, the more you realize you don't know anything! You thought you knew everything, but you really didn't. This verse is just interesting to me because the mystery of God won't be accomplished (whatever that really means) until these end times. God will continue to be mysterious, amazing, and wonderful.
Dear Jesus, thank you that I can have a relationship with the Father through you. Despite the mystery of God, you are real and I can place my trust in you. Amen.
John is describing an encounter with an angel and a scroll in Revelation chapter 10. He says when the seventh angel sounds his trumpet, then the "mystery of God will be accomplished."
God is a mystery in so many ways. There are so many things we don't know about God and his kingdom. We know much, but God is like college, the more you learn and study, the more you realize you don't know anything! You thought you knew everything, but you really didn't. This verse is just interesting to me because the mystery of God won't be accomplished (whatever that really means) until these end times. God will continue to be mysterious, amazing, and wonderful.
Dear Jesus, thank you that I can have a relationship with the Father through you. Despite the mystery of God, you are real and I can place my trust in you. Amen.
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
The Pitiful Laodicean American
Rev. 3:17 "You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked."
God is addressing the church in Laodicea and mocking their supposed independence. They think they are rich and have everything they need, yet in reality they are "wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked."
I always try to see how scripture correlates with my life and my situation. I can't help but think what was said to Laodicea could also be said to America. We are so materialistic and consumer oriented it is pathetic. This consumerism and wealth leads us to believe we can take care of ourselves-that we don't need anyone else or for that matter God. The truth is, the more we put our hope and faith in our pocketbooks, the more wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked we truly become.
Dear Jesus, forgive my materialism. Forgive me of my pride in myself and my stuff. Amen.
God is addressing the church in Laodicea and mocking their supposed independence. They think they are rich and have everything they need, yet in reality they are "wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked."
I always try to see how scripture correlates with my life and my situation. I can't help but think what was said to Laodicea could also be said to America. We are so materialistic and consumer oriented it is pathetic. This consumerism and wealth leads us to believe we can take care of ourselves-that we don't need anyone else or for that matter God. The truth is, the more we put our hope and faith in our pocketbooks, the more wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked we truly become.
Dear Jesus, forgive my materialism. Forgive me of my pride in myself and my stuff. Amen.
Tuesday, June 02, 2009
First Things First
Rev. 2:4 "...You have forsaken your first love."
In Revelation 2, Christ is addressing the seven churches and admonishing them for their behavior. He tells the Ephesian church they have done a good job at persevering yet they have forsaken their first love. The assumption here, is that they have forsaken their original and genuine love for Christ.
I was at a conference a month or so ago and Francis Chan talked about how we all too often forsake our first love. We get so caught up with other things-trivial things that don't really matter, and we forget the entire reason we are here. I struggle to not lose my first love. I remember back in high school and in college, I was so on fire for Christ then. I believe most days I still am very much in love with my Jesus but some days it takes effort to put him first. I have to take intentional steps to keep first things first.
Dear Jesus, help me to always remember you, my first love. Amen.
In Revelation 2, Christ is addressing the seven churches and admonishing them for their behavior. He tells the Ephesian church they have done a good job at persevering yet they have forsaken their first love. The assumption here, is that they have forsaken their original and genuine love for Christ.
I was at a conference a month or so ago and Francis Chan talked about how we all too often forsake our first love. We get so caught up with other things-trivial things that don't really matter, and we forget the entire reason we are here. I struggle to not lose my first love. I remember back in high school and in college, I was so on fire for Christ then. I believe most days I still am very much in love with my Jesus but some days it takes effort to put him first. I have to take intentional steps to keep first things first.
Dear Jesus, help me to always remember you, my first love. Amen.
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